Finn Harps cut further adrift at the bottom after Kerry defeat

Finn Harps are now four points off second bottom in the First Division after suffering a 2-1 defeat to Kerry in Mounthawk Park on Friday night.

It was a nightmare start for Kevin McHugh’s men, who went 1-0 down on ten minutes as Sean McGrath fired in as they failed to deal with a corner.

And Cian Bargary made it 2-0 on the half-hour mark, although new signing and debutant Guilherme Rego Priosti, on loan from Sligo Rovers, swiftly got one back.

But they couldn’t find an equaliser as Kerry held out for the win, with Treaty United’s win over Athlone Town meaning the Harps are now four points behind the Limerick side and still nine off the play-offs.

Colin Healy’s men arrived into Mounthawk Park as heavy pre-match favourites, and absolutely lived up to that tag from the opening minute as they dominated from the first whistle.

Cian Bargary was at the centre of everything positive from a Kerry perspective in the first half, creating several chances from the right-hand side.

The first big chance came after four minutes when Bargary crossed to Cian Murphy, but the cross came off the striker's knee and wide of the near post.

Ten minutes into the tie, Kerry broke the deadlock. Bargary’s left-footed inswinging corner was not cleared from danger by the Harps defence, eventually falling to Sean McGrath twelve yards out, who rifled home through a crowd of bodies.

The home side looked to put the game out of sight in the aftermath, and had several chances to double their lead. Bargary on three separate occasions caused trouble with crosses from the right. The first Murphy headed over the bar, the second McGrath shot over, and the third saw Borden hit the target and beat the keeper but was denied off the line by a Harps defender.

But on the half-hour mark, Kerry did manage to get the second goal. Samuel Aladesanusi stepped forward from right back to pinch the ball back and drove forward with possession before playing Bargary in off the right wing, who smashed high past Barbosa at the near post.

Kerry looked comfortable, but maybe a little too comfortable, as after doubling their lead they took their foot off the gas and were punished as Harps narrowed the lead to one.

Monteiro played a corner from the left side into the box and found Priosti at the back post, who was completely unmarked and completed the simple task of finding the net from all of two yards.

Harps almost got back on terms a minute later when the provider for the first, Monteiro, showed some great ingenuity to work a yard of space and fire towards the near post, but the Portuguese man was denied by the foot of the post, and Kerry managed to hold onto their lead into the break.

The second half was the absolute polar opposite of the free-flowing football the Mounthawk Park crowd witnessed in the first half, with chances few and far between.

Harps came out with the momentum, but within ten minutes, Kerry regained control of the tie, but with a much more defensive mindset as they looked to avoid the away side scoring an equaliser.

Kerry did create a few half chances to put the game to bed. Fifteen minutes from time, Cian Murphy used his strength to hold off a Harps defender on a through ball before lifting over the onrushing Barbosa but wide of the target, whilst Daniel Okwute found the target from twenty yards but the Harps shotstopper got down to his left to save.

Kerry FC: Matt Connor; Samuel Aladesanusi, Niall Brookwell, Jonas Hakkinen, Sean O’Connell; Ewan Lee, Vincent Borden; Cian Bargary, Sean McGrath, Daniel Okwute; Cian Murphy.

Subs: Cian Brosnan for McGrath (59), Luke Palmer for Bargary (83), Matthew Britton for Murphy (83).

Finn Harps: Lorenzo Barbosa; Joel Bradley-Walsh, Bernardo Monteiro, Max Hutchinson, Tony McNamee, Gavin McAteer, Darragh Coyle, Guilherme Priosti, Nathan Lumingo, Alex Fanle, Odhran McHugh.

Subs: Adam McDaid for Priosti (66), Bridel Bosakani for McNamee (77), Lukas Doherty for Tiego (89), Conor Tourish for Coyle (89).