Kerry FC captain Sean McGrath: If you're not playing to get to the play-offs, what are you playing for?
Kerryman
It is probably no surprise that Kerry FC's consistent form over the last six weeks or so has coincided with a welcome return to the goal scoring ranks for captain Sean McGrath. Just one defeat – to league leaders Dundalk – in their last six games is an encouraging statistic.
For the Ballyduff man, a return of three goals from those half a dozen outings will, most certainly, please manager Colin Healy. Indeed, from the moment that he slotted home the only goal, from the spot, against UCD at Belfield on May 2, the skipper has grown in confidence.
Related topics
Kerry FC
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Independent
20 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Dundalk's delight as Horgan's penalty secures three points against UCD
Dundalk claimed their first double game week win of the season courtesy of a dubious Daryl Horgan penalty in first half stoppage time and a late penalty save from Enda Minogue at the death against UCD at the UCD Bowl on Friday night.
Irish Examiner
20 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Kerry FC roar to very welcome win after week of turmoil
Kerry FC 4 Athlone Town 0 Kerry FC responded to a week of turmoil with their biggest win of the season against a lacklustre Athlone Town in Mounthawk Park on Friday night. Colin Healy's men hit four for the first time this season, and held their biggest half-time lead in their short history in a clash that they well and truly dominated from the first whistle. Ronan Teahan, Sean O'Connell and Robert Cleary all found the back of the net before the break, whilst Carl Mujaguzi put the cherry on top of the cake with a superb long-range effort on the hour mark. The points see Kerry stretch the gap between their opponents on the night to seven points at the foot of the First Division. They come after a week in which both goalkeeper Mathyas Randriamamy and defender Shane Maroodza were stunningly released by the First Division club. It could've been very different as Athlone had the first major chance of the game when Stanislav Hulidov's header from a Billy Gilmour free-kick flew just past the post of Kerry goalkeeper debutant Matthew Connor. Kerry turned the screw from then on, their first chance came through Daniel Okwute, who managed to smash beyond Lee Axworthy but was denied by the foot of the woodwork. The opening goal of the game went the way of the home side, courtesy of Ronan Teahan, who smashed home after some lovely work from Robbie Cleary running directly at the Athlone backline before providing the inch-perfect assist. The home side doubled their advantage just a few minutes later. The goal was a bit more luck-based this time, as O'Connell's inswinging corner flew over the heads of everybody in the area and into the side of the net, despite the best efforts of Kelende Thiam to clear. Healy's men found their third just minutes before the break. With their tails up, Kerry were pressing Athlone high and found fortune off the back of a Gilmour error. Cleary, after winning the ball back, drove forward himself and smashed past Axworthy into the far corner. Mujaguzi rounded off the Kerry FC scoring on the hour mark. When the ball broke to the midfielder, the crowd urged the Ugandan to shoot, and with no hesitation, Mujaguzi nestled a sublime effort from range into the far corner. Kerry FC: Matthew Connor, Ewan Lee, Kevin Williams, Samuel Aladesanusi, Chris McQueen, Sean O'Connell, Oran Crowe, Carl Mujaguzi, Ronan Teahan, Daniel Okwute, Robert Cleary Subs: Joe Adams for Crowe (65), Sean McGrath for Mujaguzi (74), Cian Brosnan for Cleary (74), Arran Healy for Teahan (74), Finn Barrett for Healy (79) Athlone Town: Lee Axworthy, Reece Webb, Cole Omorehiomwan, Kyle O'Connor, Aderinsola Adewale, Kelende Thiam, Billy Gilmour, Jason Oyenuga, Gideon Tetteh, Stanislav Hulidov, Dean Williams Subs: Daniel McKenna for Thiam, (58), Ben Feeney for Adewale (58), Noe Baba for Hulidov (65), Eoin Sheeran for Gilmore (65), William Smith for Oyenuga (87) Referee: Alan Patchell.
