A year of riches for Moynalvey
November 27, 2011
Moynalvey are one of the younger GAA clubs in the county, yet in their relatively short history they have achieved two outstanding leaps to prominence, the most recent this year when they rejoined the senior football ranks.
Nobody in their wildest dreams could have imagined the heights Moynalvey were about to scale when they won the Division 3 FC (now the Junior C) in 1979. Two years later they added the junior A title and it got even better in 1983 when they secured the intermediate honours. It was extraordinary - Division 3 to senior in five seasons.
They enjoyed life in the top flight for several years before slipping back down to intermediate and then junior. For a time there appeared to be little sign of another rise through the ranks, but the club was working hard on its under-age structures and in 2007 they reached the JFC final, only to lose to a Clann na nGael team which included one Graham Geraghty.
Undeterred, they charged back the following year and finished the job when defeating Ratoath in the final. They took a couple of campaigns to settle into the intermediate grade as their younger players strengthened and matured, but it all came right during the 2011 championship when they enjoyed a six played, six won record which culminated in a gutsy final victory over Gaeil Colmcille.
Moynalvey weren't on many, if any, short lists for outright success earlier in the year. Ahead of the start of the championship they won A League Division 3 games against Ballinabrackey and Drumbaragh, but lost to Ratoath. But once the battle for the Mattie McDonnell Cup got under way it soon became clear that they were potential contenders.
Their manager Alan Kelly, from nearby Kilcock, deserves enormous credit for helping to guide a generally young team, with that essential spine of experience, to championship glory. The same applies to selectors John Smyth and Paddy Mullally and all who worked to make 2011 such a brilliant year for the club - a year which also included Junior C Championship success and a great run to the Minor Championship Division 1 final.
The intermediates were drawn in group A of the championship along with Clann na nGael, Castletown, St Colmcille's and St Ultan's and it was against the seasiders that they opened the campaign on a winning note at Seneschalstown in mid-April.
This was an incident-packed game in which four players - three from St Colmcille's - were sent off. With 10 minutes remaining the 'Cilles lost Darren and Mark McGill and Moynalvey lost Willie Byrne.
Moynalvey led by four points with five minutes remaining after Ray Ryan had goaled from a penalty. St Colmcille's then had Brian Kelly dismissed, but they managed to cut the deficit to two before the end as it finished 1-10 to 1-8. Ryan top-scored with 1-6 and was also leading marksman when Castletown were edged out in the second round at Athboy.
Ryan found the net from another penalty in the first half and the teams were level (1-4 each) at the interval. Moynalvey appeared to be in trouble when they had James Weldon sent off 13 minutes from the end and particularly when Castletown led by 1-9 to 1-7 with time almost up.
But Moynalvey snatched victory from the jaws of defeat when John Donoghue supplied the delivery and Ryan again goaled to leave them ahead by 2-7 to 1-9 at the finish. This time Ryan made a contribution of 2-4 and while Moynalvey weren't setting the world alight they were developing that winning habit.
They had a bye in the third round, but made it three wins from as many outings when a good start proved invaluable against St Ultan's at Walterstown. Ciaran Collins and Ryan goaled in the opening two minutes and with the teams each scoring 12 points subsequently those majors proved invaluable.
Moynalvey led by 2-6 to 0-7 at the interval, but courageous St Ultan's cut the gap to four points during the third quarter. However, the champions to be tend to finish games strongly and they pushed on again to win by 2-12 to 0-12. Ryan topped the scoring charts again with 1-3 and Cillian O'Sullivan rowed in with three points.
Trim provided the setting for Moynalvey's last group game against Clann na nGael. Both teams had 100 per cent winning records at that stage, so this encounter would decide which of them would top the section and enjoy a straight passage through to the semi-finals.
This was the day that Moynalvey really started to look like potential champions as their performance level moved up a notch or two. They started well as Cillian O'Sullivan, Ryan, Stephen Donoghue and Willie Byrne pointed them into a 0-4 to 0-0 lead and aided by a fortunate own goal after an O'Sullivan effort had come back off the woodwork they held a 1-8 to 0-4 interval advantage.
