In a game where eight goals were shared it was home side Moynalvey who came out on top ensuring a share of top spot in the Div. 3 Reserve League Table along with their opponents Oldcastle and St. Michaels.
Moynalvey 4-12 Oldcastle 4-8
Early on Moynalvey took full advantage of the strong breeze at their backs to take a 2-3 to 0-00 score lead. Paul Conneely sent over the opening score after just 70 seconds with his fellow midfielder Dominic O’Brien pointing a minute later. The game’s first goal came in the 4th minute when following some superb defending by Robbie Kiernan which put David Reilly away on a burst down the centre of the field to set up John Donoghue who expertly dispatched to the back of the Oldcastle net. Three minutes later the home side raised their second green flag when a combination of Ciaran Ennis and Conor Shirren set up Shaun Deering to blast home. A huge point from Ciaran Ennis off the left wing left the score 2-3 to 0-00 after eight minutes.
The third goal of the game was scored in the 16th minute, this time by the visitors which was their first score of the game. A brace of Moynalvey points from Ciaran Ennis and Eoghan Mitchell were quickly followed by the game’s 4th goal, this time Conor Shirren finding the net with Ennis providing the assist, giving the home side an eleven point lead after 21 minutes.
A second goal for Oldcastle by Jimmy Smith in the 23rd minute was followed by a Brian Griffin point narrowing the deficit to seven. Shaun Deering scored his second and his side’s fourth goal in the 26th minute after a superb run down the centre from Conor Shirren set him up. Two minutes later Shirren pointed high over the cross bar from an acute angle to extend Moynalvey’s lead to eleven once again, 4-6 to 2-1. The game’s seventh goal came on the stroke of half time, Moynalvey ‘keeper Giles Drum pulled off an excellent save only for the rebound to fall to Oldcastle’s Brian Griffin who found the net after Drum was up quickly and unlucky not to save the second effort, leaving the half time score 4-6 to 3-1.
With the wind at their backs Oldcastle hit the first three scores of the second half with points from Gerard Reidy, Jimmy Smith and Niall Mangan. Just as the visitors were gaining some momentum Moynalvey’s John Donoghue pointed in the 40th minute to stem the tide. Donoghue’s point was followed by two more from Shaun Deering and substitute Ray Ryan. Oldcastle full forward Brian Griffin found himself one on one soccer style with Moynalvey goalkeeper Giles Drum in the 44th minute and it was Drum who out better of the duel pulling off another fine save.
Oldcastle had the deficit narrowed down to five points in the 51st minute following points from Sean Maxwell, Niall Mangan and John Caffrey. Substitute Ray Ryan hit two more points along with a Shaun Deering effort with an Oldcastle point sandwiched in between to leave Moynalvey seven points to the good with two minutes remaining. Just as they had done in the first half Oldcastle scored a goal in the final minute of the half to leave the full time score reading 4-12 to 4-8 in favour of the home side.
Best for Moynalvey were Robbie Kiernan, Paul Conneely, Johnny Carey, David Reilly, Conor Shirren and top scorer Shaun Deering.
Moynalvey: Giles Drum, Robbie Kiernan, Shane Browne, David Kane, Eoghan Mitchell (0-1), Anthony Brien, Darragh Branigan, Paul Conneely (0-1), Dominic O’Brien (0-1), Johnny Carey, John Donoghue (1-1), David Reilly, Ciaran Ennis (0-2, 1f), Shaun Deering (2-2), Conor Shirren (1-1). Subs: Ray Ryan (0-3) for Carey, Gary Crowley for O’Brien, Johnny Carey for Kane, Stephen Cummins for Shirren.
