Ryan Kelliher has broken through in the Kingdom
By Tomás O'Conchubhair
Ryan Kelliher is a young football star that is taking the game by storm following a string of top-notch performances with Killarney Celtic’s all-conquering Under 13 side.
(John O’Mahony, Killarney Today May 23rd 2014.)
A decade later, the Roses of Tralee takes centre stage in the Dome on Monday and Tuesday night but it's Sunday afternoon where all League of Ireland eyes will be directed on Tralee as Ryan Kelliher’s Kerry take on Bohemians for the first time ever at senior men's level.
Mounthawk Park is a year and a half into its first League of Ireland venture and the home crowd have seen their side picking up 14 points home and over twice as many points (21) so far this season as they finished with in 2023 (10).
After becoming the first Kerry player signed to a professional deal last summer, 23 year old ex Killarney Celtic forward Ryan Kelliher has been prolific in the league so far this season netting 12 goals so far, surpassing his ten of last campaign, to lead the SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division goalscoring charts.
In the Sports Direct Men’s FAI Cup, he has been equally as goal hungry - netting three times so far in the four games he has played in the competition and is responsible for 75% of althe Kingdom’s Sports Direct Men's FAI Cup goals.
At Mounthawk Park last season with less than half an hour remaining in the Second Round tie against Ringmahon Rangers and the sides scoreless, Dennehy summoned his sharpshooter from the bench. Within half an hour the number nine had found the net twice in a 2-0 victory - a first home win in their debut League of Ireland season.
While the Kerrymen were defeated by SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division outfit Drogheda United in the next round, ahead of that tie, Kelliher scored two league goals against Cobh Ramblers in a 2-2 draw.
It was the Cork side who were pulled out of the hat to face Kerry in their opening Sports Direct Men’s FAI Cup game of 2024 and, once more, the Killarney man found the net. This time, the Kingdom ran out 2-0 victors.
Ahead of the Ramblers game, Kelliher spoke with Damian Stack of the Kerryman about the extra physicality he added to his game in the off season- something which will aid be of huge benefit as he faces Premier Division opposition for the second time this summer, having already found the net in the Munster Senior Cup Final defeat against Waterford.
Lining up for Bohemians will be a familiar face from last season’s Mounthawk Park FAI Cup defeat to Drogheda United as winger Dayle Rooney swapped United Park for Dalymount Park in the off season.
However, despite failing to find the net against Rooney's previous teammates last season, there is one defender who has seen Kelliher find the net in opposition. Cian Byrne spent the opening half of the 2023 season on loan at Longford Town against whom Kelliher scored in a 3-2 defeat for the Munstermen.
After spending time during his teenage years with Kerry’s MU19 side - at least half a dozen of whom will feature on Sunday - Kelliher returned to his native Killarney Celtic to pick up silverware and sample representative football in 2022.
With Kerry taking to the national stage in 2023, Kelliher returned to Mounthawk Park - the scene of county success in previous years - where he replaced Tripmir Vrljicak at half time in the inaugural League of Ireland game held at the venue, a 2-0.
Incidentally, Croatian Vrljicak recently returned to the League of Ireland, after a spell with Killarney Celtic, and scored twice in the Cup this weekend as his Treaty United side defeated Pike Rovers.
His former teammate will be hoping lightning strikes twice for ex Killarney Celtic forwards this weekend.
