Coffee hat trick seals comfortable City win

📷 KBD Photos

City were welcomed to Kerry with a guard of honour for their first of a six game victory lap with the first destination for the First Division champions being Mounthawk Park. Kerry are a side that City have had good fortunes against, having won all three matchups with the Kingdom so far this season.

City were hoping for no hangover period, after wrapping up the league title last time out with a 1-0 win away to UCD. A Malik Dijksteel winner was enough to secure the Rebel Army will be playing Premier Division football in 2025. WIth an eye on next season, it will be rotated teams until the end of the year, with many City players playing for contracts for next season. With that in mind, Tim Clancy made a massive ten changes (despite still being suspended) from the side that secured the league title in Belfield. Cian Bargary was the only player to keep his spot in the first eleven, with Seani Maguire and Malik Dijksteel dropping out of the squad completely.

Kerry on the other hand were coming into this bout in pretty much the opposite form. The Kingdom haven’t won since the second week of June, where they edged out bottom side Longford Town. Conor McCarthy’s side were hoping to change that and cause an upset against the newly crowned champions.

Kerry started the livelier of the two sides, perhaps due to the City team’s lack of minutes together, with Kerry coming close on the counter eleven minutes in. Cian Barrett wins it for Kerry and breaks away, giving the ball into Sean McGrath in the centre of the park. McGrath advances before playing a lovely ball around Matthew Kiernan into the path of Nathan Gleeson. Gleeson sent a low cross into the box towards Ryan Kelliher, whose skillful flick towards goal went narrowly wide of the near post.

Kerry were presented with yet another chance to take the lead six minutes later. Oran Crowe floated a corner towards the front post which found the head of Cian Barrett. Barrett brilliantly flicked his header towards the back post into the path of Ryan Kelliher, who somehow put his header over the bar from eight yards out.

City had their first proper effort on goal with twenty-two minutes gone. Josh Fitzpatrick did brilliantly down the right hand side to get around Sean O’Connell and forced O’Connell into bringing him down and won a free kick over on the right hand side of the edge of the box. Despite it looking like a crossing position, Jack Doherty stepped up and sent his effort towards the top corner, only for Antonio Tuta to get a hand on it and push it over for a corner.

City only had to wait five more minutes to get a breakthrough in Tralee. Jack Doherty caused Kerry trouble on the right hand side which resulted in Valerii Dolia cynically bringing Doherty down to concede a free kick. Arran Healy dinked the free kick into the box where it found Barry Coffey at the front post. Coffey sent a looping header towards the top left corner where it nestled beautifully in the top corner to give City a 1-0 lead. 

The goal seemed to wake City up a bit as they started asserting a bit of dominance in the game and on the ball, and they doubled their lead on the stroke of half time, once again through a set piece. Kerry had looked vulnerable from set pieces, and it was a Jack Doherty corner that undid them this time. Doherty sent his delivery towards the back post, where Barry Coffey rose highest and sent an emphatic header past Antonio Tuta to double his and City’s tally for the day. 

City went into the half 2-0 up, with Kerry not particularly looking like a huge threat to this rotated City side. It didn't take City long to continue what they had started as they buried the game just three minutes after the restart. City broke away after a Kerry corner, with Josh Fitzpatrick leading the charge. Kerry did well to slow City down, which forced Fitzpatrick to give the ball centrally to Conor Drinan. Drinan held it up before laying it off to Jack Doherty, who unleashed a brilliant curling shot which found the top left corner, although it looked definitely over the bar from the away end. Jack’s goal put any doubts of possibly losing to bed.

Kerry will feel hard done by at times though, especially in the 60th minute. Nathan Gleeson picked up the ball on the left hand side and drove at the City defence. Gleeson got down the line and swung a ball towards the box. The cross looked to have struck Cian Bargary’s hand, but the ref wasn’t buying it and waved play on. It is a contentious one to be honest, but the Kerry players seemed convinced it was a penalty.

There was a penalty given just three minutes later, but not for Kerry. Matthew Kiernan played a one-two with Conor Drinan on the left hand side, with Drinan sending Kiernan away down the left hand side of the box. As Kiernan approached the byline, he cut back which caused Cian Brosnan to clip him and bring him down and give Barry Coffey a chance at a hat trick. Coffey confidently stepped up and sent a Panenka down the middle of the goal which sent Antionio Tuta diving left and Coffey’s dink found the back of the net to cap off a brilliant performance from City’s number ten.

Despite the scoreline, Kerry didn’t give up and kept pressuring City, and were eventually rewarded with twelve minutes to play. A poor tackle by Niall Brookwell on Nathan Gleeson over by the left touchline gave Kerry a free kick in a good crossing position. Finn Barrett took it and sent a looping cross towards the back post. The ball was clumsily dealt with by City, so it fell to Ethan Kos who was able to flick it past Aidan Dowling to prevent a City clean sheet. 

From that point on, very little happened as City closed the match out with very little problems, as Kerry struggled to fully test the CIty defence in the last ten minutes. Therefore, the full time whistle blew and City ran out comfortable 4-1 winners.

It was a dominant performance from this City side considering none of the players were used to playing a full ninety with each other. It was the highest goal tally City have scored in a game all season, which is funny when you remember the fact that ten changes were made heading into the bout. City’s goals were well taken as they caused Kerry problems constantly all night long, especially from set pieces where Kerry couldn't seem to get a handle on City.

I didn't think Kerry were that bad to be fair, for a team formed two years ago. They caused City some issues, especially Nathan Gleeson down the left hand side. That flank was vulnerable often during the game, as Cian Baragary isn't a natural right back. Kerry got some joy on the counter against City, but the league's top scorer Ryan Kelliher couldn't replicate his usual form from this season this time out.

My Man of the Match was only ever going to be one player, Barry Coffey. Obviously he scored a hat trick which basically guarantees you the award anyway, but Coffey was exceptional all night long at creating different  opportunities for City and causing nightmares for the Kerry midfield. Coffey adapted a deeper role than we are used to seeing him in. But he was brilliant at carrying the ball forward out from the defence and bringing City into Kerry's third of the pitch. And, of course, the Panenka to top it off is pure class, he'll have a statue outside Marymount soon enough.

City continue their victory lap next friday night at Turner’s Cross where they take on Finn Harps. As for Kerry, they'll be looking to grow their points tally a bit before the end of the season, with the next chance to do so being their trip to Bray which is also next Friday night.