Moynalvey suffered their second successive Championship defeat in the space of eight days when going down to Na Fianna in this Hoganstand.com SFC Group C Round 4 game played at Summerhill on Sunday evening August 21st.
Moynalvey 1-9 Na Fianna 0-18
Moynalvey haven’t had much recent luck at their neighbouring parish venue, having lost to Dunboyne by a large margin at the very same stage of the SFC this time last year when they were also under strength as they were yesterday. The win guarantees Na Fianna qualification to the knockout stages, while the loss sees Moynalvey face a winner takes all final group game against Wolfe Tones, with Tones still harbouring prospects of qualification from the group while a loss would put Moynalvey into a relegation playoff.
Moynalvey took the lead for the 1st and only time in this contest after just 20 seconds when Fearghal McCabe split the uprights at the clubhouse end, this was as good as it got for the men in maroon and white as it was all one way traffic from there until the half time whistle. A Dan Queeney free opened Na Fianna’s account in the 4th minute and further points from Jamie Queeney (4), Conor Downey (3), Barry Clancy (3) and a point apiece from Ollie Lewis & Michael Collins handed the Enfield/Baconstown combination a commanding 10 point lead at half time, 0-13 to 0-3. Moynalvey’s other first half points came from Donal Smith and a Mark O’Sullivan free.
The first two points of the second period went Moynalvey’s way with half time substitute David Mcloughlin converting a free and corner back Robert Lawless finding himself in an unusual shooting position three minutes after the restart. Dan Queeney broke Moynalvey’s momentum temporarily with Mark O’Sullivan replying a minute later. Unusual for Na Fianna they failed to raise a green flag in this contest, however they did have the ball in the net in the 40th minute only for the referee to disallow for a supposed infringement in the build up.
Another pair of Na Fianna frees left the score line reading 0-15 to 0-6 after 42 minutes. Moynalvey were handed a lifeline in the 44th minute when awarded a penalty with David McLoughlin stepping forward to narrowly see his effort go just wide of the post, ruling out any hope of a possible Moynalvey comeback. Points from Moynalvey substitutes James O’Neill, Paul Conneely and McLoughlin in reply to a quick fire brace from Daniel Queeney left Na Fianna ahead by double scores 0-18 to 0-9 after 59 minutes. A Shane Lenehan goal with the last play of the game proved mere consolation for Moynalvey as Na Fianna ran out winners more comfortably than the 0-18 to 1-9 full time score line suggests.
Moynalvey: Conor Egan, Robert Lawless (0-1), Cathal McCabe, Darren Brennan, Eamonn Walsh, Brian Harnan, Darragh Branigan, Donal Smith (0-1), Stephen Donoghue, Brian O’Reilly, Shane Lenehan (1-0), Conor Harnan, Fearghal McCabe (0-1), Mark O’Sullivan (0-2, 1f), James Weldon. Subs: David McLoughlin (0-2, 2f) for Weldon, Paul Conneely (0-1) for Smith,
James Kelly for F. McCabe, J. O’Neill (0-1) for O’Reilly.