Clann na nGael, to their credit, rallied with 1-2 in the third quarter and cut the deficit to two points, but a goal from substitute James Kelly settled Moynalvey again. Clann na nGael refused to go down without a fight, but a third goal from Anthony Forde put the issue beyond doubt. It finished 3-9 to 1-8 and Moynalvey were one step away from the final.
But it looked like a major step because standing in their way was a Dunderry team which had recovered from a first round loss to Gaeil Colmcille to progress from their group and then edge out Na Fianna in the quarter-finals. But Moynalvey were steadily growing in stature and confidence and they deservedly won by 3-5 to 1-5 at Pairc Tailteann.
Features of the semi-final were two superb goals from 17 year-old Cillian O'Sullivan, the first of them after 22 minutes after Dunderry had opened up a 0-3 to 0-1 lead. However, the team managed by Barry Callaghan was boosted by a 27th minute TJ Garry goal when he netted on the rebound after his penalty had struck the crossbar and Moynalvey trailed by 1-2 to 1-4 at the break.
But, just as they would do a few weeks later in the final, Moynalvey demonstrated that they are a strong second half team. John Donoghue goaled from a penalty soon after the change of ends following a foul on Ken Hyland and when O'Sullivan netted again on 47 minutes they were ahead by 3-3 to 1-5.
By the time the last whistle sounded they had extended their advantage to six points and could start preparing for a final date with another generally young team in Gaeil Colmcille. The Kellsmen, managed by Jody Devine, defeated neighbours Ballinlough in the other semi-final on the Pairc Tailteann programme.
For a third of the final Moynalvey played second fiddle as Gaeil Colmcille performed with great style and confidence, but as the game progressed they gradually took a grip in the middle third of the field and starved the Kells forwards of the ball they are capable of using so efficiently.
With Brian Hanlon superb up front, ably assisted by Martin Barrett, Gaeil Colmcille played superbly in the first 20 minutes and aided by five Hanlon points and Barrett's goal they led by 1-5 to 0-1. But Moynalvey gradually found their feet and there was no sense of panic. Outstanding captain John Donoghue and his brother Stephen powered into the game at midfield and their colleagues responded in great fashion.
Gaeil Colmcille also led by 1-7 to 0-4 at one stage in the opening half, but by the interval their lead was down to four points at 1-8 to 0-7. From a team which looked so assured for much of that first period they became far less effective without control around the half-way line and Moynalvey grew in stature.
By the 47th minute they were level when David Donoghue pointed and two minutes later Cillian O'Sullivan had them in front with a superb score. But they had a fortunate escape soon after when Hanlon hit a rasping shot against the crossbar at the hospital end. Had that shot bulged the net it might have given the Kellsmen the lift they needed.
It didn't, Moynalvey escaped and when substitute James Kelly pointed at the other end there was a real sense that this was their day. Both sides missed subsequent chances, but on the basis of their courage, self-belief and greater overall scoring potential Moynalvey deserved their win.
Ten different players shared in their points, headed by O'Sullivan and Willie Byrne on three each. David Donoghue got two and Barry O'Keeffe, Stephen Donoghue, John Donoghue, Ciaran Collins and substitutes Ken Hyland, Daniel Treacy and Kelly notched one each.
It was a proud moment for captain John Donoghue when he accepted the Mattie McDonnell Cup. Moynalvey possess the talent, so the next challenge will be to add the Keegan Cup.
The Moynalvey team was: O Regan; R Kiernan, P Weldon, P Donoghue; A Forde, B O'Keeffe (0-1), W Mahady; S Donoghue (0-1), J Donoghue (0-1); P Harnan, M O'Sullivan, D Donoghue (0-2); C O'Sullivan (0-3), C Collins (0-1), W Byrne (0-3). Subs - K Hyland (0-1) for Collins, D Treacy (0-1) for P Donoghue, J Kelly (0-1) for Byrne.
In the A League Division 3 Moynalvey just missed out on promotion and a place in the final. They won eight of their 11 games and lost three, leaving them tied on 16 points in second position along with Kilmainham. However, Kilmainham progressed by virtue of a superior scoring difference.
