For 44 minutes Longwood put up a brave bid to secure their first win of the SFC campaign at Summerhill tonight. However two goals in as many minutes midway through the second-half settled Moynalvey and gave them a 2-16 to 1-6 win that ensures their safety and puts them in with a strong shout of securing a place in the knockout stages.
Defeat almost certainly ensures Longwood will face a relegation play-off, while victory moved Moynalvey onto four points alongside Summerhill, Donaghmore/Ashbourne and Ratoath.
Longwood, who included 13 players who also play for the club's senior hurling side and who will be in action again next Saturday in the SHC, were left to rue some poor shooting in the opening half as Moynalvey struggled to get going.
Nine wides in the opening period and three other efforts that fell short into Ray Ryan's hands sucked the oxygen out of Longwood's endeavour and when Chris Lynch was sent-off with six minutes remaining it compounded his side's misery as they were already 1-5 to 2-12 adrift.
Despite their dreadful shooting Longwood were still very much in the game for three-quarters of the contest and when Ryan Moore produced a brilliant finish to the net after a fine team move to restore parity, 1-3 to 0-6, five minutes after the break Longwood looked in a good position.
However all that good work came unstuck in the two minutes that traversed the third and final quarters.
The first goal was a pure freak with Padraic Harnan's long delivery skidding off the wet surface and deceiving Ross Healy before ending up in the net and then second 90 seconds later the second goal was the product of a brilliant move involving Cillian O'Sullivan and Harnan that ended with Shane Lenehan flicking to the net to make it 2-9 to 1-4 – game over.
Up to that Longwood were more than a match for Moynalvey. They dominated possession, but kicked three wides before Moynalvey finally opened the scoring in the sixth minute through Lenehan with his side's first attack.
Both sides continued to find scoring difficult. Moynalvey struggled to get possession, while Longwood kicked wide after wide. They had missed the target six times and dropped three efforts short before Ryan moore eventually opened their account from a free in the 22nd minute.
By that stage Moynalvey had added points from Cillian O'Sullivan and the lively pair of David McLoughlin and Mark O'Sullivan to lead 0-5 to 0-1.
Sean Coloe went close to bagging a goal in the 30th minute, but blazed wide before an outstanding point from the busy Mickey Burke closed the gap to 0-2 to 0-5 at half-time.
Anthony Healy converted a '45' almost three minutes after the restart, but seconds later Mark O'Sullivan restored Moynalvey's three-point lead with a superb score.
Cillian O'Sullivan was denied a goal by Ross Healy's leg and on the counter Longwood gave themselves real hope with Moore's superb goal.
Moynalvey's response to that setback was impressive. McLoughlin restored their lead with an outstanding point and then converted a 20-metre free before Adam Murphy also got in on the scoring act to make it 0-9 to 1-3.
Moore's goal was wiped out, but Longwood hit back with a point from an Anthony Healy free in the 44th minute to close the gap to just two-points – but then came the turning points.
Firstly Harnan's probe forward found the net and then Lenehan added a second goal and when Cillian O'Sullivan and McLoughlin chipped in with further points all of a sudden Moynalvey's lead was out to 2-11 to 1-4. with 11 minutes remaining.
Anthony Healy and McLoughlin traded points before Lynch was sent-off and with their numerical supremacy Moynalvey coasted to the win with Murphy, Darren Brennan, McLoughlin and Lenehan adding points before Moore's late consolation free closed Longwood's account.
Moynalvey have Ratoath and Donaghmore/Ashbourne in their final two games while Longwood must face Donaghmore/Ashbourne and Summerhill as they bid to avoid a relegation play-off.
SCORERS
Moynalvey – David McLoughlin 0-6 one free; Shane Lenehan 1-2; Cillian O'Sullivan 0-3; Padraic Harnan 1-0; Mark O'Sullivan 0-2; Adam Murphy 0-2; Darren Brennan 0-1.
Longwood – Ryan Moore 1-2 two frees; Anthony Healy 0-3 one free, one'45; Mickey Burke 0-1.
TEAMS
Moynalvey - Ray Ryan; Darren Brennan, Brian Harnan, Fearghal McCabe; Cathal McCabe, Padraic Harnan, David Donoghue; Donal Smith, Stephen Donoghue; Adam Murphy, Mark O'Sullivan, Padraig Kelly; David McLoughlin, Cillian O'Sullivan, Shane Lenehan. Subs – David Reilly for Kelly 48 mins, James Weldon for C O'Sullivan 57m. Black card – J Weldon (replaced by Kelly 62m).
Longwood - Ross Healy; Chris Lynch, Damien Healy, Ross Kerrigan; Karl Ennis, Joey Stenson, Corran Byrne; Mickey Burke, Niall Mulvey; Evan Coyle, Ryan Moore, Jacob Baldwin; Sean Coloe, Anthony Healy, Thomas Coloe. Subs – Vinny Byrne for Stenson 53 mins, David Rowley for Ennis 55m, Johnny Furey for T Coloe 59m.
Referee - Richard Morris (Blackhall Gaels).
Report by Fergal Lynch of Meath Chronicle
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