Moynalvey picked up an important A League win with a one point victory over visitors Oldcastle in a round 5 back game of the Seamus Connolly Catering Div. 1B A league played at Kilmore Park Moynalvey on Tuesday evening 30th May.
Moynalvey 2-9
Oldcastle 1-11
With both sides lingering at the wrong end of the Div. 1B A league table, this back fixture was always going to be crucial for whatever side was to pick up the two points on offer. In the end it was Caoimhin King’s side who came out the right side of a tightly contested affair, with a crucial one point win to leapfrog their opponents in the league table.
It was top scorer David McLoughlin who opening the game’s scoring in the second minute. Oldcastle soon got off the mark with a point from midfielder Pearse Sheridan in the 5th minute.
Oldcastle took the lead for the first time in the 8th minute with a CJ Healy free and their lead was doubled six minutes later when the same player converted a mark to leave it 0-3 to 0-1.
The first of the game’s three goals came in the 17th minute courtesy of Stephen Donoghue to give Moynalvey the lead again, 1-1 to 0-3.
Sixty seconds after the goal Oldcastle drew matters level again with a converted mark from Oran Mulvany. Vinny Walsh curled in a point from the right wing which was followed by a David McLoughlin free to leave it 1-3 to 0-4 with 21 minutes played.
Pearse Sheridan chipped over his second of the evening in the 22nd minute, with Moynalvey adding 1-1, a point from David McLoughlin and a brilliantly finished goal from an acute angle by Craig Gilsenan for the game’s second green flag.
CJ Healy added a point for Oldcastle on the stroke of half time to leave the half time score board read 2-4 to 0-6 in favour of the men in maroon.
A period of Oldcastle pressure in the third quarter saw them clock up 1-3 without reply to turn their half time deficit into a two point lead. Their goal coming from Ronan Maguire and points from Louis Colleran, CJ Healy and a huge effort from Dylan Garrigan from the 45 yard line.
Moynalvey had to wait until the 45th minute for their next scores, a brace from top marksman David McLoughlin levelling matters up, 2-6 to 1-9, with a quarter hour remaining.
CJ Healy edged the North Meath side in front again in the 52nd minute, but three Moynalvey points in a row gave the home side a two point advantage heading into added time. The points coming from Darren Brennan which could easily have been in the net after his initial shot beat Rian Mulvany only to see a defender tap over the bar, followed by a pair of David McLoughlin frees.
CJ Healy cut the deficit to the minimum in the 4th minute of additional time, but seconds afterwards referee Martin Dawson’s full-time whistle blew to see Moynalvey hold on for a well deserved one point win, 2-9 to 1-11, their third of the league campaign.
Next up for Moynalvey in the league is a penultimate round game against Walterstown next Tuesday evening in Moynalvey.
In a brilliant all round team display best for Moynalvey were Fearghal McCabe, Paul Corcoran, Brian Harnan, David McLoughlin, David Reilly and the exceptional Darren Brennan.
Moynalvey Team & Scorers:
Conor Egan, Conor Quinn, Fearghal McCabe, Craig Gilsenan (1-0), Charlie McCormack, Paul Corcoran, Darragh Branigan, Darren Brennan (0-1), Eoin Corrigan, David McLoughlin (0-7, 4f), Stephen Donoghue (1-0), Brian Harnan, Adam Rooney, Donal Smith, Vinny Walsh (0-1).
Subs used: David Reilly for Eoin Corrigan, Kyle O’Malley for Donoghue, Shaun Deering for Rooney, Anthony Brien for Walsh.
