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How did a Kenyan striker with 25 caps end up in the Kerry District League?

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This week Adam Moynihan sat down with his new Killarney Athletic teammate Paul Kiongera to talk about his pro career in Kenya, playing for his country and adjusting to life in the Kerry District League

When I first heard that Triona Sheehy, a teacher from Killarney, was going out with a professional footballer in Kenya, I did what any self-respecting journalist would do. I googled him.

Paul Mungai Kiongera immediately passed the acid test: he had a Wikipedia page. That’s all the verification I needed. He must be the real deal.

Then I glanced at the side panel to check out his career stats. The 30-year-old had scored 50 league goals in 110 games for Kenyan Premier League clubs KCB, Gor Mahia, AFC Leopards and Ushuru, as well as two in nine during a short stint with Simba in Tanzania.

But then came the kicker. He had caps for Kenya. He was definitely the real deal.

Fast-forward to approximately one month ago when I got an Instagram DM from Triona telling me that her boyfriend was coming down to train with Killarney Athletic.

“Will you mind him?” she asked. When training rolled around on Wednesday night, I quickly discovered that Paul didn’t need much minding.

But how had all of this come to pass? How did an international footballer from East Africa wind up playing with us, a bunch of amateurs, on a cold and damp August evening in Killarney?

THE BOY FROM WEBUYE

It’s certainly a far cry from the balmy West Kenyan town of Webuye, where a young Kiongera and his friends honed their soccer skills with a makeshift football they had carefully constructed from discarded paper.

Speaking to me at the Killarney Advertiser offices this week, Paul said he has happy memories of his childhood and playing football, though he never dreamed he would make it as a professional.

“It was a carefree environment. We used to play outside, all day every day, kicking the ball. We started playing football when we were young because it was the only sport that was accessible. Football was always a big part of my life."

“At first I played it for fun. Even in primary school and high school I played for fun. Then towards my last two years in high school, my teachers and my coach started saying that I could make a good player. Then I started getting serious with it.”

Kiongera signed his first pro contract with Ushuru FC (known at the time as Kenya Revenue Authority) but just six months later he was snapped up by Kenya Commercial Bank, who handed him his Premier League debut in 2010. He would go on to score 18 goals in 32 games for The Bankers, an impressive return that led to a loan move to Gor Mahia.

The boy from Webuye scored seven times in 21 appearances for his new club and he played his part as the Kenyan giants won the league in 2013. It was Gor Mahia's first title in 18 years.

NATIONAL TEAM

His fine form at club level also caught the attention of the Kenya manager and he made his debut for his country in 2012. Getting the call from the national team was a proud moment for Paul and his family, although (like every other international footballer before him) he admits to not believing the voice on the other end of the line.

“For my first senior cap, I had played a league game on Saturday and on Sunday I was at home resting. My phone rang and it was the national team coach (Vince Ombiji). At first I didn’t believe it; I thought maybe one of my teammates was kidding me or something. So I talked to the coach and I had to call him again to confirm.

“Everyone was happy for me. It’s a dream to play for your country.”

He would go on to make 25 appearances for the Harambee Stars, lining out alongside elite players like Victor Wanyama of Tottenham and Wanyama’s older brother McDonald Mariga, the former Inter Milan defensive midfielder who made history in 2010 by becoming the first Kenyan to play in the Champions League.

Kiongera came head-to-head with some big names on international duty, chief amongst them Liverpool and Egypt star Mo Salah. In a match against Senegal, he also came up against Salah’s Liverpool teammate Sadio Mané and former Newcastle strikers Demba Ba and Papiss Demba Cissé.

BUNDESLIGA

While at Gor Mahia, Kiongera was linked with a massive $200,000 move to German Bundesliga outfit Borussia Mönchengladbach but, unfortunately, a thigh injury put paid to any potential move to Europe. Mönchengladbach would go on to finish sixth in the 2013/14 season under current Borussia Dortmund manager Lucien Favre.

“Had I not sustained that thigh injury, I think the transfer to Borussia Mönchengladbach would have happened."

"The injuries slowed me down," Paul admits. "I started to have doubts, and I lost a bit of pace. They had a major impact.”

Not many Kenyan footballers make it in Europe but Kiongera is adamant that there is plenty of untapped talent in his homeland. However, financial limitations and the pigeonholing of African footballers make things difficult for Kenyans who dream of following in Wanyama’s footsteps.

“The issue is: how do the players get to Europe?” Kiongera says. “That’s the major challenge. Most of the players can’t afford it. Even when they’re playing professionally, they don’t earn big money. But honestly, there is a lot of talent in Kenya.

“Unfortunately in Kenya we are known for running! When people see that you’re an African player, they expect you to be strong and fast. That’s the expectation. With football, it’s your decision-making that matters. If you are fast with your decision-making, then you are fast. You can run fast, be physical but if your decisions are slow, then you are slow as well.”

That last observation is telling when it comes to analysing Kiongera as a footballer. The No. 10 certainly isn’t lacking when it comes to athleticism but his real strengths come to the fore when the ball is at his feet. Let’s put it this way, he is currently adjusting to the Irish style of play.

