Moynalvey overcame the challenge of Walterstown in the semi-final of the Kepak Ladies Junior A Football Championship at Sean Newman Park on Saturday evening to set up a final meeting with St. Ultans.
Moynalvey 3-10
Walterstown 1-12
Little ever separates these two sides over the last few seasons and today was no different.
The sides could not be separated in the opening half, tied at half time 1-4 to 0-7.
It was Walterstown who opened the scoring with a Lisa O’Neill point after a minute, with Moynalvey’s first score coming from the penalty spot from Jennifer McLoughlin ninety seconds later.
An O’Neill free was followed by a brace of McLoughlin points to leave the score 1-2 to 0-2 after six minutes.
A trio of Walterstown points in a row from Lisa O’Neill, Sarah Jane Lyons and Lucy Reynolds drew the sides level for the first time with 12 minutes on the clock, 1-2 to 0-5.
A Jennifer McLoughlin free and a Louise Donoghue point were countered by Walterstown with two Mollie Browne points to leave the sides level again at half time, 1-4 to 0-7.
The start of the second half saw Moynalvey misfiring in front of the posts with four wides in the first 10 mins, while Walterstown yielded three scores from three attacks, all three from Lisa O’Neill at the other end to take the lead for the first time since the first minute, 0-10 to 1-4.
Moynalvey began to gain a better foothold in the middle of the field which laid the foundations for their scoring domination in the final 20 minutes, outscoring the Blacks 2-6 to 1-2 in the final third of the game.
A Cheyenne O’Brien point followed by a goal by Rachel Pender after a goalmouth scramble handed Moynalvey back the advantage again, 2-5 to 0-10.
Jennifer McLoughlin and Lisa O’Neill traded scores before Moynalvey captain Louise Donoghue fired over an inspirational point, followed by a Jennifer McLoughlin goal which was the pick of the game’s four goals, producing a brilliant finish through a crowded defence from an acute angle giving Moynalvey a five point lead with seven minutes left, 3-7 to 0-11.
There was still time for a Walterstown rally, with a Lisa O’Neill free and a converted penalty either side of Olivia O’Halloran’s second point of the game, leaving three between the sides, 3-9 to 1-12.
A Jennifer McLoughlin point in the final minute capped off her personal tally of 2-5 and a four point win for Moynalvey to advance to a meeting with St. Ultans in the final, with St. Ultans winning their semi-final earlier in the day against St. Patricks played in Moynalvey.
Best for the winners were Bridgie Brennan, Abbie Killalea, Aideen Smith, Louise Donoghue, Cheyenne O’Brien and top scorer Jennifer McLoughlin.
Moynalvey Team & Scorers:
Aoibheann Corcoran, Bridgie Brennan, Abbie Killalea, Mairead McCabe, Aoife Weston, Aideen Smith, Fia O’Brien, Louise Donoghue (0-2), Cheyenne O’Brien (0-1), Sarah Kelly, Olivia O’Halloran (0-2), Rachel Garrett, Rachel Pender (1-0), Jennifer McLoughlin (2-5, 1p & 2f), Clodagh Murphy.
Subs used: Roisin Murphy for Kelly, Meabh Ahern for Pender.
