Moynalvey now face into the final of the relegation play-offs following Dunboyne’s comprehensive victory in this Fairyhouse Steel Senior Football Championship relegation semi-final under lights at Batterstown on Friday night September 22nd.
Prior to throw in a minutes silence was impeccably observed by everyone in the Batterstown grounds as a mark of respect to the late Damien O’Reilly, who had strong links to both clubs, with his stepson Kyle also lining out on the Moynalvey substitutes bench.
This was somewhat of a novel pairing with the only meeting between the sides in the senior championship since Moynalvey returned to the senior ranks in 2012 being back in 2015, which resulted in a similar winning margin for St. Peters.
While many may have predicted Moynalvey to be in the relegation dogfight this year, few would have predicted St. Peters Dunboyne to be in the relegation semi-final, as most years they’d be mentioned within a handful of names that should be contending for the Keegan Cup.
Following Moynalvey’s one point loss to Curraha and St. Peter’s loss to Gaeil Colmcille in the relegation quarter finals it was Ger Robinson’s side who made no mistake at the second bite of the cherry, running out easy winner’s over Moynalvey in this SFC relegation semi-final.
In Moynalvey’s four games to date they had conceded just two goals, but it was a case of two goals in each half for St. Peters Dunboyne in Friday night’s game, with the two first half goals paving the way for Ger Robinson’s side’s passage to 2024 senior safety.
With the Dunboyne inside forward line accounting for 2-10 of their side’s total, it was very much the Donal Lenihan show as he hit 1-8 of his side’s tally, with 1-7 of that coming from the county man in the second half.
David McEntee opened the scoring for St. Peters in the second minute, with Cillian O’Sullivan replying for Moynalvey twenty seconds later. The other O’Sullivan brother, Mark, then split the uprights to put Moynalvey ahead for the only time after three minutes, 0-2 to 0-1.
Cathal Lacey palmed to the Moynalvey net for the first of Dunboyne’s four goals in the sixth minute, which was followed up by a trio of points from Conor Doran, Donal Lenihan and Jack Kinlough, leaving it 1-4 to 0-2 with twelve minutes gone.
A pair of David McLoughlin points left the goal between the sides, but county midfielder Ronan Jones replied with a brace of points to make it 1-6 to 0-4. 
Moynalvey narrowed the deficit with a brilliantly curled in point from the right hand side by Stephen Donoghue, but were then hit with a second Dunboyne goal after harassing from the Dunboyne forwards saw the ball break loose for Stuart Lowndes to finish low past Moynalvey ‘keeper Conor Egan.
Dunboyne’s tails were now up and two more points from Cathal Lacey and Jack Kinlough, with David McLoughlin replying with a free for Moynalvey just before the half time whistle, meant St. Peters went to the dressing room at the break with a commanding 2-8 to 0-6 lead.
David McLoughlin clipped over the first point of the second half from a free. Then Dunboyne’s top marksman Donal Lenihan kicked into action sending over his side’s next six points, four from frees and a pair from play, with Moynalvey points from Mark O’Sullivan and David McLoughlin hemmed in between, to leave the score board read 2-14 to 0-9 with ten minutes remaining.
The sides traded points with McLoughlin pointing for Moynalvey to leave eleven points between the sides with two minutes remaining. Then that extra bit of gloss was added to St. Peters Dunboyne winning margin with Luke Carolan and Donal Lenihan adding late goals in the 60th and 61st minutes to further compound Moynalvey’s woes, leaving the full time score 4-15 to 0-10.
It’s now last chance saloon for Caoimhin King’s Moynalvey outfit who will face into the SFC relegation final against Skryne in a fortnight’s time.
Moynalvey team & scorers:
Conor Egan, David Reilly, Fearghal McCabe, Conor Quinn, Vinny Walsh, Conor Shirren, Craig Gilsenan, Stephen Donoghue (0-1), Padraic Harnan, David McLoughlin (0-6, 4f), Mark O’Sullivan (0-2), Cillian O’Sullivan (0-1m), Darren Brennan, William Harnan, Brian Harnan.
Subs used: Conor Harnan for Walsh, James Kelly for W. Harnan, Darragh Branigan for Quinn, Michael Brady for Donoghue, Charlie McCormack for McCabe.
Prior to throw in a minutes silence was impeccably observed by
everyone in the Batterstown grounds as a mark of respect to the late Damien O’Reilly.
RIP Damien!
