Moynalvey produced a good team performance to overcome one of the pre championship favourites Slane by 4 points in this Junior championship quarter final played on Saturday evening, September 8th in Walterstown.
Moynalvey 0 – 9 Slane 1 – 2
Moynalvey knew they had to up their game from recent performances and they settled fastest, dominating possession in the opening 15 minutes. Three Cathal Sheridan points in this period, including two from frees, had Moynalvey ahead before Slane opened their account with a well taken score from play from their left half back.
Slane then pulled a sucker punch as a ball played across the face of the Moynalvey goal was kicked to the net soccer style by their incoming midfielder despite the best efforts of goalkeeper Ollie Regan. This meant that despite all the possession Moynalvey had enjoyed, they trailed by 1 – 1 to 0 – 3 after twenty minutes. In what proved to be a hard fought, low scoring affair, a well worked Robbie Quinlan score was responded to by a Declan Kearns pointed free to leave it 1 – 2 to 0 – 4 in Slane’s favour at the interval.
The second half started like the first with Moynalvey scoring in the first minute through a Cathal Sheridan pointed free. A John Donoghue pointed effort five minutes later pushed Moynalvey into the lead and this was to prove a lead that they would never relinquish.
By this stage Slane were lacking ideas and struggled to get any good ball into their forward line. Moynalvey extended their lead through a Sheridan free before well worked efforts from Willie Byrne and Ciaran Collins pushed Moynalvey four points clear as the clock ticked down. There was to be no further scores in the five minutes of injury time that were added on as Moynalvey closed out the game having held Slane scoreless for the entire second half.
Moynalvey now face Moylagh in the semi final after their two point victory over Dunboyne.
Team & scorers – O Regan, R Kiernan, P Donoghue, D Durkan, P Weldon, D Dixon, A Brien, J Donoghue (0 – 1), S Donoghue, J Weldon, C Sheridan (0 – 5), R Quinlan (0 – 1), D Donoghue, G Fagan, W Byrne (0 – 1). Subs – C Collins (0 – 1) for J Weldon, C Ennis for R Quinlan, PJ Walsh for W Byrne.
