Moynalvey got the better of Nobber by two points in a keenly contested affair in the U-21 ‘B’ Football Championship at Simonstown on Friday night October 28th.
Moynalvey 2-10 Nobber 1-11
Little separated the sides during the opening period, with the sides level 1-5 to 0-8 at half time. It was Nobber who opened the scoring in the opening minute, with Moynalvey drawing level two minutes later with a James Kelly free. The North Meath side pointed for a second time in the 7th minute, before the first green flag of the evening was raised when Kelly found the net from an acute angle leaving Moynalvey ahead by double scores in the 11th minute. Sixty seconds later Shane McGann tagged on another point for Moynalvey, leaving the goal the difference between the sides. Moynalvey suffered the set back of losing Mark O’Sullivan to injury mid way through the half, which enabled Nobber to build more of a stronghold around the middle of the field. With five minutes of the opening half remaining the sides were level, 1-3 to 0-6. Both sides added 0-2 apiece over the remainder of the half with Luke Duffy and substitute Feidhlim Cunningham finding the range for Moynalvey.
Moynalvey got the best possible start to the second half when Luke Duffy hit the back of the Nobber net in the 3rd minute. However Nobber raised their game again and registered 0-2 leaving the minimum between the sides after 37 minutes. Three minutes later Moynalvey hit 0-2 of their own courtesy of Mark Munnelly and another Kelly free. Another point along with a converted penalty kick put Nobber ahead for the only time in the second half with 13 minutes remaining. However these proved to be Nobber’s last scores of the game, as some smart goalkeeping from Chris O’Malley and resolute defending from the Moynalvey rearguard prevented Nobber scoring in the final 13 minutes. Shane McGann and Kelly (2 frees) ensured Moynalvey ran out two point winners on a 2-10 to 1-11 score line.
Moynalvey: C. O’Malley, S. Browne, S. Carroll, C. Egan, A. Forde (0-1), C. McCabe, M. O’Sullivan, W. Harnan, L. Dufy (1-1), M. Munnelly (0-1), P. Kelly, S. McGann (0-2), J. Kelly (1-4). Subs: F. Cunningham (0-1) for O’Sullivan, D. Hoban for Cunningham.