RTÉ News
20 hours ago
- RTÉ News
First Division: Horgan's spot-kick enough for Dundalk
Daryl's Horgan's expertly taken penalty deep in first-half stoppage time livened up a dull game as Dundalk maintained their lead at the top of the SSE Airtricity Men's First Division with the slenderest of wins. The Galwayman gave a glimpse about why he was rewarded with 17 caps as he gave Students keeper Dara Kavanagh the eyes before slotting the ball calmly into the opposite corner. Dundalk remain six points clear at the top, but they were made to work for it as Enda Minogue saved Adam Brennan's late penalty to secure a vital win. The visitors were the first to threaten and Andy Paraschiv left Kavanagh in no man's land as he nodded Declan McDaid's centre back across goal, but his looping header came back off the post. UCD hit back with a promising move of their own as Adam Wells ducked in from the right and knuckled a shot from 20 yards but it lacked the swerve to trouble Minogue in the Lilywhites goal. Ciarán Behan then slipped Mikey Raggett through in the box but, tracked by centre half Vinnie Leonard, he pulled his shot into the near side netting It was UCD's turn to test the woodwork then as they awarded a free kick 20 yards out when Leonard's centre back partner Mayowa Animasahun clumsily chopped down Raggett. Adam Verdon stepped up and sent a powerful curling shot over the wall and over the outstretched arm of Minogue that crashed back off the bar, and Behan put the rebound wide. Little else of consequence happened until injury time when Animasahun went from cartoon villain to hero as he went down softly following what appeared to be a shirt pull. The Students complained vociferously but ex-Preston North End and Hibernian man Horgan had no such quibbles and slotted the ball calmly into the left corner. Dundalk dominated a second half without many clear chances, Gbemi Arubi finding Kavanagh with a tame effort before McDaid stung the keeper's palms from range. Éanna Clancy strode forward and tested Minogue from 20 yards and Verdon saw his effort tipped over as the home side reverted to a more attacking formation. And their endeavour was rewarded three minutes from time as McManus appeared to handle in the area and, following a lengthy delay, Brennan stepped up. The midfielder was hesitant, however, and Minogue anticipated his weak effort and, though Hugh Smith bundled in a subsequent shot, he was deemed offside and the goal was struck off. Elsewhere the chasing pack kept pace with Cobh Ramblers and Bray Wanderers both claiming wins that saw them avoid losing further ground to Dundalk. Bray had to do it the hard way however and it took an injury-time winner from Richard Ferizaj's to claim a 3-2 victory over Treaty United. Mark Byrne put Treaty in front early on through Mark Byrne's opener but they were reduced to ten men soon after when Steven Healy was harshly adjudged to have denied Billy O'Neill a goal scoring opportunity. Goals from Conor Knight and Cian Curtis appeared to have the Seagulls cruising but a equaliser against the run of play from Joe Hanson looks set to give Treaty a hard-fought point before Ferizaj stuck out a foot to deflect his brother Justin's shot past the goalkeeper and into the net. Cobh Ramblers had a much more straight-forward victory as a hat-trick from Shane Griffin helped them a 3-1 win at home to Longford Town. Griffin opened the scoring on 37 minutes but fans were still celebrating that goal when Daniel Norris equalised two minutes afterwards. However Cobh stepped things up in the second-half and further goals from Griffin on the 50th and 81st minute were enough to seal things. Elsewhere Kerry claimed a convincing win in the battle between the basement sides as they eased to a 4-0 victory over bottom side Athlone. First-half goals from Ronan Teahan, Sean O'Connell and Robert Cleary all but ended the game as a contest by half-time and Carl Mujaguzi's second-half strike made sure of the result. While in Ferrycarrig Park, Wexford came from behind to beat Finn Harps 2-1. UCD: Dara Kavanagh; Adam Wells, Carl Lennox, Éanna Clancy (Declan Osa gie 80), Brian McManus (Ryan McBrearty 80); Adam Verdon, Adam Brennan, Ciarán Behan (Louis Dignam 84); Mikey McCullagh (Sam Norval 80), Jake Doyle, Mikey Raggett (Hugh Smith 59). Dundalk: Enda Minogue; Conor O'Keeffe, Mayowa Animasahun, Vinnie Leonard, John Ross Wilson; Harry Groome (Eoin Kenny 67), Aodh Dervin, Andy Parashiv (Shane Tracey 79); Declan McDaid (Rohan Vaughan 79), Daryl Horgan (Keith Ward 90+3), Gbemi Arubi. (Dean Ebbe 67)
