Treaty United remain top of the league after dramatic win over Kerry FC

IT was a cold night in Tralee, but a first Treaty United goal for Yousef Mahdy warmed the hearts of the large travelling support in Mounthawk Park as Tommy Barrett’s men maintained their 100% start to the SSE Airtricity First Division at the expense of Kerry FC.

Treaty were held scoreless at 0-0 at the half-time break, before half time substitute Mahdy scored the winner - his first goal for the club – on the hour mark to secure the vital three points in the Kerry capital.

Treaty almost took the lead inside 30 seconds, but Antonio Tuta did well to deny Colin Conroy who looked to loft the ball over the Kerry goalkeeper. Albeit in an offside position, it was an early warning sign for the home side.

Treaty’s best chance of the opening quarter came inside 15 minutes. The lively Lee Devitt found himself in space before backheeling into the path of Enda Curran, but the Galway man could only watch on as Tuta was equal to his low, drilled effort.

Minutes later, Curran almost had his goal, but, again, the Treaty striker forced a superb save from Tuta with a curling freekick from the edge of the box.

Lee Devitt had Treaty’s best opportunity to open the scoring so far just shy of the 25th minute, but the Newmarket-on-Fergus native dragged his shot wide after finding himself in plenty of space after a defence-splitting pass from Armshaw.

With half an hour on the clock, Corey Chambers superbly saved a close-range low effort on goal from Kerry’s Sean McGrath who looked like he’d taken a touch too many inside Treaty’s penalty area before getting his shot off in a crowded penalty area.

On the verge of the half time break, Treaty survived another Kerry chance when Daniel Okwute hit the crossbar much to the delight of Chambers in the Treaty net.

Treaty made one change from their 1-0 win over UCD in Dublin last Friday with Armshaw, who was making his 90th appearance for the club, coming in for the injured Robbie Lynch.

After the restart, Treaty got off the hook yet again. Okwute, a fierce threat down Treaty’s left-hand side all night, should have scored but Oisin O’Reilly blocked the pacey Kerry winger’s effort on the line.

But cometh the hour, cometh the man, half time substitute Yousef Mahdy made the breakthrough for Treaty with his first goal for the club. A scrappy goal from a Kerry point of view, Thomas Considine squaring it from the end-line, Devitt finding the crossbar before Mahdy rushed to the rebound to make it 1-0 for the visitors, much to the delight of the large travelling contingent.

Treaty, who saw 17-year-old goalkeeper Michael Dike make his debut for the club after Chambers went off through injury, held out for the win, which sees Barrett’s side hold on to top spot in the league.

The drama lasted right to the final whistle. Treaty got out of jail right at the death as Ryan Kelliher blasted over a penalty - the last kick of the game - after Dike brought down Okwute. 

Barrett’s young guns return to Mounthawk Park for their Munster Senior Cup semi-final against the same opposition on Monday night, ahead of a mouth-watering home game versus Bray Wanderers next Friday.

Treaty United: Corey Chambers: Stephen Christopher, Ben O’Riordan; Mark Walsh (capt.), Oisin O’Reilly; Conor Conroy, Scott Kirkland; Thomas Considine, Lee Devitt, William Armshaw; Enda Curran. Subs: Yousef Mahdy for Curran (half time); Fionn Doherty for Armshaw, Evan O’Connor for Considine, David Tarmey for Kirkland (all 61 minutes), Michael Dike for Chambers (79 minutes, injured).

Kerry FC: Antonio Tuta; Kevin Williams, Samuel Aladesanusi, Andrew Spain (capt.), Seán O’Connell; Steven Healy, Daire McCarthy; Ryan Kelliher, Seán McGrath, Daniel Okwuy Okwute; Kennedy Amechi. Subs: Ethan Kos for O’Connell (58 minutes), Cian Brosnan for Amechi, Ronan Teehan for McCarthy (both 68 minutes); Victor Udeze for Williams (87 minutes).

REFEREE: Robert Dowling (Kildare)