Moynalvey secured the two points on offer in this back fixture of the Div. 2 A League when overcoming home side Trim at St. Loman’s Park on a 2-12 to 1-8 score line on Saturday evening July 25th.
Trim 1-8 Moynalvey 2-12
Moynalvey’s win ensured that following a forgettable 2015 League campaign they remain free of relegation worries and officially condemn Oldcastle to Division 3 football next year ahead of their final round A League fixture against each other scheduled for Wednesday evening.
The clash of two former Kilcock footballers in their respective managerial roles saw Moynalvey’s Barry O’Keeffe get the better of former lilywhite full back and now Summerhill based Davy Dalton by seven points.
Within six minutes of the throw in it was the team in maroon and white who held a four point lead with a Ciaran Ennis free and points from James O’Neill, William Harnan & John Donoghue.
Trim’s opening score of the game arrived in the 9th minute when James Togher cut through the Moynalvey back line almost unchallenged to fire past Moynalvey ‘keeper Paul Conneely for the first of the game’s three goals. Ciaran Ennis converted his second free of the evening in the 11th minute after Anthony Forde was fouled on one of his many raids forward. Trim converted a free of their own sixty seconds later leaving the score 0-5 to 1-1.
Four Moynalvey points from James O’Neill (2), Fearghal McCabe & James Weldon put five between the sides after 22 minutes of play. Trim midfielder Frankie Murphy broke their barren spell in the 24th minute. Trim added two more frees to their tally before the break and only for a first half wides tally in double figures may have been ahead at half time, instead they trailed Moynalvey by two points at the interval, 0-9 to 1-4.
Six minutes after the restart Moynalvey were unlucky not to score a goal when Willie Harnan’s goal bound effort was somehow cleared off the line by a Trim defender. A Trim point in the 11th minute of the half left the minimum between the sides for only the second time in the game, 0-9 to 1-5.
Following the half time substitution of Ciaran Ennis, James O’Neill undertook free taking duties sending over his fourth point of the game in the 43rd minute. The games second goal came in the 16th minute of the half when William Harnan fielded a high ball in from Anthony Forde on the edge of the square and turned to dispatch to the Trim net putting five between the sides, 1-10 to 1-5.
Trim were unlucky not to score a second goal when a soccer style effort rebounded off the post and across the Moynalvey goal line in the 47th minute. Moynalvey’s James Weldon extended his side’s advantage to six when pointing sixty seconds later after fighting hard to win possession.
Three Trim points brought the deficit back to three points with two minutes remaining. Moynalvey ‘keeper Paul Conneely denied the home side the chance to level when he fisted clear a high ball in only to see a Trim forward pull on the ball towards goal but Conneely was quickly back between the posts to deny the home side.
A point attempt from Anthony Forde rebounded off the upright into the arms of Willie Harnan who blasted to the Trim net from close range putting a tint of gloss on the score line leaving it 2-11 to 1-8 on the stroke of full time.
Fearghal McCabe still had time to send over his second score with the last attack of the game a minute into injury time, leaving Moynalvey seven point winners on a 2-12 to 1-8 score line. While the win leapfrogs Moynalvey above their opponents and moves them out of the league relegation zone, a huge improvement will be required before the championship resumes with a 4th round tie against St. Peter’s Dunboyne on Friday week.
Best for Moynalvey were Robert Lawless, Fearghal McCabe, Donal Smith, Anthony Forde, James O’Neill and top scorer William Harnan.
Moynalvey Team: Paul Conneely, Darragh Branigan, Robert Lawless, Robbie Kiernan, Darren Brennan, Brian Harnan, Fearghal McCabe (0-2), Donal Smith, Anthony Forde, James Weldon (0-2), John Donoghue (0-1), James O’Neill (0-4, 1f), Ciaran Ennis (02, 2f), William Harnan (2-1), David Donoghue.
Subs: Stephen Donoghue for Ennis, Cathal McCabe for Branigan, Sean Duggan for J. Donoghue, Eamonn Walsh for O’Neill.
