Dundalk stay four points clear at top of the First Division as they see off Kerry
Dundalk remain four points clear at the top of the First Division after defeating Kerry FC at Mounthawk Park and fully deserved their win. However, the scoreline probably flattered the league leaders. Dundalk deserved their 2-0 lead heading into added time but for the second week in a row, Kerry conceded two late goals to compound a poor seven says for Colin Healy and his struggling Kerry side.
Dundalk created the first opening in the fourth minute when Daryl Horgans' snap shot just missed the target. Kerry countered as Sean McGrath ran on to a rebound from a Sean O'Connell effort that was blocked but Enda Minogue was down quickly to smother the shot.
Dundalk took the lead in the 20th minute when a misplaced pass out of defence by Alex Dunne was intercepted by Harry Groome who picked his spot and unleashed a terrific shot that dipped under the crossbar despite efforts of keeper Tim –Oliver Hiemer.
Dundalk almost doubled their lead in the 28th minute when Eoin Kenny skinned his marker down the right but Horgan failed to make contact in the six yard box.
Niall Brookwell then saved the home side when he cleared an Arubi shot off the line after another dangerous Kenny cross. Kerry finished the half strongly and could have equalised in the 40th minute when a cross from Alex Dunne was met in the box by Kennedy Amechi with his back to goal but his cheeky bicycle kick was parried by Dundalk keeper Minogue and collected. But Kerry had shown that they were able to trouble the league leaders defence who retired 1-0 in front at the interval.
Kerry began the second half brightly and McGrath was causing Dundalk problems through the middle in the absence of Ronan Teahan. McGrath was fouled in a central position and when Oran Crowe floated in the resultant free kick, Chris McQueen headed down but Amechi's effort was straight at the keeper.
Dundalk doubled their lead on the hour when another defensive error saw Kevin Williams head the ball into the path of Dean Ebbe who found Eoin Kenny raiding on the right side and he beat Hiemer from just inside the box, at his near post.
McQueen headed over from a Crowe corner in the 67th minute as Kerry tried valiantly to get a goal back. Dundalk wrapped the points with two late goals from a Keith Ward free kick that should have been saved and a tiring home side was caught out at the back again, in the final move of the game, when Andy Paraschiv fired home from inside the box to secure the points.
Kerry FC: Hiemer; Dunne, Williams, Brookwell, McQueen, O'Connell; McGrath, Mujaguzi, Crowe, Palmer, Amechi.
Subs: Healy for Mujaguzi (h/t), Barrett for Dunne (76)
Dundalk FC: Minogue; Wilson, Animasahun, Leonard, Keogh; Dervin, Groome, Kenny, Ebbe, Horgan, Arubi
Subs: D McDaid for Horgan ( 61), McHale for Keogh ( 69), Ward for Arubi ( 69), Paraschiv for Groome ( 69), Mulligan for Wilson ( 81).
Referee: L Keating (Cork)
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Dundalk stay four points clear at top of the First Division as they see off Kerry
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