Wanderers Denied Late On As Kerry Strike In Stoppage Time
Gareth Danaher reports from Mounthawk Park
Kerry FC fought back from two goals down to earn a dramatic 2-2 draw against Bray Wanderers at Mounthawk Park on Friday night in one of the most entertaining First Division clashes of the season.
The visitors struck first just before the break when Daniel Ring finished smartly in the 40th minute to give Bray a narrow halftime advantage. Kerry had shown glimpses going forward in the opening period but struggled to contain Bray’s pace in transition.
Bray doubled their lead 13 minutes into the second half through Kyle Tucker who got his first goal for the club through a well worked shot from the right hand side of the box, and at 2-0 it looked as though the Seagulls were set to leave Tralee with all three points. Their attacking movement caused Kerry problems throughout the evening, with Ring particularly lively in the final third.
However, Colin Healy’s side responded brilliantly. Matthew Britton pulled one back in the 66th minute to ignite the home crowd and completely change the momentum of the match. Just a minute later, Bray’s Declan Osagie was shown red, handing Kerry a major advantage for the closing stages.
Kerry piled on the pressure against the ten men and were rewarded deep into stoppage time when Britton struck again in the 92nd minute to complete a dramatic comeback and rescue a deserved point for the hosts. The late equaliser sparked huge celebrations at Mounthawk Park as Kerry showed resilience and character to battle back from two goals behind.
The draw continues Kerry’s encouraging recent home form, while Bray will feel frustrated after letting a commanding position slip in the closing minutes. Despite the disappointment, the visitors still showed plenty of attacking quality and remained dangerous throughout the contest.
Kerry FC: Matthew Connor; Sean O’Connell, Kilian Cantwell (C), Sean McGrath, Ryan Kelliher, Cian Murphy, Samuel Aladesanusi, Ryan Perez, Vince Borden, Niall Brookwell, Ewan Lee.
Subs Used: Matthew Britton (GOAL ‘66, ‘90), Robert Keane, Cian Brosnan, Eric Koufie.
Bray Wanderers: James Corcoran (C); Jamie Duggan, John Sesay, Daniel Ring (GOAL ‘40), Richard Ferizaj, Ifunanyachi Achara, Declan Osagie, Kyle Tucker (GOAL ‘58), Ben McCormack, Tyreik Sammy, Dean O’Shea.
Subs Used: Benjamin Fagbemi, Conor Knight, Billy O’Neill, Jamie Ryan.
Referee: Declan Toland.
Attendance: 445 (official).
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