Moynalvey’s loss to Skryne in this penultimate round A league game on Thursday 6^th June confirms relegation to Division 2 next year.

Moynalvey 0-12
Skryne 2-15

Moynalvey’s three year stint in the top tier of the A League inevitably came to an end with last night’s loss to Skryne condemning them to automatic relegation to Division 2 with one round left.

Not surprisingly, having not picked up a league win all year Moynalvey suffered the inevitable drop, having diced relegation the past couple of years.

While unlucky not to pick up points in a couple of games, all Moynalvey have to show from their twelve league games to date is two points, both draws, first round v Syddan and round 11 v Donaghmore/Ashbourne.

Starting with the bare 15 before the half time arrival of a 16^th man, Moynalvey’s fate wasn’t helped by their slow start with Skryne racking up 1-6 before Moynalvey eventually opened their account in the 15^th minute through David McLoughlin.

Two McLoughlin frees left it 1-6 to 0-3 with 22 minutes played. A further 1-4 without reply from the Tara men left the score 2-10 to 0-3 at half time, while Moynalvey were reduced to 14 men just before the break with the dismissal of Fearghal McCabe.

Following the break Moynalvey looked to improve their performance and that they did, outscoring Skryne 0-9 to 0-05 in the second thirty minutes with Mark O’Sullivan having made the move from full forward to midfield leading the charge accounting for six of his side’s second half points. Skryne’s numerical advantage was wiped out with 10 minutes remaining when midfielder Harry Rooney was sent to the line for a second bookable offence.

David McLoughlin, Shane Lenehan and Ray Ryan accounted for Moynalvey’s other second half points to leave the final score read 2-15 to 0-12, condemning Moynalvey to relegation to Division 2 next year.

Already selecting from a small pool of players, 2019 was one of the worse years ever for injuries within the club combined with four players tied up with county panels for the majority of the league left Moynalvey’s league a tough ask.

Minus Cillian O’Sullivan for the complete league campaign and Padraic Harnan for the second half due to county football commitments, Cathal McCabe and James Kelly for the majority due to county hurling commitments, Moynalvey’s poor league run was made worse by injuries to key players Mark O’Sullivan, David McLoughlin, Conor Harnan, Adam Murphy, James Weldon, William Mahady and Brian O’Reilly reducing the activity of each to less than half of the twelve league games.

The 2019 League campaign will be one Moynalvey will want to erase from the memory quickly.

Moynalvey:
Conor Egan, Darragh Branigan, Brian Harnan, Darren Brennan, William Mahady, Fearghal McCabe, David Donoghue, Donal Smith, Conor Shirren, Shane Lenehan (0-1), David McLoughlin (0-4, 2f), Eoghan Murphy, Ray Ryan (0-1f), Mark O’Sullivan (0-6, 1f), Ciaran Harnan.
Sub: Padraig Kelly for Murphy.