Div. 9 League commences with Win over Curraha

Moynalvey and Curraha commenced their Div. 9 league campaign at Joe McDermott Park Curraha on Bank Holiday Monday afternoon 18th March with the visitors running out comfortable nine point winners in the end.

Full Time Score:
Curraha 1-6
Moynalvey 2-12

Despite the visitors trailing 0-6 to 0-2 at half time, it was a dominant second half performance which saw Caoimhin King’s side come away with the two points on offer in this opening round game of the Div. 9 football league, sponsored by proud Moynalvey man Paul Conneely of PMC Physiotherapy, who also doubles up as the lead physiotherapist for the Meath Senior Football Panel.

Despite all the rain over recent days, the Curraha pitch held up well to host this game, but conditions were slightly underfoot and a tricky swirling wind to contend with for both sides, as the tale of two halves would suggest.

With the wind at their backs and playing into the clubhouse end it was the home side who took an early lead with a brace of points, before Moynalvey got off the mark with a Vinny Walsh effort in the 5th minute.

Curraha made it three points to one on the quarter hour mark, with Willie Harnan responding sixty seconds later for Moynalvey’s second and final point of the half.

The home side went on to hit a further three points in the second quarter to leave it 0-6 to 0-2 when referee Seamus O’Connor blew his half time whistle.

Half Time Score:
Curraha 0-6
Moynalvey 0-2

The second half was a one sided affair with Moynalvey using the wind at their backs and playing down the slight hill to their advantage to outscore their opponents 2-10 to 1-0 in the second period.

Vinny Walsh started Moynalvey’s second half dominance when splitting the uprights seven minutes after the restart.

A ninety second period in the lead up to the mid-way point of the half changed the complexion of the game with two quick fire Moynalvey goals within ninety seconds.

The first palmed home by Barry Walsh after a searing run by the same player who interlinked with William Harnan in the build up for the game’s first goal; and the second also palmed to the net from close range, this time by Harnan, to leave it 2-4 to 0-6 to the visitors.

Moynalvey never looked back from this point and almost kept the host side scoreless in the second half, but for a consolation penalty with the last kick of the game.

Following the two goals, Moynalvey kicked on with points from Michael Brady, William Harnan, Anthony Brien (3), Barry Walsh, Vinny Walsh and David Durkan to leave the full time score read 2-12 to 1-6 to Moynalvey.

Best for the men in maroon in this contest were Michael Brady, David Donoghue, Barry Walsh, William Harnan and Anthony Brien.

With games coming thick and fast from here on, its’s the turn of Moynalvey’s Div. 2 league side to make their 2024 bow when they travel to take on Trim on Wednesday night for an 8pm throw-in.

Moynalvey team & scorers:
Ray Ryan, Cillian Kelly, Michael Brady (0-1), David Durkan (0-1), Barry Walsh (1-1), David Donoghue, Patrick Roddy, Stephen Donoghue, Eoin Corrigan, Ronan Thompson, William Harnan (1-2), Luke O’Halloran, Anthony Brien (0-3), Vinny Walsh (0-3, 1f), John Donoghue.
Subs used: Darragh Branigan for Durkan, Aidan Gilsenan for Thompson, Conor Quinn (0-1) for Roddy, Alan Donnelly for O’Halloran, Thompson for J. Donoghue, Durkan for Brady, Roddy for V. Walsh.