Moynalvey secured their first victory of the 2016 Hoganstand.com Meath Senior Football Championship with a one point victory over Simonstown Gaels at a well presented Skryne venue on Saturday evening May 14^th.

Moynalvey 1-16 Simonstown Gaels 2-12

Having gone down to Keegan Cup holders Navan O’Mahony’s in the opening round five weeks ago, Moynalvey led by the scoring exploits of David McLoughlin, picked up their first win of the Group C campaign against another Navan based side Simonstown Gaels in this Senior Football Championship Round 2 encounter.

Having taken the lead in the 2^nd minute with the first of David McLoughlin’s six frees the sides were level for the first time four minutes later with Simonstown converting a free of their own. Moynalvey continued to lead the game throughout the hour, the sides drew level for just a second time in the 50^th minute when Simonstown netted their second goal, leaving the score board reading 1-14 to 2-11. 

Having lost one of their talisman Mark O’Sullivan early on in the game through a hamstring injury Moynalvey didn’t let this upset their game plan, taking a half time lead of two points to the dressing room having dominated their opponents in the opening 30 minutes, limiting Simonstown to just a point from open play, with the concession of a somewhat soft goal. Moynalvey’s goal came from the penalty spot in the 11^th minute when David McLoughlin was placed through on goal only to be scythed down when about to pull the trigger, it was McLoughlin who dusted himself down to confidently step forward to dispatch the ensuing penalty kick to the back of the Simonstown net. Moynalvey’s other first half scores came courtesy of four McLoughlin frees and two points from county player Cillian O’Sullivan, the first converted under serious pressure while kicking and the second curled over with his right boot, leaving it 1-7 to 1-5 at the break.

Moynalvey’s James Weldon pointed the opening score of the second period. Two Simonstown points in the 33^rd and 34^th minutes reduced the deficit to the minimum, before Cillian O’Sullivan sent over his third point of the evening in the 36^th minute. The half time introduction of Shane O’Rourke paid immediate dividends for Colm O’Rourke’s side as he showed his undoubted class when sending over a few huge points from distance, even if the first of which looked outside the posts, but was awarded after consultation between the referee and umpire at the car park end.

Just as Simonstown had the experience of Shane O’Rourke to bring in, the strength of Moynalvey’s bench saw the introduction of the experienced Anthony Forde, who popped over the first of his two points in the 39^th minute following good work by county minor Conor Harnan, this was followed by a Dan Treacy point extending Moynalvey’s advantage to three again, 1-11 to 1-8. A brace of Shane O’Rourke points had the deficit reduced to the minimum again, before Moynalvey’s McLoughlin fired over two points from play, leaving three between the sides at the three quarter hour stage.

A Simonstown point was followed by Moynalvey substitute Anthony Forde’s second in the 49^th minute. Sixty seconds later saw a well worked move up the field by Simonstown resulting in their second goal which was well finished low and hard across the face of Moynalvey ‘keeper Conor Egan’s goal, leaving the sides level for just a second time, 1-14 to 2-11.

Just before being stretchered off the field with a serious knee injury, the game’s top scorer David McLoughlin put two between the sides again, adding a brace to bring his personal tally to 1-9. Following the lengthy delay due to McLoughlin’s injury and removal from the field an anxious 10 minutes followed as Simonstown were attacking in waves trying to find scores, however the Moynalvey rearguard led by Cathal McCabe & Stephen Donoghue stood firm, conceding only one more point to their opponents, leaving Moynalvey holding on for a well deserved one point victory at the referee’s full time whistle.

Best for Moynalvey were Cathal McCabe, Stephen Donoghue, Conor Harnan, Padraic Harnan, Cillian O’Sullivan, James Weldon and top scorer McLoughlin.

Moynalvey: Conor Egan, Darren Brennan, Cathal McCabe, Robert Lawless, Brian Harnan, Stephen Donoghue, Conor Harnan, Eamonn Walsh, Padraic Harnan, Shane Lenehan, Daniel Treacy (0-1), Fearghal McCabe, David McLoughlin (1-9, 1p, 6f), Cillian O’Sullivan (0-3), Mark O’Sullivan.
Subs: James Weldon (0-1) for M. O’Sullivan, Brian O’Reilly for Lenehan, Anthony Forde (0-2) for F. McCabe, James O’Neill for Treacy, James Kelly for McLoughlin.