Moynalvey & Summerhill proved inseparable in this Round 11 Div. 1 A League game played in Summerhill on Wednesday night 21st June.
Summerhill 1-12 Moynalvey 1-12
On the longest day of the year Moynalvey made the short journey down the road to take on their neighbours in this local derby.
The sides were in contrasting league positions heading into this tie, with the home side flying high up the League table, while Moynalvey were languishing dangerously close towards the relegation positions at the bottom of the table.
With Moynalvey suffering a heavy Feis Cup defeat to the ‘Hill in February, this contest was a much more evenly contested affair.
With both sides missing key personnel once again, Summerhill will feel the happier of the two sides claiming a point from the game, having been three points down with 10 minutes remaining.
Summerhill started the brighter of the two sides, racing into an early three point lead with scores from Richie Hatton, Ciaran Gillespie and Brian Ennis. David McLoughlin opened Moynalvey’s account in the 5th minute and four minutes later a Mark O’Sullivan point left it 0-3 to 0-2.
In the space of 90 seconds Summerhill had extended their advantage to five points as corner forward Sean Dalton first pointed and then showed blistering speed rounding his man to bury to the back of the Moynalvey net, leaving it 1-4 to 0-2 after 13 minutes.
With 26 minutes on the clock, four points separated the teams as points from Mark O’Sullivan and the impressive Anthony Forde either side of a Brian Ennis free left it 1-5 to 0-4. Conor Lyons and Dan Treacy traded scores to leave the half time score reading 1-6 to 0-5 in favour of the home side.
Moynalvey re-emerged from the dressing room a different side; within three minutes of the restart they had drawn level with their opponents. First a penalty converted by Davy McLoughlin and then a McLoughlin free saw the sides’ level for the first time. Sixty seconds later Moynalvey took the lead for the first time in the game when McLoughlin fired over when under pressure.
David Larkin broke the Moynalvey momentum with a point, with the sides then matching each other score for score over the next eight minutes, Moynalvey’s two points coming from McLoughlin & O’Sullivan while Summerhill’s points came from Conor Lyons & Sean Dalton.
Moynalvey’s James O’Neill converted a free from a difficult angle literally with his first touch after entering the action off the subs bench, James Kelly and Dan Treacy then pointed to put Moynalvey three points to the good with ten minutes remaining, 1-12 to 1-9. However Moynalvey failed to close out the game and failed to score again in the final 10 minutes.
A fine save from Moynalvey goalkeeper Conor Egan in the 52nd minute denied Summerill the chance to draw level. Some indiscipline in the Moynalvey defence afforded Brian Ennis the opportunity to convert three frees in the final eight minutes, the last of which was came two minutes into added on time, leaving the score board reading 1-12 apiece at the full time whistle.
Moynalvey face another tough assignment Sunday week as they travel to take on the County champions Simonstown Gaels as they look to increase their points tally as games are quickly running out.
Moynalvey: Conor Egan, Brian O’Reilly, Robert Lawless, Cathal McCabe, Fearghal McCabe, Stephen Donoghue, Anthony Forde (0-1), Donal Smith, John Donoghue, Mark O’Sullivan (0-3, 1f), Daniel Treacy (0-2), James Kelly (0-1), Darren Brennan, David McLoughlin (1-4, 1p, 1f), Shane Lenehan.
Subs: James O’Neill (0-1, 1f) for F. McCabe, Scott Tuite for O’Reilly, Darragh Branigan for C. McCabe (B/Card), Conor Shirren for S. Donoghue.
