Wolfe Tones five point win over Moynalvey in the final round game of Group C of the Fairyhouse Steel SFC at Skryne on Sunday afternoon secured their path to a quarter final meeting with Na Fianna while Moynalvey now face into a relegation quarter final against Navan O’Mahonys.
Moynalvey 2-11
Wolfe Tones 3-13
Moynalvey knew going into the game nothing but a win would qualify them for the quarter finals, while a draw at minimum would have secured the same for Tones. With 12 minutes remaining the draw looked on the cards, but a couple of defensive errors and Wolfe Tones experience in the final quarter saw them run out five point winners.
Moynalvey opened the scoring through Cillian O’Sullivan in the first minute, however it was to be the only time they held the lead.
Tones first score came in the 2nd minute from a Caolán Ward free.
County players Padraic Harnan and Thomas O’Reilly traded points to leave it 0-2 apiece after six minutes.
The first of the game’s five goals came on the 10 minute mark when a Stephen Sheppard run and handpass in over a couple of Moynalvey defenders set up Tom Gavigan to fire to the back of the net.
A Cillian O’Sullivan free dropping short wasn’t dealt with by the Tones defence and Sean Duggan collected to fire over the black spot from close range, leaving it 1-3 to 0-3.
Then came another moment of lackadaisical defending when Dan O’Neill sent a shot/pass into the Moynalvey danger area for Cian O’Neill to drift in behind two Moynalvey defenders to outjump Moynalvey ‘keeper Chris O’Malley for Tones second goal, leaving the score 2-3 to 0-3 at the first half water break.
Moynalvey’s response to the two goal set back were two points from Adam Murphy and Cillian O’Sullivan soon after the water break.
Tones midfielder Alan Callaghan split the Moynalvey uprights with a sweetly struck effort off the outside of the right boot from near the sideline under the Skryne balcony.
Two more Tones points, two frees from the Ward brothers Cian and Caolán extended Michael McDermott’s side lead to seven points 2-6 to 0-5 with five minutes of the half remaining.
Just before half time that deficit was reduced to four when Cillian O’Sullivan coolly slotted home a penalty to the Tones net after he himself had been fouled when bearing through on goal. Adam Murphy added another point for John Donoghue’s side to leave the half time score read 2-6 to 1-6.
Just as in their opening two group games Moynalvey’s best period came in the third quarter when they clawed themselves back into the game to level matters just before the second half water break.
Two Caolán Ward frees soon after half time were countered by 1-2 without reply from Moynalvey. The goal coming from David McLoughlin and two points from Cillian O’Sullivan, one from a free and the other from play to draw the sides level for just the second time, 2-8 apiece.
Another Caolán Ward free just on the three quarter hour mark left Tones a point up at the second half water break, 2-9 to 2-8.
Moynalvey midfielder Padraic Harnan pointed after the break to draw the sides level once again, 2-9 apiece.
Two Sarán O’Fionnagáin points either side of a Cian O’Neill goal after another Moynalvey defensive error gave Wolfe Tones the cushion they needed to push on after that third quarter period of Moynalvey pressure, leaving it 3-13 to 2-9 with 60 minutes played.
Two Cillian O’Sullivan points in injury time meant the full time score read 3-13 to 2-11, securing Wolfe Tones path to the quarter finals while leaving Moynalvey in a relegation quarter final.
Moynalvey:
Chris O’Malley, Conor Harnan, Brian Harnan, Cathal McCabe, Fearghal McCabe, Darren Brennan, Ciaran Harnan, Padraic Harnan (0-2), David Reilly, Cillian O’Sullivan (1-6, 1p&3f), Mark O’Sullivan, Sean Duggan (0-1), David McLoughlin (1-0), Adam Murphy (0-2), Stephen Donoghue.
Subs: Micheal Brady for Duggan, Shane Lenehan for Donoghue, Donal Smith for Murphy.
