St. Patricks overcame Moynalvey by two points on a 0-10 to 0-8 score line in round 1 of the 2018 Div. 1 A League under lights at Stamullen on Saturday night 27^th January.

St. Patricks 0-10 Moynalvey 0-8

The home side led by a solitary point at half time with the difference between the sides doubled at the full time whistle as the score line of the second half mirrored that of the first, five points to four in each half.

Scores were difficult to come by with a wind blowing across the Stamullen venue which favoured Moynalvey in the first half and the home side in the second half, with most of the games scores coming from frees.

St. Patrick’s midfielder Ciaran Lynch opened the scoring after just sixty seconds and St. Pats advantage was doubled a minute later when full forward Niall Mooney converted the first of his five frees.

Moynalvey’s first score arrived in the 11^th minute when Stephen Donoghue powered forward from the half back line to split the uprights. Niall Mooney restored the home sides two point lead when pointing from play three minutes later.

An Adam Murphy free in the 21^st minute followed by a superbly executed free from near the sideline by John Donoghue drew the sides level for the first time, 0-3 apiece.

Two more St. Pats points were countered by a huge free from James Weldon from in front of the dugout, using the wind advantage to guide the ball between the posts off the outside of his boot. This proved to be the final score of the first half with the home side leading on a 0-5 to 0-4 score line at the half time break. St. Pats could have been further ahead, with two goal chances going a begging, the woodwork denying them on one occasion and an excellent save from Moynalvey ‘keeper Conor Egan on another.

Five minutes after the restart a second Adam Murphy free had the sides level again. However Moynalvey went through a barren spell on the scoring front from here until the 56^th minute, as St. Pats reeled off four points without reply to lead 0-9 to 0-5 with four minutes of normal time remaining.

Two frees within the space of a minute, the first from John Donoghue and the second from Adam Murphy reduced the deficit to two points, 0-9 to 0-7, with three minutes remaining.

Niall Mooney pointed another free in the 31^st minute to leave it 0-10 to 0-7. One last chance came Moynalvey’s way when a free kick was worked to substitute Ciaran Ennis who saw his dipping shot at goal parried over the cross bar by the St. Pat’s goalkeeper, leaving the final score line reading 0-10 to 0-8 in favour of the Stamullen men.

Round two sees Moynalvey welcome St. Colmcilles next Sunday morning, while St. Patricks travel to Ratoath. Moynalvey: Conor Egan, Darren Brennan, Robert Lawless, Darragh Branigan, Stephen Donoghue (0-1), Conor Harnan, Eamonn Walsh, Donal Smith, Adam Murphy (0-3, 3f), Shane Lenehan, John Donoghue (0-2, 2f), Conor Shirren, Sean Duggan, Matt Brennan, James Weldon (0-1, 1f).
Subs used: Ciaran Ennis (0-1) for Branigan, Brian O’Reilly for Brennan, Peter Durnin for Shirren.