Moynalvey lost out to visitors Gaeil Colmcille by two points in the opening round of Division 2 of the B League at Kilmore Park Moynalvey on Sunday morning March 4th.
Moynalvey 0-10 Gaeil Colmcille 1-9
The home side opened the scoring in the 3rd minute when Ciaran Ennis rounded his man on the by-line to blast over from close range. Moynalvey’s good start continued, as midway through the half they held a four point lead courtesy of points from Cathal McCabe, William Harnan and a second Ennis score with Gaeil Colmcille yet to register. The visitors hit their opening score of the game in the 16th minute and reduced the deficit to two points five minutes later. A fourth Moynalvey forward put his name on the score sheet when good work by substitute Darren Brennan prevented the ball from crossing the end line and recycled possession back out to wing forward James Weldon who slotted over. Three minutes from the half time whistle the Kells side hit their 3rd point of the game, with Ciaran Ennis responding for Moynalvey in injury time with a beautifully struck free kick against the wind, leaving the host side with a double score 0-6 to 0-3 interval advantage.
Despite playing with the wind at their backs Moynalvey were outscored 1-6 to 0-4 in the second period. After two minutes Gaeil Colmcille had reduced the margin between the sides to two points once again. The 33rd and 34th minutes of play saw the side’s trade scores with Moynalvey’s effort coming from the boot of Weldon for his second score of the game. Gaeil Colmcille’s dominance of second half possession saw Moynalvey’s lead cut to a single point in the 41st minute. Sixty seconds later Harnan restored Moynalvey’s two point advantage, before the turning point of the game arrived in the 43rd minute when Gaeil Colmcille raised the only green flag of the game, putting them ahead for the first time on a 1-6 to 0-8 score line. Despite kicking an equal number of scores to Gaeil Colmcille, Moynalvey’s failure to convert possession into scores in the opening period saw the visitors run out two point victors outscoring Moynalvey by three points to two over the final quarter of the game.
Moynalvey: A. Donnelly, S. Whyte, P. Donoghue, D. Kane, A. Brien, P. Conneely, D. Durkan, D. Smith, B. Conneely, J. Weldon (0-2), W. Harnan (0-2), C. McCabe (0-1), R. Quinlan (0-1), C. Collins, C. Ennis (0-4). Subs: D. Brennan for Collins, G. Fagan for McCabe, J. Carey for B. Conneely, L. Duffy for Harnan, S. Cummins for Weldon.
