Moynalvey went down to home side Castletown by a point on a 2-9 to 1-11 score line in the Div. 3 B League on Monday evening 16thMay.
Castletown 2-9 Moynalvey 1-11
Prior to this game Moynalvey were unbeaten with two big victories behind them, while the home side were languishing bottom of the league table. Castletown led from pillar to post in this contest ensuring their minimum margin win lifted them off the foot of the Division 3 Reserve league table.
Castletown took the lead with the game’s opening score in the 6th minute, a converted free from James Finnerty. Despite the sides drawing level for the only time in the game in the 23rd minute the home side would not be headed for the remainder of the game. Two more Finnerty points along with scores from Damien Ginnitty and Robbie Hoey saw Castletown hold a 0-5 to
0-1 lead after twelve minutes, with Moynalvey’s solitary point in that period coming from a Ciaran Ennis free.
Castletown’s lead may have been more in the 13th minute only for Moynalvey net minder Giles pulling off the first of his several first half saves denying the home side. Moynalvey midfielder James O’Neill pointed in the 18th minute before the visitors had a goal chance of their own with midfielder Dominic O’Brien being placed through on goal only to see his shot go straight
at the ‘keeper.
A hat trick of Moynalvey points courtesy of Ciaran Ennis, James O’Neill & Sean Duggan saw the side’s level for the only time in the game in the 23rd minute, 0-5 apiece. Castletown added a brace of points through Damien Ginnity and Alan Smyth, both in the 24th minute. Moynalvey’s Drum once again denied Castletown in the 27th minute, Ennis registered his second of
the evening in the 28th minute leaving a point between the sides at the half time whistle, 0-7 to 0-6 in favour of the home side.
Two minutes after the restart Castletown’s Alan Smyth found himself through on goal, only to be denied by an excellent block by Moynalvey’s Joe Munnelly just as he was pulling the trigger. James Finnerty converted another free for Castletown in the 37th minute, three minutes later Moynalvey goalkeeper Giles Drum was eventually beaten when a loose ball was volleyed home to the top corner of the net by Castletown’s Jason Ross, leaving it 1-8 to 0-6 after 40 minutes.
The goal remained the difference between the sides at the three quarter mark with points from Moynalvey’s O’Neill and Ennis. Six points was the difference between the sides with 13 minutes remaining as Castletown’s Ross raced on to a long ball in to toe poke past Moynalvey ‘keeper Giles Drum into an empty net. Sixty seconds later the home sides’ advantage was extended to seven when wing back William Bellew sent over a huge point, leaving it 2-9 to 0-8.
Bellew’s point proved to be the home sides last, Moynalvey hit an unanswered 1-3 over the remaining 12 minutes with points from Ciaran Ennis, Sean Duggan & John Donoghue, with the goal coming from substitute Brian Conneely who somehow squeezed his shot home through a group of Castletown defenders. Once last chance to claim something from the game came the way of the visitors in additional injury time only for Ciaran Ennis’ ’45 to drop short, leaving the home side one point winners claiming their first win of the campaign.
Moynalvey: G. Drum, E. Mitchell, D. Kane, S. Browne, J. Munnelly, A. Brien, D. Branigan. D. O’Brien, J. O’Neill (0-3), J. Carey, J. Donoghue (0-1), C. Ennis (0-5,1f), S. Duggan (0-2), S. Deering, C. Shirren. Subs: S. Cummins for Carey, R. Kiernan for Munnelly, P. Donoghue for Deering, B. Conneely (1-0) for O’Brien.
