Moynalvey took the two points on offer in this winner takes all final round division 1 league encounter against a weakened Rathkenny on August Bank Holiday Monday evening at Rathkenny.
Rathkenny 1-8 Moynalvey 4-13
With both sides’ heading into the game on eight points and sitting evenly in the second automatic relegation position just above Seneschalstown both sides were looking for the much needed win to drag themselves out of relegation trouble. Moynalvey’s win over Rathkenny combined with Wolfe Tones win over Blackhall Gaels meant Darren Fay’s charges leapfrogged both Rathkenny and Blackhall Gaels, therefore guaranteeing division 1 league football again next year.
Moynalvey got off to the perfect start with midfielder Donal Smith pointing within sixty seconds of the throw in. Two more Moynalvey points from David Mcloughlin after Jack Gore had opened the home side’s account In the 3rd minute left it 0-3 to 0-1 after nine minutes. A Gore free and a Jack Thompson point drew the sides’ level for the only time in the game.
Rathkenny failed to score again in the remaining nine minutes of the half, while visitors Moynalvey added 1-4 to their tally before the half time whistle. The goal came from David McLoughlin followed by a brace of points from the same player and points from Mark O’Sullivan and Anthony Forde to leave the half time score reading 1-7 to 0-3.
Brian Lenihan pointed a free for the home side within ninety seconds of the restart, but the home side found themselves further adrift of their opponents when Mark O’Sullivan pointed and then a second McLoughlin goal arrived in the 35th minute to leave Moynalvey ten points to the good on a 2-8 to 0-4 score line.
Three Rathkenny points on the trot narrowed the deficit to seven, but points from Anthony Forde each side of a pair of McLoughlin goals knocked Rathkenny back again as they trailed Moynalvey by 17 points with four minutes remaining, 4-12 to 0-7. A consolation 1-1 for the home side, with a fisted point from Moynalvey substitute Shane Lenehan left the final score reading 4-13 to 1-8 handing Moynalvey the win which maintained their division 1 status, while the loss for Rathkenny saw them relegated to Div. 2.
Moynalvey: Conor Egan, Brian O’Reilly, Robert Lawless, Darren Brennan, Cathal McCabe, Padraic Harnan, Anthony Forde (0-3), John Donoghue, Donal Smith (0-1), Mark O’Sullivan (0-2), Daniel Treacy, James Kelly, David McLoughlin (4-6, 4f), Fearghal McCabe, Cillian O’Sullivan.
Subs used: Conor Harnan for O’Reilly, Stephen Donoghue for M. O’Sullivan, Shane Lenehan (0-1) for Kelly, Darragh Branigan for Brennan (B. Card).
