Excitement rising for the first ever Kerry FC-Cork City derby in the Kingdom

For Kerry FC after an unprecedented run of eight games unbeaten – seven in the league – during which they took their first ever win on home soil, a run of defeats was always likely to follow sooner rather than later.

There’s no shame in that. No shame in losing to Athlone Town and Bray Wanderers respectively, although one could argue that the Kingdom underperformed in the second half of that Athlone game.

Even so, the ball was always likely to break against them eventually. Now that it has, now that they’ve suffered a couple of defeats, the question is how soon will it take them to get back up running again, how quickly can they start putting points on the board.

This May Bank Holiday weekend could prove tricky to their hopes of doing that. On Friday evening they face table-toppers Cork City in Mounthawk Park, while on Monday a trip to Bishopsgate to face Longford Town could prove trickier than it looks on paper.

True, Town’s form hasn’t much improved since losing to the Kingdom last month in Tralee, but at the same time they’ll surely be well motivated to inflict a measure of revenge on the league new boys.

Still for all that we can’t imagine this Kerry side are going to be unduly daunted by either game. If anything one gets the sense that they’re particularly looking forward to the first every derby clash with Cork City on Kerry soil.

The Kingdom go into the game with a ‘clean bill of heath’ according to Kerry FC assistant manager James Sugure, and yes that includes long-term injury absentees Jack Kavanagh and big off-season signing Valerii Dolia.

"He [Dohlia] played with Under 20s on Saturday, got minutes with the Under 20s and did very well so he’s getting closer all the time,” Sugrue said of the Ukrainian winger.

"He looked sharp in fairness and he looks like a fit lad anyway, naturally fit. He did a lot of running with Shane Guthrie [Kerry FC S&C coach] away from the group just individual stuff and he looked very sharp to be fair. So he’s had no real pain or anything on the toe so he’s very close really.

“Jack’s [Kavanagh] perfect now. He’s pushing for a place in the team. At the moment, as you can see, it’s a very hard team to get on. Seán O’Connell is playing absolutely brilliantly at the moment, so obviously two of them battling for that position.

"Jack is flying at the moment in training, he’s doing very well.”

The game with City, while clearly daunting, nevertheless offers the Kingdom a chance to draw a line in the sand on, to get back to where they were just a couple of weeks ago. Having the table-toppers coming to town will at the very least sharpen players’ focus.

“First of all you’ve got to look at it this way, it’s a derby game,” Sugrue stated.

"It’s the first time we’ll have Cork City down here in a League of Ireland competitive game, so like I said whoever comes down here we’ll have the same attitude.

"We’ll try win the game, it’s the league leaders, you win the game it can drive you further on confidence-wise, everything. We’ll approach the game, we’ll work hard tonight in training, we’ve a big week ahead of us and, obviously, our support has been unbelievable this year as well.

"This is where we’ll really be looking for them, the twelfth man before the whistle getting behind the boys and really driving them on and that really does help.

"You can see that in the Longford game [at home which they won], the atmosphere we had from the supporters was absolutely outstanding and the players who are young they feed off that.

"I could really feel it that night. I hope the supporters really come in their droves that night and drive us on from before the whistle. It’s a game I’m really looking forward to, they’re the league leaders and you can see where you are in the league.

"We’ve improved, obviously, you can see a big difference in the team. It’s a big opportunity, a big opportunity for the boys and I feel that in the camp there's no real fear with anyone.

"They don’t care who they’re playing, but it’s down to that attitude and that high intensity and really staring the game that way.”

Chances are City will have too much for Kerry FC on Friday evening. Monday, though, while tricky in its own way, could offer a greater chance of a result.

SSE AIRTRICITY FIRST DIVISION

Kerry FC v Cork City

Friday, May 3

Mounthawk Park, 7.45pm

Longford Town v Kerry FC

Monday, May 6

Bishopsgate, 5pm