Moynalvey’s two point victory over Gaeil Colmcille in round 4 of the Seamus Connolly Catering Junior ‘B’ Football Championship on a 3-10 to 3-8 score line at Martry on Friday night 4th July ensured qualification to the knock out stages of the championship.
Moynalvey 3-10 Gaeil Colmcille 3-8
With a game to spare in group B of the Junior ‘B’ Football Championship, Moynalvey’s victory over Gaeil Colmcille ensured qualification to at least a preliminary quarter final place prior to their final group game against St. Vincents.
Gaeil Colmcille opened the scoring after just 30 seconds when their centre half back pointed, however this was the one and only time the Kells men were ahead throughout the 60 minutes. Moynalvey’s Barry O’Keeffe drew the side’s level when pointing in the 3rd minute after some good build up play by Cathal Sheridan along the end line. Brian Conneely put the men in the maroon and white ahead in the 5th minute and sixty seconds later a surging run from centre field by John Donoghue set up veteran Sheridan for his first score of the game. Sheridan’s second score would be a somewhat fortuitous one, as a point attempt from the right hand side of the posts looped in over the Gaeil Colmcille ‘keeper into the net for the first of the games six goals. A converted free for Gaeil Colmcille was quickly followed by a point from Moynalvey’s William Harnan leaving the score reading 1-4 to 0-2 after 17 minutes of play. A third Gaeil Colmcille point in the 19th minute was followed sixty seconds later by a point from Moynalvey’s Ciaran Ennis after Brian Conneely played a super ball to William Harnan who in turn found Ennis. A brace of points from the Kells men in the 23rd and 24th minutes respectively left just the goal between the teams, 1-5 to 0-5. Moynalvey centre half forward Barry O’Keeffe clipped over his second point in the 28th minute and Moynalvey’s second green flag of the game arrived in the 30th minute when Brian Conneely unleashed an unstoppable shot to the back of the Gaeil Colmcille net. Gaeil Colmcille had a chance to find the net themselves from the penalty spot two minutes into additional time at the end of the first half, but the effort went above the cross bar and not under leaving the two goals between the sides at the break, 2-6 to 0-6.
From the restart Moynalvey midfielders Brian Conneely and John Donoghue worked the ball up the field setting up Barry O’Keeffe to fist over the bar for his third point of the night, with Gaeil Colmcille converting a free in the third minute of the second period. Moynalvey’s third goal of the game came in the 37th minute when a point attempt from substitute Robbie Quinlan fell short, the Gaeil Colmcille goalie spilled the ball and Moynalvey top scorer Cathal Sheridan was at hand to fist to the net from close range. Moynalvey extended their advantage to 10 points when Ciaran Ennis split the uprights in the 39th minute, leaving it 3-8 to 0-7. The two goals remained between the sides with 8 minutes remaining following g 1-1 from the Kells men. An Ennis free left 0-7 between the sides after 53 minutes. A tense final five minutes or so ensued after Gaeil Colmcille’s lively full forward found the Moynalvey net in the 55th minute. In the 30th minute Darragh Branigan became Moynalvey’s sixth scorer when curling the ball over the black spot. There was still time for more drama when Gaeil Colmcille were awarded a second penalty two minutes into additional time which was duly converted for a consolation score with the last piece of action of the game, leaving Moynalvey two point winners on a 3-10 to 3-8 score line when referee Peter O’Halloran blew his full time whistle.
Best for the winners were David Kane, Brian Conneely, John Donoghue and Barry O’Keeffe.
Moynalvey: Ollie Regan, Anthony Brien, David Kane, David Durkan, Johnny Carey, Paul Conneely, Luke Duffy, John Donoghue, Brian Conneely (1-1) Ciaran Ennis (0-3), Barry O’Keeffe (0-3), Darragh Branigan (0-1), Sean Duggan, Cathal Sheridan (2-1), William Harnan (0-1).
Subs used: Robert Quinlan for Carey, Ger Fagan for Duggan, Joseph Munnelly for Duffy, Padraig Kelly for O’Keeffe.
