Mervue United 1 - 4 Kildare County

• Alan Dooley
• Fri, Jul 10 2009


Dean Barrett was the hero for Kildare County as a stunning hat-trick earned Joey Somerville's side their first point three-point haul of the First Division campaign at Terryland Park tonight. It was no more than the visitors deserved as the new manager's revolution begins to finally earn tangible reward thanks to some refreshing, attacking football.

County still have their defects, mind you, but they continued, even with the result assured, to push on for more. While Mervue had a hand in their own downfall with some naive defending, Barrett should take most of the plaudits for being on hand to provide the finishing touches. Having already bagged the equaliser, the striker turned in Darren O'Brien's header back across the box to make it 2-1, then converted a 69th minute penalty which he himself won, before O'Brien finished the rout with a simple tap in in injury time to cap a superb night for The Thoroughbreds.

Kildare started the game brightly following some recent encouraging performances and were camped in Mervue's half for the opening quarter, with David O'Riordan getting an effort away within a minute that crept just wide of Ryan Griffin's right hand post.

Mervue seemed to be stuck in the rut that had seen them concede 12 goals in their last two games, and David Jackson was so close to making it 13 on six minutes when he latched onto a loose ball in the box and crashed an effort off the inside of the post but it flew across the six yard box before being cleared.

Mervue finally composed themselves to create an opening when David Goldbey saw his shot blocked in the are, but Christy Doran and Philip Hughes were combining to sharper effect at the other end.

They couldn't create a chance to match their approach play, though, and the home side capitalised with their crispest move of the game on 25 minutes. Nicky Curran played in Goldbey down the right flank, the striker crossed accurately, Mike Tierney shot, Liam Tiernan blocked, appeals went up for handball but Rory Gaffney played on and drilled to the net.

The goal energised the home side and they now controlled the remainder of the half, with O'Rourke defending stoutly and Gaffney threatening on the left flank. Tierney flicked wide before the break when he should have done better, but it was still hard to imagine the avalanche of goals from the visitors that was to follow.

It started when a free wasn't properly cleared and Baba Issaka sent in a cross which was turned in by Dean Barrett at the near post, with some hesitant defending not helping Mervue's cause. And it continued in that vain for the remainder of the half as Kildare piled on the agony and gained revenge for a painful play-off defeat last year, with David Jackson, Hughes, Dean Lawrence, and Craig Purcell the pick of their players.

Mervue United: Ryan Griffin; Nicky Curran (Gary Traynor, 81), Eric Browne (Kevin Crehan, 82), Damien O'Rourke, Mark Ludden; Rory Gaffney, Rynal Browne, Mixie Harty, Mike Tierney; Kevin Barrett (Pat Hoban, 46) , David Goldbey.
Subs not used: Eoin Martin, Alex Lee.

Kildare County: Darren Kelly; Craig Purcell, Dean Lawrence, Liam Tiernan, Baba Issaka; Darren O'Brien, David O'Riordan (Gavin Kinsella, 84), David Jackson, Christy Doran (Trevor Bowers, 85); Dean Barrett (David Lee, 79), Philip Hughes.
Subs not used: Eoghan Kavanagh, Matt Byrne.

extratime.ie Man of the Match: Dean Barrett - Can't ask for more than a hat-trick.

Attendance:100.

Referee: Phil Caschera.