KILLARNEY

Kiongera first met Triona when the Killarney woman was helping her father, Eddie, with his charity in Embulbul near Nairobi. The couple started dating in 2016 and this year they decided to relocate to Ireland. Paul was keen to play a bit of ball so the Sheehys sent him down to their local club, Killarney Athletic.

Paul says he’s enjoying his time with The Blues.

“The lads are good. They’re welcoming and they’re friendly. In Kenya when you move to a different team, people have a mentality that you’re there to take their position. Here the lads have tried to help me settle in.”

And what about the standard?

“There are some very good players,” Paul says, although he could hardly say otherwise when he’s staring me, his teammate, straight in the face.

“I would say that the standard is not ‘top’ standard but you understand that it’s amateur. People don’t get to train every day, just twice a week or three times a week. It’s much better than the amateur standard in Kenya.

"I’ve noticed here that players try to find a solution quickly, try to go long, which is different. In Kenya we love short passing and we don’t hold the ball, but I’ve noticed here that people love dribbling. So it’s quite different.”

When I mention that Irish football is known for its tough tackling, his eyes widen.

“I’ve noticed with the tackling, yeah. They are quite aggressive. At first I was scared but I’m getting used to it.”

Apart from having to adjust to the tactics and the cooler climate (“when you wrap up properly, it’s not a problem”), Paul has had little difficulty finding his feet in Kerry, something he attributes to the warmth of the locals.

“I was surprised the way people are very friendly. I wasn’t expecting it because it’s different in Africa. When you are walking on the road, somebody will say ‘hi’. You see people chatting and you think that they know each other but no, they are just chatting. So yeah, I’m happy to be here because people are friendly.”

The ‘céad míle fáilte’ afforded to Kiongera in Killarney is a million miles from the racist abuse African footballers, and footballers of African descent, are subjected to in the top leagues in England, Italy and Russia. Instances of racial abuse, both online and at matches, are frequently documented in the media but, interestingly, the adopted Kerryman believes that the culprits shouldn’t be given the oxygen of press coverage.

“It’s unfortunate that there are people who are still racist. I don’t understand how you think you are superior to a fellow human being; we are all human beings."

“Sometimes the players need to be strong and ignore it and continue doing what they are doing. If fans are being racist towards you, it’s because something you are doing is good. They are trying to slow you down. I also think that the media shouldn’t give it so much coverage. They shouldn’t give the racists publicity.”

DEBUT

Kiongera had to sit out Athletic’s season opener last weekend as he is currently awaiting international clearance to play in the Kerry District League. The Blues, who won the double as recently as 2017 but finished mid-table last season, defeated AC Athletic 4-3 without Kiongera, thanks in part to a hat-trick from recently returned forward Tony Brosnan.

Manager Stuart Templeman is optimistic that the paperwork will be sorted out in due course and their Kenyan international will be available for selection sooner rather than later. Questions surrounding the eligibility of international players led to a series of messy appeals in last season’s FAI Junior Cup so Athletic officials want to be certain that everything is above board before handing Kiongera his debut.

If (and hopefully when) Kiongera does play for Athletic, he will arguably become the highest profile player to ever line out in the Kerry District League.

And he has the Wikipedia page to prove it.

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Kingdom hoping to lay some old ghosts to rest at Páirc Uí Chaoimh

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by Adam Moynihan

All-Ireland SFC Group 1

Cork v Kerry

Saturday at 3pm

Páirc Uí Chaoimh

I was one of the unlucky few to have been present at the last Cork-Kerry clash in Páirc Uí Chaoimh in November of 2020. It was a truly awful night.

The match was played behind closed doors which made for an eerie, unsettling atmosphere, and the rain came down harder than I ever remember seeing first-hand.

Unfortunately, Kerry came down hard too. Mark Keane’s last-ditch goal clinched an unexpected victory for the hosts and, just like that, Kerry’s year was over.

It always hurts when your team loses but that one completely floored us all. It was such a horrible way to lose a game and I felt so bad for the players as they trudged off the field, soaked to the bone and shaken to the core.

They got some form of payback the following year when they won by 21 in the Munster final, and again last year when they ran out 11-point winners in the semi-final. But something tells me that it would mean a lot more to return to Páirc Uí Chaoimh and do the business there.

It won’t be easy. The final scorelines in the last two games suggest that it was all one-way traffic but that simply wasn’t the case. In 2021, Cork led by 1-5 to 0-4 at the water break (remember those?) and they pushed Kerry hard 12 months ago too. There was nothing in that match right up until the 50th minute, at which point Kerry brought on David Moran and Paul Geaney and ultimately pulled away.

You can never really read too much into the McGrath Cup but Cork demolished Kerry in January. Their form since has been spotty but they did well to see off Louth last week, with the returning Brian Hurley (shoulder) kicking eight points in a two-point win. Hurley has proved to be a handful for Kerry full back Jason Foley in the past.

