Moynalvey took top spot in Group A of the Meade Potato sponsored Intermediate Football Championship with a 3-9 to 1-8 victory over group runners up Clann na nGael at Trim on Sunday afternoon August 7th.
Moynalvey 3-9 Clann na nGael 1-8
Moynalvey opened up a four point advantage within the opening six minutes, with points from Cillian O’Sullivan, Ray Ryan, Stephen Donoghue & Willie Byrne. Clann na nGael registered their opening score of the afternoon in the 8th minute, with Ray Ryan responding a minute later for Moynalvey. Within sixty seconds Clann na nGael narrowed the deficit to three, before the impressive O’Sullivan recorded his second of the afternoon in the 12th minute. Midway through the half, wing half back Anthony Forde foraged forward to split the posts and increase Moynalvey’s lead to five points. Clann na nGael posted another effort on target, before the first green flag of the afternoon was raised, when Cillian O’Sullivan rounded his man and set towards goal, only to see his goal effort rebound off the posts before somehow finding its way to the net off a group of defenders. O’Sullivan pointed for the third time, before Clan na nGael added another point in the final minute of the half, leaving Moynalvey ahead 1-8 to 0-4 at the break.
After the restart the Athboy/Rathcairn combination managed to keep Moynalvey scoreless for the first fifteen minutes, while registering 1-2. With the margin between the sides narrowed to 0-2, and after goalkeeper Ollie Regan made a fine save to deny Clann na nGael, Moynalvey began to use their bench to good use, with substitute James Kelly finding the back of the net in the 48th minute. Clann na nGael tagged on a further two points, before a slick flick pass from Kelly set up Forde, who dispatched coolly to the back of the net in the 53rd minute. Clann na nGael added a further point in the remaining seven minutes, leaving the men in maroon and white 3-9 to 1-8 winners. Best for Moynalvey were Ollie Regan, Anthony Forde, John Donoghue and Cillian O’Sullivan.
Moynalvey: O. Regan, R. Kiernan, P. Weldon, P. Donoghue, A. Forde (1-1), B. O’Keefe, D. Donoghue, J. Donoghue, S. Donoghue (0-1), M. O’Sullivan, W. Byrne (0-1), D. Treacy, C. O’Sullivan (0-3), C. Collins, R. Ryan (0-2). Subs: K. Hyland for Collins, J. Kelly (1-1) for Ryan, J. Weldon for Treacy, W. Mahady for Byrne.
