Moynalvey lost out to Na Fianna in this entertaining U-21 ‘A’ Football Championship Quarter Final on a 1-16 to 1-13 score line after extra time at Longwood on Sunday afternoon November 13th.
Na Fianna 1-16 Moynalvey 1-13
Having taken an early lead, Moynalvey then trailed their opponents for the most of this game, trailing by four at the break before staging a third quarter come back to take a two point lead with two minutes remaining, only for Na Fianna to stage a late come back of their own to force the game into extra time.
The early stages of the game turned into the David McLoughlin vs Ethan Devine show, with two early scores from David McLoughlin frees being countered by Na Fianna’s midfielder Ethan Devine. McLoughlin then converted his third free with Devine replying with a free of his own to leave it 0-3 to 0-2 after 12 minutes.
The game’s first goal came in the 13th minute when a sweeping Na Fianna move resulted in their centre forward burying past Moynalvey ‘keeper Joe Munnelly, handing Na Fianna the lead for the 1st time. A brace of David McLoughlin points, one from play and the other from a free drew the side’s level for the first time on the quarter hour mark. Four unanswered Na Fianna points in the final 12 minutes of the half gave them their half time advantage.
Almost every time Moynalvey narrowed the deficit Na Fianna seemed to reply immediately, with the goal separating the side’s right up until the 54th minute. David McLoughlin almost single handedly took the Moynalvey charge to their opponents accounting for all bar two of Moynalvey’s total, with the only other two scorers being Fearghal McCabe and substitute Adam Murphy who replaced the black carded Scott Tuite who was having a fine game up until his dismissal. It was a McLoughlin penalty that saw Moynalvey regain the lead for only the 2nd time in the 56th minute, with Murphy’s point following two minutes later leaving Moynalvey two to the good with two minutes of play remaining.
However as Na Fianna went in search of scores a high ball into the area resulted in a Moynalvey fist punching over the bar as the ball dropped in close to the cross bar, which was followed by a super score from Na Fianna’s county minor midfielder Devine in the 60th minute to draw the sides level. Injury time saw Devine with a difficult free from distance, which for thankfully for Moynalvey’s sake trailed left and wide of the posts. Soon after the referee’s whistle sounded for full time with the sides inseparable at 1-11 apiece, forcing extra time.
With light diminishing rapidly the extra time was played under lights and it was Na Fianna who had the brighter first half of additional time outscoring their opponents 0-3 to 0-1 in that period, with Moynalvey’s only score coming from a McLoughlin free, with another free going agonisingly wide on the stroke of the game’s second half time whistle.
Na Fianna went four points ahead midway through the second half of additional time with Moynalvey’s other score coming from another McLoughlin free deep in injury time, resulting in the Enfield/Baconstown combination progressing to the semi-final with a three point win, 1-16 to 1-13.
Best for Moynalvey were Scott Tuite, David Reilly, Fearghal McCabe and talisman McLoughlin.
Moynalvey: Joe Munnelly, Brian Harnan, Matt Brennan, Scott Tuite, Robert Lawless, Conor Hranan, David Reilly, Eamon Walsh, Colm O’Connor, Conor Shirren, Sean Duggan, David McLoughlin (1-11, 1p, 9f), Fearghal McCabe (0-1)
Subs: Adam Murphy (0-1) for Tuite (B. Card), Michael Burke for O’Connor.
