Moynalvey secured their place in the knockout stages of the SFC with this ten point win over neighbours Blackhall Gaels in this SFC round 4 game played at Summerhill on Sunday afternoon August 27th.
Moynalvey 3-14 Blackhall Gaels 1-10
Having lost out to Blackhall by ten points in the league encounter Moynalvey reversed the result by the same winning margin when it mattered most, in championship action, with no fewer than eight different personnel lining out for Darren Fay’s charges in yesterday’s championship game compared to that league game.
This local derby threw up former team mates lining out against each other as players from each side have lined out together at underage level in recent years under the amalgamated name Jenkinstown Gaels.
Early on it looked like the bookmakers odds were spot on having Moynalvey as odds on favourites for this game as the men in maroon and white had built up a 0-7 to 0-2 lead after 20 minutes. A brace from David Mcloughlin, the first after just 30 seconds and the second a free were followed by Blackhall’s opening score in the 5th minute.
Three points in quick succession, two from Cillian O’Sullivan and another from McLoughlin left Moynalvey 0-5 to 0-1 ahead after 11 minutes. Blackhall wing forward Alan Nestor accounted for his side’s second point in the 14th minute.
Fresh from winning an All Ireland minor ‘B’ All Ireland hurling title on Saturday Adam Murphy rounded off a busy weekend by lining out for Moynalvey on Sunday chipping in with a point in the 17th minute. Murphy’s point was followed four minutes later by a Cillian O’Sullivan free to leave it 0-7 to 0-2 after 20 minutes.
Despite dominating possession in the opening half Moynalvey found themselves only three points up at the break, Blackhall may have found themselves unlucky to not be closer to their opponents or even on level terms as some wayward free taking let them down early on. Blackhall outscored Moynalvey 0-4 to 0-2 in the final 10 minutes of the half, with Moynalvey’s two points coming from the Donoghue brothers John & Stephen, leaving the half time score reading 0-9 to 0-6 in favour of Moynalvey.
Within five minutes of the restart the game was over as a contest as firstly Cillian O’Sullivan pointed and then within the space of a minute Darren Brennan and David McLoughlin fired home the game’s first two goals to extend Moynalvey’s lead to 10 points, 2-10 to 0-6.
Three Sean Whelan frees with a Cillian O’Sullivan point sandwiched in between left the score reading 2-11 to 0-9 after 43 minutes.
Anthony Forde pointed on the three quarter hour mark before the result was put to bed when Stephen Donoghue had the ball in Blackhall net minder Thomas Dalton’s net for a third time. Blackhall did add a consolation 1-1 to their tally, with Anthony Forde and David McLoughlin sending over Moynalvey’s final two scores to see the full time score read 3-14 to 1-10.
The result sees Moynalvey claim second place in the group and a place in the knockout stages with a round still to play against St. Colmcilles, while Blackhall are in relegation trouble with a tough final round fixture against county champions Simonstown Gaels.
Moynalvey: Ray Ryan, Brian O’Reilly, Cathal McCabe, Darren Brennan (1-0), Anthony Forde (0-2), Padraic Harnan, Dan Treacy, Donal Smith, Stephen Donoghue (1-1), Mark O’Sullivan, John Donoghue (0-1), James Kelly, Cillian O’Sullivan (0-5, 3f), Adam Murphy (0-1), David McLoughlin (1-4, 2f).
Subs used: Shane Lenehan for Kelly, Fearghal McCabe for Smith, James Weldon for M. O’Sullivan, Eamon Walsh for Murphy.
