The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
U-17s rescue injury-time equaliser against Wexford
SSE AIRTRICITY UNDER-17 LEAGUE Kerry 2 Wexford 2
KERRY picked up a valuable league point at Mounthawk Park on Sunday when they clawed back a 2-0 deficit to grab a well deserved equaliser three minutes into stoppage time.
This was a game Kerry could and should have won but they were let down by some very poor finishing in the final third of the pitch squandering a series of gilt edged scoring opportunities.
The visitors began on the front foot and they went ahead in the fifth minute after a period of sustained pressure they forced a corner kick.
This was despatched into the goalmouth by Darragh Levo and when the ball was knocked across the goalmouth James Dowling rose high at the back post to head powerfully to the net.
Kerry should have equalised five minutes later when Boki Nikic delivered a superb ball to Jordan Barry who just had the keeper to beat but Sean Mamade her himself big and made a superb block to deny a certain goal. Another chance came three minutes later when John Carmody put Barry through on goals again but he pulled his shot wide. Then Kerry goalie Alex O’Connor was called into action and he made a good save to deny James Dowling with a shot from distance. Play moved down the other end and Cayo Devlin Travers played in James Dowling and his low shot was only a whisker away. Another great chance of a Kerry equaliser came in the 31st minute when Junior Anhomah used his strength to win the ball and get past two defenders. He displayed great vision to spot the run of Jordan Barry and with the goals at his mercy he scuffed his shot from five yards and a wonderful opportunity to score was lost. Wexford went close to scoring in the 40th minute when Killian Griffin crossed the ball to Cayo Devlin Travers and his header was just over the top. However they were not to be denied just before the break when James Dowling ran on to a high ball from midfield and controlled it beautifully inside the box and after sizing up his options he drilled the ball low past the outcoming goalkeeper. It was 2-0 at the interval and Kerry must have been left wondering why they were behind as they created a few really good chances that they should have put away. They went close to pulling one back early in the second half with James Rusk delivering a great over the top ball to Owen Benson but his shot rattled the crossbar.
Then Kerry boss Darren Aherne made a double substitution with Leon Shalemba coming on for Paddy O’Rourke and Jr Tshikato replacing Dylan Quirke.
Now Kerry had a much more cutting edge and they began to dominate the game.
They pulled one back in the 66th minute when Jr Tshikato done brilliantly to bustle his way past two opponents and he linked up with Sebastian Vasiu who cleverly deceived a defender and rifled his low shot to the back of the net.
Now Kerry were in full flight and began to pile on the pressure on their opponents and they had a strong claim for a penalty in the 80th minute when Sebastian Vasiu appeared to be taken down in the box but the referee allowed play to continue.
As the game entered the concluding stages Kerry continued to attack and Jr Tsihikato again done very well to win the ball and lay it off to John Carmody but he was unable to find the target.
Carmody had another chance in the 86th minute but pulled his shot wide.
As the game entered the 3rd minute of added time Kerry got a free kick right out on the sideline near the half way line.
It was delivered right into the goalmouth by Sebastian Vasiu and the Wexford goalie seemed to have got it but it fell from his grasp and John Carmody pounced to lash the ball to the back of the net past a forest of players.
It was a fully deserved equaliser for Kerry and was just reward for the great shift they put in.
While they will be happy enough with the point in the circumstances they know they should have won this game if they had been more clinical up front.
KERRY: Alex O’Connor, Dylan Quirke (Jr Tshikato, 52 mins), Paddy O’Rourke (Leon Shalemba, 52 mins), James Rusk, David Rogers, Junior Ankomah, Sebastian Vasiu, Jordan Barry (Nathan Gleeson, 62 mins), Owen Benson, Boki Nikic (Patrick Dowling, 83 mins), John Carmody.
WEXFORD FC: Sean Maher, Sean O’Brien, Dylan Whelan, Kyle Scallan, Killian Flynn, Cayo Devlin Travers (Killian McDonald, 71 mins), James Dowling, Killian Griffin (Brian Byrne, 71 mins), Graham O’Reilly, Darragh Levo, Sean Smithers (Rob Bulmer, 88 mins).
REFEREE: Eddie O’Mahoney
KERRY FACE LIMERICK IN UNDER-17 CUP
Kerry have been drawn at home to Limerick FC in the first round of the SSE Airtricity League U-17