Moynalvey’s midweek trip to Ashbourne saw them pick up just their second point of the A league campaign on Wednesday night 29th May.
Donaghmore/Ashbourne 1-9
Moynalvey 2-6
With the sides due to clash in round five of the Senior Championship, neither team will have learnt a whole lot from this encounter as both sides were missing a host of household names.
Despite not having won a league game, with two games remaining Moynalvey gave themselves slim hope of avoiding automatic relegation when picking up a point away to Ashbourne in round 11, although Moynalvey will feel aggrieved not to come away with the two points on offer from this one.
Difficult windy conditions made for a low scoring contest, with at times neither team looking like wanting to win as both sides were guilty of wayward shooting.
Moynalvey could have had a goal as early as the 2nd minute but for a fine save by the Donaghmore/Ashbourne goalkeeper from a Darren Brennan goal attempt. Though three minutes later Moynalvey did open the scoring when David McLoughlin pointed. A minute later the same player was on target, this time from a free. Ashbourne’s response was 1-2 within two minutes, leaving it 1-2 to 0-2 in favour of the home side eight minutes in.
Then a moment of madness in the 10th minute saw the home side reduced to 14 men when losing one of their midfielders for a wild pull across the shin of his Moynalvey midfield counterpart Stephen Donoghue.
The home side failed to score again for the remainder of the half and three Moynalvey points, David McLoughlin (2) and Stephen Donoghue left it all square at the break, 1-2 to 0-5.
Two Ashbourne points in the first ten minutes of the half were followed by Moynalvey’s first goal, David McLoughlin firing to the roof of the Ashbourne net in the 42nd minute after three of four goal attempts were blocked on the goal line in the build-up.
David McLoughlin and Andrew Tormey traded scores, before four points without reply left the home side three points up with 53 minutes played, 1-9 to 1-6.
A late Darren Brennan goal for Moynalvey saw them take a share of the spoils against 14 man Donaghmore/Ashbourne and give them a glimmer of hope with two rounds remaining.
Best for Moynalvey were William Mahady, Fearghal McCabe, Stephen Donoghue, David Donoghue and David McLoughlin.
Moynalvey:
Conor Egan, Conor Harnan, Brian Harnan, Darragh Branigan, William Mahady, Fearghal McCabe, Shaun Deering, Stephen Donoghue (0-1), Donal Smith, Sean Duggan, David McLoughlin (1-5, 1f & 1 x ’45), David Donoghue, Shane Lenehan, John Donoghue, Darren Brennan (1-0).
Sub: Ciaran Harnan for J. Donoghue
