Moynalvey preserved their Division one A League status for 2019 with this easier than expected win over a weakened Rathkenny side in the Division 1/2 relegation/promotion game played at Skryne Saturday evening July 14th.
Moynalvey 1-16
Rathkenny 0-9
Missing a couple of regular starters including county player Donal Keoghan, Rathkenny’s woes were further compounded a couple of minutes before half time when reduced to 14 men with the dismissal of Brian Meade.
The sides were evenly matched in the early stages with the score board reading 0-3 mid way though the first half, however Rathkenny failed to score again before half time, with Moynalvey adding 0-6 to their tally to leave the half time score 0-9 to 0-3.
Ten minutes after the restart ten points separated the sides when Mark O’Sullivan set up David McLoughlin to punch to the net for the game’s only goal, leaving it 1-11 to 0-4.
The free taking of Jack Gore and scores from the evergreen Donal Curtis kept Rathkenny ticking over, with Moynalvey adding points from David McLoughlin (3), Stephen Donoghue and substitute Darragh Branigan to leave the final score 1-16 to 0-9.
The sides will play again in four weeks as they are due to meet in round 4 of the SFC, when a much tighter affair is sure to be on the cards.
Moynalvey: Ray Ryan, Conor Harnan, Robert Lawless, Cathal McCabe, Brian O’Reilly, Brian Harnan, Darren Brennan (0-1), Donal Smith, John Donoghue, Stephen Donoghue (0-2), Cillian O’Sullivan (0-5, 3f), David McLoughlin (1-5, 3×45’s), Shane Lenehan (0-1), Mark O’Sullivan, James Weldon (0-1).
Subs used: Sean Duggan for J. Donoghue, Darragh Branigan (0-1) for Lenehan, James Kelly for Weldon, Shaun Deering for M. O’Sullivan.
