The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
U-17 soccer team get their first League win
SSE AIRTRICITY U-17 LEAGUE Kerry 1 Cabinteely FC 0
KERRY recorded their first win of the new season at Mounthark Park on Sunday after a very encouraging display against Dublin side Cabinteely.
There was not much between the sides over the 90 minutes but Kerry secured a very precious goal midway through the second half and were deserving winners after a very entertaining game that produced some good passages of free flowing football.
Kerry were unlucky not to go ahead after two minutes when a dipping shot from Dylan Robinson clipped the top of the crossbar.
Shortly afterwards the visitors hit on the break and a shot from Clayton Walsh had to be pushed over the top by Kerry goalie Robert Osborne.
Then Kerry got a free kick in a good position but Martin Coughlan’s shot came off the wall.
Cabinteely then created a couple of half chances but they produced nothing.
Then Martin Coughlan done very well to win the ball at midfield and after making a good run his low shot was saved by the Cabinteely goalie.
Cabinteely then forced a free kick which was floated in by Clayton Walsh and Evan Caulfield rose high to out-jump everyone but his header was over the top.
Controversy raged just before half time when there was a stoppage of play for an injury to a Kerry player.
The referee Adrian Quirke restarted play with a hop ball and everyone were expecting Cabinteely to kick the ball back to Kerry but Clayton Walsh drilled the ball to the net to the total surprise of everyone.
Referee Adrian Quirke allowed the goal but after consultation with his assistant Eddie O’Mahony the goal was disallowed with nobody too sure why.
Kerry came out with fire in their bellies in the second half and began to find openings in the visitors defence.
They should have gone ahead in the 58th minute when Eoin Clifford made a great run from midfield and played in Dillon Robinson but he was denied by a superb block by the Cabinteely keeper.
Then it looked as if the visitors were going to score in the 65th minute when Cian Kelly’s shot from just outside the box was bending for the bottom corner but Kerry custodian Robert Osborne dived to his right and made a fantastic save.
Kerry got the breakthrough their endeavour merited in the 68th minute when the excellent Eoin Clifford left everyone in his wake with a determined run and he spread the ball wide to Martin Coughlan.
He dodged his way past a couple of defenders and from just outside the box he drilled the ball goalwards and the shot was turned in by Dillon Robinson from close range.
After this both sides used their bench and Cabinteely tried their best to engineer an equaliser.
Kerry rode their luck in the concluding stages with Robert Osborne making a great save to deny sub Joyce Tsumbu while the ball was taken off the line twice by Sean Carmody.
It was a fine all round display by Kerry with Robert Osborne making a few great saves at vital stages of the game while his back 4 were very tight and solid throughout the game.
Eoin Clifford Kevin Williams and Martin Coughlan were the playmakers in the middle of park while Dylan Robinson was a constant threat up front.
Now Kerry have 4 points and have moved up to mid table and they will go ahead with a lot of confidence for the next game which is away to Cobh Ramblers on May 7. KERRY: Robert Osborne, John Hayes, John Ward, James Rusk (Boki Nikic, 86 mins), Sean Carmody, Eoin Clifford, Kevin Williams (Sheagh O’Connor, 83 mins), Michael O’Gara (Sebastian Vasiu, 46 mins), Dillon Robinson, Martin Coughlin (Thomas Burke, 78 mins), Adria Miravet (Padraig McCannon, 76 mins). CABINTEELY FC: Peter Quinlan, Eoin Massey, Eric Browne (Andrew Egan, 59 mins), Mark Soper, Evan Caulfield, Niall Barr (Joyce Tsumbu, 72 mins), Cian Kelly (Dylan Bermingham, 69 mins), Vilius Labutis, Clayton Walsh (Cian Bolger, 48 mins), Zak O’Neil, Jack Maguire. REFEREE: Adrian Quirke