Moynalvey recorded their first victory upon return to the Senior ranks with a four point victory over Nobber in the Hoganstand.com Senior Football Championship at Walterstown on Friday evening April 27th.
Moynalvey 2-8 Nobber 0-10
Having put in a massive performance to come within a goal of one of the pre championship favourites Donaghmore/Ashbourne last week it was vital Moynalvey took something from this second championship game in seven days. Similar to last week Moynalvey started in whirlwind fashion clocking up four unanswered points in the opening five minutes. The first score arrived as early as 40 seconds when Moynalvey wing forward David Donoghue split the posts for the first white flag of the evening. Darren Brennan and Cillian O’Sullivan (from play and a free) completed the Moynalvey half forward line’s early scoring spree.
Nobber’s early dominance of midfield and the loss of Moynalvey’s influential midfielder Stephen Donoghue to injury ensured Nobber would endure a purple patch of their own as they drew matters level a third of the way into the game with three pointed frees and a Jamie Owens effort from play tying up the sides on four points apiece. County minor Cillian O’Sullivan ensured the men in maroon and white were not to be headed on the score board when he clipped over his third point of the evening in the 21st minute following a neat lay off from James Kelly. Three minutes later came the defining point of the opening period when Moynalvey raised the first green flag of the evening. An excellent turnover of possession by wing forward Darren Brennan sent Cillian O’Sullivan galloping through a gaping hole in the centre of the Nobber defence setting up Ken Hyland for his first score of the evening rifling to the back of the net from close range. Nobber added a pointed free and an effort from play to leave two points between the sides at the interval on a 1-5 to 0-6 score line.
Nobber reduced the deficit to a solitary point two minutes into the second half, only to see the wind taken out of their sails when Hyland pounced for his second goal of the evening following a defence splitting pass from Mark O’Sullivan. Nobber had a goal chance of their own three minutes later when Moynalvey corner back Robbie Kiernan was turned by his opponent near the end line for Nobber to have their only real goal chance of the evening which was blazed over the cross bar. Moynalvey restored their early four point advantage when a superb burst forward by centre back Barry O’Keefe found Mark O’Sullivan who opened his account for the evening in the 41st minute. Sixty seconds later O’Sullivan registered his second score when sending over a free kick to further Moynalvey’s advantage to five points. Nobber fired over two more scores in the final quarter to cut the difference to three points, but Moynalvey had the last say in the 56th minute when Donal Smith sent a superb pass into Ken Hyland who was fouled with Mark O’Sullivan duly sending over the resulting free kick.
The fresh legs of Moynalvey substitutes Donal Smith, Ray Ryan and County minor captain Padraic Harnan who entered the fray early on replacing the injured Donoghue aided Moynalvey’s second half performance to hold out for a four point win on a 2-8 to 0-10 score line. Best for the winners were Paul Weldon, Daniel Treacy, Darren Brennan and David Donoghue.
The only blight on the evening for Moynalvey was the dismissal of full forward Ken Hyland in the 59th minute to a straight red card. Alan Kelly’s charges will be happy to have clocked up their first two points in the Group A table of the Hohagnstand.com Senior Football Championship upon their return to the Senior ranks after 12 years and now look forward to the eagerly anticipated third round meeting with the reigning Keegan cup holders and near neighbours Summerhill.
Moynalvey: O. Regan, R. Kiernan, P. Weldon, P. Donoghue, D. Treacy, B. O’Keefe, A. Forde, J. Donoghue, S. Donoghue, D. Donoghue (0-1), C. O’Sullivan (0-3), D. Brennan (0-1), M. O’Sullivan (0-3), K. Hyland (2-0), J. Kelly. Subs: P. Harnan for S. Donoghue, R. Ryan for Kelly, D. Smith for O’Keefe.
