It was hearbreaking stuff for a gutsy Moynalvey side as they went down by the minimum in a very tight and low scoring Junior championship final played in Pairc Tailteann Navan on Sunday October 7th.
Moynalvey 1 – 6 Clann na nGael 1 – 7
Moynalvey led for long periods of the game and at one stage led by 6 points only for Clann na nGael to score a fortuitous goal to put themselves right back in contention before some dubious frees pushed them into a narrow lead that they did not lose.
Moynalvey settled quickest with points from Cathal Sheridan, John Donoghue and Willie Byrne leaving it 0 – 3 to 0 – 0 after 15 minutes. Clann na nGael opened their account before a well worked move resulted in Ciaran Collins blasting to the Clann na nGael net. A further Sheridan pointed free left it 1 – 4 to 0 – 1 after 25 minutes before the game changed on its head when a high ball into the square was unfortunately spilled into the net by Moynalvey keeper Ollie Regan. Another Clann na nGael point left the halftime score at 1 – 4 to 1 – 2.
Clann na nGael rallied on the resumption and halfway through the second half it was all square at 1 – 5 each as 3 Clann na nGael points were responded to by a Sheridan free. The game could have gone either away but the award of 2 very dubious frees for fouls on Graham Geraghty which were both pointed by the victors meant Clann na nGael led by 1 – 7 to 1 – 6 entering the closing minutes, Moynalvey’s point having come from a Sheridan free.
Moynalvey pressed for an equaliser and had two long range frees to level the game but both were narrowly missed. And so it was heartbreak for Moynalvey as Clann na nGael held on to secure a place at Intermediate level for 2008. For Moynalvey, another year in Junior level looms as they fell marginally short despite a great squad effort.
Team and scorers – O Regan, R Kiernan, P Donoghue, D Durkan, P Weldon, D Dixon, A Brien, S Donoghue, G Fagan, W Byrne (0 – 1), C Sheridan (0 – 4), R Quinlan, D Donoghue, J Donoghue (0 – 1), C Collins (1 – 0). Subs – B Conneely for G Fagan, J Weldon for C Collins, S Collins for W Byrne, P Conneely, G Drumm, G McHale, Z Donoghue, D O’Shea, R Donovan, D Kane, C Dunne, M Knightly, PJ Walsh, Ciaran Ennis, D Smith, F Cunningham.
