Perez goal enough to see Kerry beat Athlone

Elsewhere in the First Division UCD defeated Finn Harps 5-0 while Bray Wanderers battled back from 2-0 down to earn a 2-2 draw at Treaty United.

Kerry FC made the ideal start to the second half of the season with a hard earned 1-0 win over Athlone Town at Mounthawk Park. Pic: Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile.

Kerry 1 Athlone Town 0

Kerry FC made the ideal start to the second half of the season with a hard earned 1-0 win over Athlone Town at Mounthawk Park.

The Kingdom enjoyed the lions share of possession during the opening quarter but created precious little in the Town danger area. Patrick Ferry had an early chance for Athlone, but he pulled his effort wide from the edge of the penalty area.

Ryan Perez and Sean McGrath, who was stand in captain for the absent Killian Cantwell, were looking lively but in the 25th minute Kerry were dealt a major body blow when they lost McGrath to what looked like a hamstring injury.

Under new rules, his replacement Daniel Okwute had to wait for sixty seconds before he was allowed to enter the pitch and it was in this period that Athlone almost took the lead when Patrick Ferry forced Matt O’Connor to dive full length and turn Ferry’s goal bound shot away.

The home side should have taken the lead in the 35th minute when Sean O’Connell floated in a free from the right hand side, Ewen Lee used his chest to direct the ball into the patch of Jonas Hakkinen but his shot was superbly saved by an outstretched Brendan Clarke leg.

Kerry appeared to up the tempo on the resumption and were rewarded with a goal in the 53rd minute when Daniel Okwute showed persistence pays as he dispossessed Thomas Considine, who was trying to see the ball over the end line.

Okwute ran into the box and when his shot was parried by Clarke, Ryan Perez gleefully scored his first goal for the Kerry.

Athlone Town did not throw in the towel and in truth Kerry can thank their keeper Matthew O’Connor who made a series of superb saves in the final ten minutes as the home side hung on for a welcome three points.

Elsewhere in the First Division UCD defeated Finn Harps 5-0 with Cailloce and Dignam scoring a brace apiece while Bray Wanderers battled back from 2-0 down to earn a 2-2 draw at Treaty United.

Kerry: Connor; Aladesanusi, Hakkinen, Aladesanusi, O’Connell; Lee, Brookwell; Brosnan (Keane 64), McGrath (Okwute 26), Perez (Britton 83); Murphy.

Athlone Town: Clarke; Grogan (Tollett 48), O’Connor, Adewale, Crawford; Considine (Webb 78), Connolly (Lyons 68), McManus, Cleary; Ferry, Lomboto (Smith 74).

Referee: John Walsh.