Significantly, John Cleary’s side are strong in a key area where Kerry struggled against Mayo: midfield. Ian Maguire and Colm O’Callaghan scored 0-2 each in Navan (and the latter scored 2-4 in that aforementioned McGrath Cup game at the start of the year).

Jack O’Connor named his team last night with Adrian Spillane replacing Tony Brosnan and Paul Murphy coming in for Dylan Casey. Spillane will add some extra brawn and energy around the middle third. Going by the last outing, Kerry need it.

It is also worth noting that David Clifford has never really shot the lights out against Cork. He has been well minded by Maurice Shanley, Seán Meehan and Kevin Flahive in the past three championship meetings, with the retreating Seán Powter also getting stuck in when needed.

Flahive suffered a cruciate injury late in last year’s game but he could potentially be in line for a comeback tomorrow; he has been added to Cork’s 26 for the first time in over 12 months.

Meehan has been ruled out with a hamstring injury so Shanley may be asked to track the Footballer of the Year this time around.

Clifford was one of the few bright sparks against Mayo and he would love to bring that form to the Páirc on Saturday. With vital points on the line, there would be no better time to lay some ghosts to rest.

From a Kerry perspective, you would hope – and perhaps expect – that Clifford and his teammates can do exactly that and get the show back on the road.

KERRY TEAM

1. Shane Ryan

2. Graham O’Sullivan

3. Jason Foley

4. Tom O’Sullivan

5. Paul Murphy

6. Tadhg Morley

7. Gavin White

8. Diarmuid O’Connor

9. Jack Barry

10. Dara Moynihan

11. Seánie O’Shea

12. Adrian Spillane

13. Paudie Clifford

14. David Clifford

15. Paul Geaney

Subs: S Murphy, T Brosnan, D Casey, BD O’Sullivan, R Murphy, M Burns, M Breen, S O’Brien, D O’Sullivan, C O’Donoghue, S O’Brien.

CORK TEAM

1. Micheál Aodh Martin

2. Maurice Shanley

3. Rory Maguire

4. Kevin O’Donovan

5. Luke Fahy

6. Daniel O’Mahony

7. Matty Taylor

8. Colm O’Callaghan

9. Ian Maguire

10. Brian O’Driscoll

11. Ruairí Deane

12. Killian O’Hanlon

13. Seán Powter

14. Brian Hurley

15. Chris Óg Jones

Subs: P Doyle, C Kiely, T Clancy, K Flahive, P Walsh, E McSweeney, B Murphy, J O’Rourke , M Cronin, S Sherlock, F Herlihy.

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Is Killarney green or blue? Celtic and Athletic to face off in tonight’s league final

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Kerry Premier A League Final

Killarney Celtic v Killarney Athletic

Tonight at 7.45pm

Mounthawk Park, Tralee

Killarney Celtic will be gunning for their fifth league title in a row tonight (Friday) when they take on crosstown rivals Killarney Athletic in Tralee.

Celtic have been the dominant force in Kerry soccer in recent times with Athletic playing second fiddle. This will be the third Premier A final in a row to be contested by the Killarney clubs; Celtic won the 2020 decider 4-0 and last year’s final ended in a 3-0 victory for the club from Derreen. (The 2020/21 season was scrapped due to the pandemic.)

Prior to that, Celtic defeated Castleisland in 2019 and Dingle Bay Rovers in 2018, both on a scoreline of 1-0.

Celtic and Athletic also met in the 2017 final. The Blues prevailed in that particular encounter to capture their first ever Premier A title.

As for this season, Neilus Hayes’ Hoops qualified for the final by virtue of their first-place finish in the Premier A. Despite losing key players – including attackers Ryan Kelliher, Stephen McCarthy and Trpimir Vrljicak – to the Kerry FC project, the Celts won 12 of their 14 matches and ended up with an imposing goal difference of +34.

Athletic were not far behind, however; Stuart Templeman’s team only lost one league game all season en route to 35 points – one behind Celtic and 11 clear of Castleisland in third.

Interestingly, both of Celtic’s losses came at the hands of Athletic. The Woodlawn outfit impressively beat the old enemy 3-2 and 0-1 over the course of the regular season.

Goals by Roko Rujevcan, Pedja Glumcevic and a 90th-minute winner by Brendan Moloney clinched that dramatic 3-2 win in October of last year. It was a result that signalled Athletic’s intentions for the rest of the season.

Rujevcan was also on the scoresheet when Athletic snatched a rare away win at Celtic Park on April 30.

Celtic’s imposing record in finals probably makes them slight favourites and in the likes of John McDonagh, Brendan Falvey, Wayne Sparling, Kevin O’Sullivan and Witness Odirile they have a potent mix of steel and skill.

But Athletic will take heart from their recent results in this fixture and they will be hoping that two of the stars from the 2017 team – Shane Doolan and Shane Lynch – can lead the current crop of players to glory.

Meanwhile, the Division 2B final between Killarney Athletic B and Atletico Ardfert that was also due to take place tonight has been cancelled. Athletic have received a walkover.

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