Moynalvey overcame St. Colmcilles by a two point margin in this opening round tie in Group A of the Intermediate football championship in Seneschalstown on Sunday afternoon April 17th.
Moynalvey 1-10 St. Colmcilles 1-8
Having suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of the same opposition in last year’s opening round fixture, Moynalvey needed little motivation going into this game. They went in ahead by two points at half time and finished the game by the same margin. The first half was a keenly fought encounter with the sides level up until the 28th minute of the half. County player Graham Reilly opened the scoring in the first minute of the game when pointing from a free for St. Colmcilles. A Ray Ryan free, a superb effort from the right wing from James Weldon and a Ken Hyland point had Moynalvey ahead 0-3 to 0-2 in the 11th minute. Midway through the half St. Colmcilles found the back of the net and were unlucky not to have found it a second time only for some fine goalkeeping from Moynalvey net minder Giles Drum. The sides traded scores before Moynalvey hit four points on the trot in the final five minutes of the half with another Hyland effort and a trio of points from Ryan, two frees and a close range effort at goal which was forced over the bar by the St. Colmcilles keeper.
After the break Moynalvey started as they had finished the first half with a fine individual score from Ryan and a fisted effort from James Weldon within the opening four minutes. St. Colmcilles then enjoyed their purple patch, hitting three points on the spin narrowing the deficit to a single point. The defining point of the game came between the 54th and 57th minutes when Moynalvey player Willie Byrne and St. Colmcilles goalkeeper & a defender were dismissed for an off the ball scuffle in the 54th. In the 57th minute County minor Cillian O’Sullivan was taken down when scything through on goal and Ryan restored Moynalvey’s four point advantage when he dispatched the ensuing penalty coolly to the back of the net. A large amount of added time saw St. Colmcilles reduce the deficit to two points despite having a further man dismissed, but resolute defending from the Moynalvey defence saw them hold firm and reverse last year’s result.
Best for Moynalvey were Paul Weldon, Barry O’Keefe, Anthony Forde, Stephen Donoghue, Ken Hyland and top scorer Ray Ryan.
Moynalvey: G. Drum, R. Kiernan, P. Weldon, B. O’Keefe, M. O’Sullivan, J. Donoghue, W. Mahady, P. Conneely, S. Donoghue, D. Donoghue, D. Treacy, J. Weldon (0-2), R. Ryan (1-6), C. Collins, K. Hyland (0-2). Subs: A. Forde for P. Conneely, W. Byrne for D. Donoghue, B. Conneely for J. Donoghue, C. O’Sullivan for Collins.
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