Moynalvey overcame Ratoath by two points in this keenly contested Round One Feis Cup tie on a 1-10 to 2-5 score line at Ratoath on Sunday morning February 5th.
Ratoath 2-5 Moynalvey 1-10
These sides met in the preliminary round of the Feis Cup last year at the same venue, with the hosts running out three point winners, however this year the result was reversed with Darren Fay’s Moynalvey advancing to round two with a two point win.
While both sides were missing a host of regular starters, this game was played at a high tempo for both side’s first competitive action of the season. Ratoath were first to score with a ’45 converted by Conor Rooney in the 4th minute and two minutes later the same player converted a free to make it 0-2 to no score.
James O’Neill opened Moynalvey’s account in the 14th minute and sixty seconds later converted a second free to draw the sides level. Two more O’Neill points, one from a free and the other from play left Moynalvey with a two point half time advantage on double scores of 0-4 to 0-2. Moynalvey were unlucky not to be further ahead at the break, with 1st half goal chances gone a begging, Dan Treacy rattled the crossbar with a rasping effort, with Conor Shirren was also unlucky not to convert a couple of goal chances.
Within a minute of the restart a point from Moynalvey full forward John Donoghue had the visitor’s advantage stretched to three. However the three point lead was short lived, as three minutes later sloppy Moynalvey defending on the goal line resulted in a Ratoath goal. The goal was followed by a Conor Rooney point to hand Ratoath the lead once again.
Moynalvey replied to this set back brilliantly, a John Donoghue point was followed by a superb goal from Padraic Harnan, finishing low to Darragh McPartland’s net after a brilliant solo run from midfield, leaving the score 1-6 to 1-3 on the three quarter hour mark.
Points from Conor Rooney and Richie Lombard narrowed the deficit to the minimum again. Moynalvey’s James O’Neill split the uprights in the 55th minute to leave the score 1-5 to 1-7. A second Ratoath goal from midfielder Jack McGowan pushed Ratoath ahead again with three minutes remaining.
With momentum behind them, Moynalvey closed out the game with three points from James O’Neill, Eamon Walsh & substitute Sean Duggan to secure a two point win and advance to a round 2 tie next Sunday morning against neighbours Summerhill.
Best for Moynalvey were Scott Tuite, Rob Lawless, Darren Brennan, Padraic Harnan, Dan Treacy & James O’Neill.
Moynalvey: C. Egan, S. Tuite, R. Lawless, D. Branigan, D. Brennan, P. Harnan (1-0), S. Lenehan, D. Smith, S. Donoghue, D. Treacy, E. Walsh (0-1), J. Weldon, J. O’Neill (0-6, 4f), J. Donoghue (0-2), C. Shirren.
Subs: A. Murphy for Weldon, S. Duggan (0-1) for Treacy
