Moynalvey gained their third win in Division 3 of the A League when coming away from Ratoath with the narrowest of winning margins on Friday evening May 4th.
Ratoath 0-12 Moynalvey 1-10
A Moynalvey side with only eight of the starting side that started against Nobber in the SFC the previous weekend overcame Junior side Ratoath in somewhat controversial circumstances, converting a penalty in the final minute of the game to come away with the two points. The home side held the advantage at the interval, 0-5 to 0-4, with Moynalvey marksman Mark O’Sullivan accounting for all of the visitor’s opening half tally (0-3f, 0-1play).
Ratoath pointed 20 seconds after the restart to further their lead, which they weren’t to be relieved of until the final minute of the game. O’Sullivan converted his 5th and 6th scores of the evening leaving just the minimum, 0-7 to 0-6, between the sides after 35 minutes. For the first time in the game more than two points separated the sides when Ratoath pulled three clear after 53 minutes. With Moynalvey having lost corner back Padraig Donoghue to a second yellow card Ratoath’s numerical advantage put four between the sides with seven minutes remaining. However Moynalvey dug deep and points from substitute William Harnan and midfielder Donal Smith left two between the sides with two minutes remaining.
A series of close range frees for different Ratoath infractions saw Moynalvey try in vain for that winning goal. Eventually the frees led to both sets of players and mentors left somewhat mystified when the referee signalled for a penalty kick in favour of Moynalvey just as John Donoghue was striking a 14 yard free. Donoghue stepped forward to bury the penalty to the back of the net, grasping victory from the hands of defeat for Moynalvey, leaving them one point victors on a 1-10 to 0-12 score line.
Moynalvey: C. Ennis, P. Donoghue, P. Weldon, R. Kiernan, A. Forde, P. Conneely, A. Brien, J. Donoghue (1-0), D. Smith (0-1), D. Brennan, R. Quinlan (0-1), D. Donoghue, R. Ryan (0-1), C. Collins, M. O’Sullivan (0-6). Subs: L. Duffy for Quinlan, W. Harnan (0-1) for Collins.
