Kerry FC concede twice late to Bray Wanderers but never looked like scoring against the Seagulls

Bray Wanderers 2

Kerry FC 0

After a run of seven games unbeaten in the League, it is now back to back defeats for Kerry FC following a 2-0 loss away to Bray Wanderers on Friday evening, a result that keeps Conor McCarthy’s team in ninth place in the division with nine points – five ahead of Longford who have two games in hand.

The table still means very little at this early stage of the season but the win moves Bray into third, but from Kerry’s perspective, it won’t get any easier next week when First Division leaders Cork City come to Tralee, with the Rebels winning 2-0 away to Finn Harps on Friday night.

After a string of positive performances – even last week’s 2-1 loss to Athlone Town – it was a decidedly flat Kerry team that took on Wanderers, perhaps the long journey to the east coast sapping some of their energy. That said, the visitors managed to hold out for 67 minutes before the Seagulls took the lead, which they doubled 11 minutes later.

Cristian Magerusan was only too delighted to be on the pitch rather than the treatment room, and he bagged the opener just two minutes after coming on in the second period. Peter Grogan wrapped up the points with his fourth goal in his last four games.

It was a very, very tepid first half, with neither side making any real threats on the opposition goal, but Bray’s quality shone through in the end with their options from the bench eventually proving telling.

Kieran Cruise scored the opener last week but it was his defensive prowess that might have led to the first goal against Kerry. He won the ball back deep inside his own half and launched a Bray counter-attack that resulted in Shane Griffin slotting through for Grogan. However, the attacker’s cross/shot failed to trouble Antonio Tuta and was cleared by the Kerry defence.

Harry Groome liked to influence things in the final third for Bray but he almost had a negative impact the other end on 16 minutes. He was too casual on the ball and it was pinched off him by Sean McGrath. McGrath fed Victor Udeze who drove into the box but his shot was thwarted by a superb sliding block from Kilian Cantwell who spared Groome’s blushes.

Udeze started in the Kerry attack alongside Kennedy Amechi, with Ryan Kelliher on the bench and Daniel Okwute not in the squad. And although he didn’t get on the pitch in Bray, there was encouraging news for Kerry FC with Valerii Dolia making the journey and taking his place in a match day squad for the first time since signing before the season.

A Kerry corner kick lead to the next opportunity. Sean O’Connell’s in-swinging left-footer found Daire McCarthy – the deepest man in the area – but his header flew over from an acute angle.

Grogan had another sniff of goal in the first half. Evan Osam played the ball down the line and Cruise’s clever dummy took two Kerry men out of the game as it rolled to Grogan. He then twisted and turned his man as he entered the penalty area but his low drive was gathered safely by Tuta at the second attempt.

Both managers made a change at the interval. Kelliher was thrust on as the central striker for Kerry whilst Cruise made way for Zach Nolan for the hosts.

Wanderers wanted a penalty in the 57th minute. Ethan Kos and Grogan competed for a header with the latter then going to ground and holding his head. Referee Robert Dowling allowed play to continue though and it struck Andrew Spain. Grogan and team mates screamed for a penalty but their appeals fell on deaf ears.

Ryan’s second roll of the dice saw him introduce Magerusan and it only took him two minutes to show his head coach what he was capable of. Bray attacked down the right and while Sean O’Connell had initially dealt with the threat for Kerry Max Murphy re-delivered and Magerusan’s touch was subtle but did enough to divert it past the hapless Tuta.

The concession of the goal seemed to sap a lot of the fight and energy out of the visitors and Bray were only too happy to apply further misery.

Magerusan was played through on 79 minutes. His effort was blocked by Tuta but rebounded into the path of Grogan who wasn’t going to miss from six yards and has now scored in matches in a row for the Seagulls.

There was still 11 minutes for Kerry to do damage but that never looked likely as an assured and confident Bray defence dealt with their threat with the minimum of fuss.

Kerry and Bray face Cork opposition next: Kerry host table-toppers Cork City at Mounthawk Park next Friday, while Bray travel to the Rebel county to take on Cobh Ramblers.

BRAY WANDERERS: Stephen McGuinness; Max Murphy, Kilian Cantwell, Paul Murphy, Evan Osam; Freddie Turley, Darren Craven, Harry Groome, Kieran Cruise; Shane Griffin; Peter Grogan. Subs: Zach Nolan for Cruise (ht); Cristian Magerusan for Craven (67); Conor Knight for Turley (77); Guillermo Almirall for Grogan (86).

KERRY FC: Antonio Tuta; Kevin Williams, Andrew Spain, Ethan Kos, Sean O’Connell; Sean McGrath, Daire McCarthy, Ronan Teahan; Nathan Gleeson, Victor Udeze, Kennedy Amechi. Subs: Ryan Kelliher for Udeze (ht); Cian Brosnan for Amechi (67); Steven Healy for McCarthy (77).

Referee: Robert Dowling