Moynalvey overcame St. Colmcilles by four points in this Fairyhouse Steel Group B Round 5 Fixture played at Skryne on Saturday evening September 9th.
Moynalvey 3-14 St. Colmcilles 2-13
While Moynalvey had already secured their quarter final place prior to this Round 5 game, St. Colmcilles found themselves in relegation position but their superior score difference to Blackhall Gaels sees them escape the relegation play offs.
The first half proved to be a low scoring cagey affair with the second half more open and free scoring.
St. Colmcilles led three times early on with James Conlon registering twice along with a Jack Reynolds point, the O’Sullivan brothers Mark & Cillian and Adam Murphy replied for Moynalvey leaving it 0-3 apiece after 17 minutes.
A Cillian O’Sullivan goal in the 18th minute saw Moynalvey take the lead for the first time and they weren’t to be headed again in this contest.
Both sides hit a further brace apiece before the half time whistle, Moynalvey’s points coming from Cillian O’Sullivan and Anthony Forde with Cilles’ scores coming from Eoin Woods and James Conlon, leaving O’Sullivan’s goal between the sides at the break, 1-5 to 0-5.
St. Colmcilles got off to the perfect start to the second half with points from Conor O’Byrne after just 30 seconds followed by a point from Ian Mullen, reducing the deficit to the minimum, 1-5 to 0-7.
Mark O’Sullivan and James Conlon traded scores before the first real piece of daylight emerged between the sides when Moynalvey hit three points without reply from Cillian O’Sullivan, David McLoughlin & Stephen Donoghue leaving it 1-9 to 0-8 after 14 minutes of the second half.
With eleven minutes left just the minimum separated the sides again as St. Colmcilles hit three unanswered points of their own from Ben Brennan, Eoin Woods and Graham Reilly leaving it 1-9 to 0-11.
The three points sequence continued when David McLoughlin (2) and John Donoghue pointed for Moynalvey, with St. Colmcilles replying through a free.
Momentarily six points separated the sides when David McLoughlin dispatched to the net from the penalty spot after Brian O’Reilly was fouled. However St. Colmcilles replied immediately with a goal of their own from Adam Lynch leaving it 2-12 to 1-12 after 56 minutes.
The game’s fourth goal came just sixty seconds later when a David McLoughlin shot took a wicked deflection to beat Cilles goal keeper Andrew Beakey leaving it 3-12 to 1-12.
Another McLoughlin point put seven between the sides, but there was still time for more drama as Graham Reilly pointed and then Cilles got a second goal when the ball was bundled to the net by James Conlon after the initial Cilles shot was saved by Moynalvey Keeper Ray Ryan, leaving it 3-13 to 2-13.
David McLoughlin popped up for his fifth point in injury time to leave the final score reading 3-14 to 2-13.
Moynalvey now advance to a Quarter Final meeting with Gaeil Colmcille.
Best for Darren Fay’s men in this contest were Darren Brennan, Brian O’Reilly, Cillian O’Sullivan and David McLoughlin.
Moynalvey: Ray Ryan, Conor Harnan, Robert Lawless, Darren Brennan, Anthony Forde (0-1), Padraic Harnan, Brian O’Reilly, John Donoghue (0-1), Stephen Donoghue (0-1), Cathal McCabe, Cillian O’Sullivan (1-3), Adam Murphy (0-1), Shane Lenehan, Mark O’Sullivan (0-2, 2f), James Kelly.
Subs used: Fearghal McCabe for Murphy, David McLoughlin (2-5, 1p, 1f) for C. McCabe, Donal Smith for Kelly, Eamon Walsh for S. Donoghue, D Branigan for Forde.
