Moynalvey’s first outing in the Junior ‘B’ Championship was a one point loss to St. Patrick’s in this second round game played at Skryne on Saturday evening June 10th.
Moynalvey 1-7 St. Patrick’s 0-11
While this was St. Patrick’s second outing in the Junior ‘B’ Championship it was Moynalvey’s first as the restructuring of the Championship saw Moynalvey handed a bye in the opening round, while St. Patrick’s recorded a win against neighbours St. Colmcilles.
Had Moynalvey taken anything from this game it would have been unjust on the Stamullen men as they had bossed proceedings for long periods of this game.
With a strong wind gusting across the Skryne pitch scores were always going to be hard come by.
With 15 mins gone the sides were level 0-2 apiece, with seasoned campaigners James O’Neill and Daithi Whyte accounting for both of their sides scores.
St. Pats then reeled off four points without reply, three of those coming from full forward Niall Whearty and the other from Shane McGinty to lead 0-6 to 0-2 after 24 minutes.
Another O’Neill free proved to be Moynalvey’s final score of the half, with Pats’ Whyte & Ronan Kearns adding to their sides tally to leave the half time score 0-8 to 0-3 in favour of the Stamullen side.
The first score of the second half went the way of the East Meath side with Brian Calvey pointing. Moynalvey’s James Kelly then pointed in the 38th minute for his side’s first score of the second half leaving it 0-9 to 0-4.
In the next seven minutes St Patrick’s were unlucky not to raise green flags as they were twice denied by the woodwork, first Daithi Whyte saw a rasping effort crash back off the crossbar and then Niall Whearty hit the angle of the goals when shooting at goal from close range.
In between these two let offs Moynavey’s Conor Shirren scored his side’s second from from play, reducing the deficit to four and another O’Neill free narrowed the margin to three, 0-9 to 0-6 in the 51st minute.
Points from Daithi Whyte & Niall Whearty looked to have secured the points for St. Pat’s. A fifth free from James O’Neill and then the game’s only goal, also by O’Neill on the stroke of full time left just the point in it at the full time whistle.
Moynalvey will feel they could have snook something from this game late on but ultimately St. Patrick’s deserved the win which should have been more than the one point winning margin.
Moynalvey: Ray Ryan, David Kane, Matt Brennan, Padraig Donoghue, Anthony Brien, Darragh Branigan, Shane Browne, Stephen Cummins, Padraig Kelly, Brian Regan, James O’Neill (1-5, 5f), James Kelly (0-1), Conor Shirren (0-1), Shaun Deering, Sean Duggan.
Subs: Shane McGann for Browne, Robbie Kiernan for Donoghue, Robbie Quinlan for Regan, Brian Conneely for Cummins.
