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"Our first two opening night's of the season have been against Cork opposition in 2023 and 2024.
Who do you want to see us against first in the 2025 season?"
https://x.com/KerryFC/status/1867230...TGLXUmH6g&s=19
The fixtures will be revealed on Tuesday, December 17th. If we are home or away I would say Treaty is my preference.
Treaty United home would be a great home draw!! Saying that, Il be keeping an eye out for the Home games vs Dundalk!
Finn Harps it is up first at home. Away to Cobh and then home to Dundalk. Will need to get off to a good start in the first two games.
Dundalk Feb 28
Cobh Apr 21
Treaty May 9
Dundalk Jul 4
Cobh Sep 5
Treaty Sep 26
The stand out fixtures for the season ahead in MH Park. Finn Harps and Bray probably bring a bit of a higher profile as well. Ideally can get in amongst Bray, Finn Harps, Cobh and Treaty in terms of challenging for the playoffs. Looking at the Main Stand season ticket sales, seems a third to a half are sold already.
A great opportunity to start with a positive start vs a Finn Harps side that haven’t enjoyed many visits in their short time to Mounthawk. A tricky away game vs a Cobh team that looks very much like Cork City in disguise sets up a mouth watering game vs Dundalk at home!
Based on teams so far, Dundalk remain firm favorites and Cobh have emerged as potential challengers.
Kerry's positive results against Finn Harps suggests a good opportunity to start with a win. The fixtures would be better if Kerry were not home and away to both of their Munster rivals in the same block of 9 games.
Cobh seem to be emerging as strong contenders as the best from the rest.
The club on social media: "3 of our opening 5 SSE Airtricity Men's First Division fixtures are in Mounthawk Park!
Get your 2025 Season Ticket now and secure your spot for the new campaign"
https://x.com/KerryFC/status/1875542...OYGqraXwA&s=19
Finn Harps FC H
Cobh Ramblers FC A
Dundalk FC H
Bray Wanderers FC H
Longford Town FC A
With the right signings, there is a good chance of at least a couple of wins and a couple of draws from the opening 5 fixtures. Bray have been tricky opponents over the previous two seasons. The 2-3 loss last February was very frustrating. Especially after Gleeson was very harshly sent off. The club needs a strong start and hopefully away wins on the board as well.
A friendly against Killarney Celtic has been arranged for next Tuesday, January 14th.
It'll be interesting to see what side lines out against Killarney Celtic on Tuesday evening. Three months from the last game is a long time.
I would imagine it will be a mixture of youth and trialists with the more experienced players held back for Cobh on Friday.
Kennedy Amechi was on the bench. No official word on his re-signing status yet. No surprise alright that there is a trialist in goals and the sub keeper is also a trialist. McQueen and Brookwell started. Dunne and Farquharson on the bench.
2-0 win for Killarney Celtic this evening. Hopefully the run out will be beneficial for Friday night.
Finishes 2-0 to Killarney Celtic - Matt Keane and Steven McCarthy with the home side's goals.
With 3 more weekends of preseason to go, a few friendlies will need to be lined up. Cork and/or Waterford would be good tests considering they aren't opponents in the league this season. A non league team knocked out in the MSC Last 16 might suit as well.
Galway would be suitable opponents also, when not too distant for them to travel by motorway, and no cup obligations, not to mention the coaching connection.
FAI Connect shows that a friendly with Treaty has been arranged for Mounthawk Park on Friday, with a 7pm KO.
I suppose it makes sense to line up a friendly against Treaty. Near neighbours and not playing each other in the early rounds of the league.
Good value in fairness.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kerry FC
Another 90 minutes alright on Friday night. Current preseason form is L, L - AET and L. 2 more weekends to go before the new league season. Ideally would want a positive result going into the season but won't matter a jot if all goes well on the opening night.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kerry FC
https://x.com/KerryFC/status/1883817...5c3OxhUbQ&s=19
Pre season friendly against Shamrock Rovers to be played in a Dublin venue on Saturday February 1st.
