Late Leo Gaxha goal not enough to rescue Kerry FC from losing away to Wexford FC

LEAGUE OF IRELAND FIRST DIVISION

Wexford FC 2

Kerry FC 1

A late Leo Gaxha goal couldn’t prevent Kerry FC falling to their fourth defeat in five games, with the visitors going down to Wexford in Ferrycarrig Park by two goals to one. 

Despite the result, this was a much improved Kerry performance to the team that lost 9-1 in Galway a week earlier, albeit Wexford FC wouldn’t be considered anything like the same quality of side as Galway United.

Manager Billy Dennehy made four changes to the starting team, with Shane Guthrie, Graham O’Reilly, Jonathan Hannafin and the suspended Andy Quaid coming into the team, but the visitors suffered a really bad start, going a goal behind in the third minute when Mark Hanratty beat Wayne Guthrie in the Kerry FC goal.

Guthrie was called on in the 17thh minute to make a big save from Aaron Dobbs before Gaxha and then Nathan Gleeson had decent shots on target for the visitors that needed Wexford goalkeeper Noel Heffernan to save well. 

In the 28th James Crawford’s free kick rattled the Kerry crossbar as the home side pressed for a second, but Kerry were well organised, and made it to half time just behind by the early Hanratty goal. However, the lost Quaid to an injury just before the interval, with Rob Vasiu coming on for the Limerick man.

Kerry started the second half in bright fashion, with Sean Kennedy getting a decent strike on goal as the visitors chased an equaliser, and then in the 51st minute Kerry seemed to have a legitimate call for a penalty after a handball but it was waved away by the referee as the rain started to fall heavier.

In the 73rd minute Kerry seemed to have another claim for a penalty but the referee was not interested, and five minutes later Wexford doubled their lead when Brandon McCann beat Guthrie from the edge of the box after the ball broke to the Wexford man from a corner kick.

Kerry kept pressing and were rewarded when Gaxha pulled a goal back in the 87th minute, but despite another couple of half chances for the visitors, it finished in a 2-1 home win and disappointment for Kerry FC.

After two away games, Kerry welcome Athlone Town to Mounthawk Park next Friday, where Dennehy’s team will be anxious to at least get a draw and their second point of the campaign. 

KERRY FC: Wayne Guthrie, Kevin Williams, Samuel Aladesanusi, Shane Guthrie (Sean McGrath, 70), Graham O’Reilly, Jonathan Hannafin, Andy Quaid (Rob Vasiu, 43), Matt Keane (Ronan Teahan, 70), Sean Kennedy (Cian Brosnan, 76), Leo Gaxha, Nathan Gleeson (Ryan Kelliher, 76).