Cortown 0-15  Moynalty 2-09

Cortown and Moynalty served up a right royal exhibition of football in ideal conditions in Kilmainham on Thursday evening. Moynalty have enjoyed a brilliant 2018 to date and their Division 4 final win over Ballivor 2 weeks ago in Navan sparked wild celebrations in the tidiest town known to man.

Needless to say, confidence was high, I overheard a conversation at the Carnaross and Drumconrath game on Wednesday when a Moynalty fan remarked to his neighbours "we'll hammer Cortown". That same supporter must have been relieved some 24 hours later when the Division 4 Champions nicked a scarcely deserved share of the spoils.  

A well-rehearsed tactic from the throw-in paid dividend for Anthony Monaghan's men when Sergeant Brían Smith went raiding through before being hauled down 21 yards from goal. Despite fumbling the ball in his elegant free-kick routine, Ryan O'Rourke made no mistake and Cortown lead.

Sergeant Smith then escaped the shackles and drove along the end line before fisting a point from an acute angle. Smith didn't just get a point for his endeavours but he also got a great Instagram post thanks to Roísín Clarke's superb photography. Cortown were on fire at this stage and the Moynalty backs simply couldn't deal with the raw pace and power of the Cortown forwards. Davy Rispin collected from Luke Carberry and tore inside and punched over.

Moynalty did stop the rot after some erratic shooting and it was their talisman Paul Lynch who finally got the men in red on the scoreboard. It seemed to spring Alan Stephens men to life and they drew level with a couple of excellent scores from Michael Lynch. Meath Under 20-star James Cassidy's influence continued to grow as the half went on.

O'Rourke got Cortown back in front with a free after Rispin was fouled and this was quickly followed by a magnificent point from the right boot of Carberry from a tight angle. Cortown were in the midst of a purple patch and with Declan Coyne and Smith winning great ball with Ivor O'Halloran beavering away, the forwards were getting some excellent supply. Michael O'Neill dished off to Rispin who nonchalantly tapped over.

Cortown's defending was first class too with Cormac Lindsay and the wilily old foxes Skipper Coyne and Daragh O'Halloran mopping up a mountain ball in the backline. Carberry once again knocked over a stunner when he collected a back-pass from Rispin to stretch the gap to 5. Moynalty kept in touch with a pointed free from Lynch but it was quickly cancelled out with a well-executed free from O'Rourke.

Indeed, O'Rourke cut through the Moynalty defence after being released by Richie Flanagan and he fired a rasper narrowly over the bar. All in all, it meant that when the ever-popular Gus Martyn blew the whistle for the interval it was the 2014 Junior Championship winners who led by 10-4.

The message was more of the same from Anthony Monaghan to his troops and they did make an encouraging start to proceedings when Carberry was bundled over and O'Rourke made no mistake from the resulting free. Moynalty, with the breeze at their backs did look more dangerous and pointed a couple of scores in quick succession to narrow the gap. It was enthralling stuff which the large crowd in Kilmainham were absolutely loving.

Smith broke through the cover once again and stroked over once again with the fist. Moynalty then struck for the game's opening goal and after some nice intricate play, the finish was rather ugly and messy, not that they will care in the slightest. The ball ping-ponged about the box before eventually being bundled home to make it a 3-point game.

It was end-to-end, breathless stuff as O'Rourke slipped Smith in and he riffled narrowly wide. Some 60 seconds later, Moynalty were level out of nowhere as Cormac Kearney broke through the cover and once again as a result of a cruel deflection, the ball ricocheted past the helpless Butch Casserly. Back came Cortown though in the face of adversity as Smith found Rispin who turned and curled over to edge the boys in yellow in front again.

Adrian Maguire then drew the sides level again as we entered the climax of a truly absorbing contest. It looked as if Cortown weren't to be denied when that man Smith incredibly pointed his fourth fisted point of the game…surely a record?! Some ill-discipline in defence allowed one of the coolest customers in Junior football, Paul Lynch to knock over the equaliser from the free at the death to ensure parity.

Cortown were heroic for long periods of this game and comprehensively outplayed their counterparts. Full credit to Moynalty though, who never wilted and dug out a point from the trenches of the 'Battle of Kilmainham'. Both sides will reflect on what could have been and refocus on season defining games in the next round when Moynalty take on Championship co-favourites Ballivor whilst Cortown take on St Vincent's. One thing for sure is that this group will go right down to the wire and provide a similar type of entertainment and value for money as the supporters got last night in Kilmainham.

Cortown: Butch Casserly; Davy Coyne, Daragh O'Halloran, Cormac Lindsay; Ivor O'Halloran, John McGearty, Decky Clarke; Declan Coyne, Richie Flanagan; Michael O'Neill, Ryan O'Rourke (0-5,4fs), Luke Carberry (0-2); Colm Kerrigan (0-1), Davy Rispin (0-3), Brían Smith (0-4).

Referee: Gus Martyn (Dunderry)  

Moynalty Report

MOYNALTY 2-09, CORTOWN 0-15. 

Moynalty played Cortown in Round 3 of the JAFC in Kilmainham on Thursday. The game proved to be an intense affair from beginning to end and ultimately ended honours even. Cortown raced into an early lead, three points from Ryan O' Rourke, Brian Smith & Davy Rispin. Moynalty gradually grew into the game and it was midfielder Cathal Reilly who opened the scoring for Moynalty, this was followed up by a point from Michael Cahill. Cortown hit back with two points. Paul Lynch managed to escape the attention of his marker to open his account of the evening. Moynalty's other midfielder Anthony Nevin knocked over a fine point but it was to be Moynalty's final one of the first half. Cortown went on to score a flurry of points to leave the half time score Moynalty 0-04, Cortown 0-10. 

Christy Cahill opened the scoring in the second half, but Cortown struck back with two points to increase the margin to seven. After been on the wrong end of seemingly some questionable decisions Paul Lynch eventually got his chance to score his first free of the game. The margin was again increased to seven when Cortown fisted over another point. This proved to be Cortown's last score for sometime, as Moynalty pilled on the pressure to come back into the game, a point a piece for Ollie Sheridan & Paul Lynch reduced the gap to five before a lovely flowing move finished up with Michael Cahill palming the ball into the net. Cortown replied to this with their fourteenth point of the game. Moynalty's Cormac Kearney equalised with a well taken goal. Both teams exchanged points to finish the game honours even. In what was a great spectacle for a neutural, a draw turned out to be a fair result. 

Moynalty: Johnny Lynch; Ronan Lynch, Nicholas Mc Kenna, Matthew Mc Kenna; Cormac Kearney (1-0), Donal Lynch, James Cassidy; Anthony Nevin (0-1), Cathal Reilly(0-1); Gavin Lynch, Michael Cahill (1-1), Carl Lynch; Christy Cahill (0-1), Paul Lynch (0-4), Ollie Sheridan (0-1). Sub: Adrian Maguire For Donal Lynch.  

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