Perhaps some Rovers fans will correct me if wrong, but would imagine it'd be held in their Academy ground at Roadstone (Citywest), rather than opening up Tallaght?Quote:
Originally Posted by legendz
Friendly v Cork lined up for next Wednesday. That'll probably be that for pre-season. Interesting approach going for two tough tests.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kerry FC
STARTING XI last Saturday v Rovers:
1. TIM-OLIVER HIEMER
3. SEAN O'CONNELL (C)
20. ABEL ALABI
5. CHRIS MCQUEEN
2. ALEX DUNNE
28. NIALL BROOKWELL
8. RONAN TEAHAN
7. SEAN MCGRATH
11. DANIEL OKWUTE
9. RYAN KELLIHER
13. NATHAN GLEESON
SUBS:
16. TRIALIST 1
4. ORAN CROWE
10. JOE ADAMS
14. TRIALIST 2
15. KEVIN WILLIAMS
17. CIAN BROSNAN
21. LUKE PALMER
23. FINN BARRETT
25. THEO FARQUHARSON
29. STEVAN STANIC-FLOODY
From the starting XI and subs on Saturday, Joe Adams and Kevin Williams will probably be expected to come into the starting XI.
There are a few choices in CB for the season ahead: Williams, McQueen, Alabi, Aladesanusi and Farquharson. Whether some of the signings hint at a back 3, time will tell. In a back 4 looking at McQueen, Alabi, Aladesanusi and Farquharson challenging to partner Williams.
Quote:
Originally Posted by legendz
It's certainly looking like that could be the starting lineup for the first game vs Finn Harps - The Cork City Game will tell us a whole lot more.
Was anyone at the game?
I seen on FAI Connect that Rovers were pretty much at full strength. Holding them off for nearly an hour would breed confidence in the group. Once again, like the Cobh game, once subs were made the quality really dropped and we lost our way. Considering this wouldn't be happening in our opening game and with another 10 days to go, I feel much happier about where we are at the moment.
It was behind closed doors AFAIK.Quote:
Originally Posted by dansultheman
Final friendly this evening. Another tough one. Haven't heard anything on the open training night they've done on the past two years.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kerry FC
Seems to have been another respectable performance against Cork tonight, trailing 1-0 at HT, drawing level before City snatched a late winner - if we can convert these displays into actual draws and/or wins in the League, then hopefully things are looking up. On paper, Harps should be around our bracket, based on last season, so anything less than a home draw would, and should, be a disappointment.
It looks a fairly respectable scoreline on Paper, were you there or was anyone there that could give us a report on the game? So close to the new season it would be good to hear how the new signings did today!Quote:
Originally Posted by culloty82
Big opportunity to get off the mark with 3 points up for grabs and anything less than 1 point would be extremely disappointment! As far as big games go, first home one could be one to kick off a great season.
Played well against a weakened Cork side. Heimir in goals wasn't overly impressive, poor for the 2nd goal but will probably be number 1. Dunne was good at right back, Williams will find it hard to get in there. Thought McQueen was poor against Cobh but done better tonight despite 1 or 2 stray passes. Alabi was class beside him and looks a real find.Adams in midfield was busy and put in plenty of tackles
The rest of the the new signings came on when they brought on about 6 together with 20 mins left so very hard to judge as the team had changed bar the keeper.
Thanks for the update listowelceltic!!Quote:
Originally Posted by listowelceltic
It does look good that there is plenty of competition for places! That Alabi was very good when I seen him play vs Treaty for the first 45 mins he looked like he is a great find! Williams will struggle to get in ahead of Dunne but I can see him being a great fit in a 5-3-2 if they adapt that formation away from home.
I may be critical, but I think we need to get another attacking winger/fw into the squad. Heimer has good experience in the league and at 30 years of age, is the perfect profile to help out this years backline!
Plenty to be optimistic for! Id take all pre-season loses to win on the opening day vs winning all pre-season games to lose on the 14th!
Fully agree on the need for another attacking winger / fwd. We need more quality and competition there. glad to hear Alabi looks a find and McQueen is improving. We haven’t seen a lot of Farquharson other than a few appearances off the bench which makes you wonder (unless carrying an injury of course)
The problem with Heimer might be his lack of height given we are worst team in division at defending set pieces. Harps fans were very complimentary of him in other forums but did call out the height issue - he is a good bit short of 6 foot I believe.