Second string set perfect example
Moynalvey's second string proved worthy winners of the Junior C Championship and set the perfect example for the club's intermediates by completing the job with a stylish final victory over Na Fianna.
They won all three games in their group, against Oldcastle (2-11 to 3-4), Dunshaughlin (5-11 to 0-9) and St Michael's (2-15 to 0-6) and then had 18 points to spare in their quarter-final as they defeated Nobber by 6-10 to 0-10 at Martry.
Moynalvey came face-to-face with Oldcastle again in a semi-final at Athboy and this time they enjoyed a more clearcut victory, winning by 3-11 to 0-10. Goals from Ciaran Ennis (penalty) and Padraic Harnan helped them to a 2-5 to 0-3 interval lead and Peter Durnin added a third goal in the second half.
Na Fianna beat Summerhill by 3-9 to 1-5 in the other semi-final at Boardsmill, but it was Moynalvey who proved best in the decider at Pairc Tailteann where David Durkan captained them to a 2-12 to 1-7 victory.
The sides were level (0-3 each) approaching the end of the first quarter after Ennis (two) and Harnan had pointed for Moynalvey, but they then opened up a useful advantage thanks to an Ennis goal and a pointed '45' from the same player. John Farrell replied with a superb goal for Na Fianna as they got back to level terms, only for Moynalvey to regain the edge again.
Alan Donnelly restored their lead with a very good point and then Harnan goaled in great style to leave them ahead by 2-5 to 1-4 at the interval. The advantage stretched to six by the three-quarter stage and Moynalvey were eight to the good at the end. Eight different players registered scores for the winners, headed by Ennis with 1-4 and followed by Padraic Harnan on 1-1 and William Harnan on two points.
The Moynalvey team was: C Egan; S Whyte, D Kane, S Browne; D Durkan, A Brien, B Byrne; G Fagan, D Smith (0-1); C McCabe (0-1), W Harnan (0-2), P Harnan (1-1); A Donnelly (0-1), C Ennis (1-4), J Carey. Subs - P Durnin (0-1), D Brennan, D Dixon, E Maher (0-1), S Cummins.
Talented minors just miss out on Delaney Cup
Another indication of the outstanding young talent in the Moynalvey club was provided by their minors who won the Division 2 League earlier in the year and later made such an impression in the championship that they reached the decider with a brilliant victory over Division 1 League winners Simonstown Gaels in the semi-final.
A runaway 3-10 to 1-3 win over Clann na nGael in the Division 2 final back in May demonstrated that this was a very good Moynalvey under-18 side, but few could have predicted the tremendous impact they would later make in the championship, a run which almost carried them all the way to outright success.
Simonstown were the fancies of many to go all the way, but Moynalvey defeated them by 2-7 to 0-8 at the penultimate hurdle in Ashbourne where the Navan team shaded the verdict at the interval when leading by 0-6 to 1-2. James Kelly had scored the Moynalvey goal from a penalty and it was all to play for going into the second period.
Moynalvey pushed on to lead by three points at the three-quarter stage and as the excitement intensified Cillian O'Sullivan goaled in the 53rd minute to give them a decisive advantage. When the last whistle sounded they were five points clear and one game away from lifting the Delaney Cup.
The final, which acted as the curtain raiser to the SFC final replay between Summerhill and Dunshaughlin, was very well contested between two evenly matched teams in Moynalvey and Ratoath, but it was the wind-assisted Ratoath lads who made the more productive start when they opened up a 0-4 to 0-0 lead after 20 minutes.
But with Anthony Forde a big influence Moynalvey came back strongly against the wind which blew into the town end. They held Ratoath scoreless for the remainder of the opening period and added points themselves from O'Sullivan, Cathal McCabe and James Kelly to trail by the minimum (0-3 to 0-4) at the change of ends.
O'Sullivan had them level early in the second half and when Kelly pointed again they were in front for the first time. They were still level (0-7 each) at the three-quarter stage and also locked together on 0-8 apiece with 10 minutes remaining, but the accuracy of Bryan McMahon helped Ratoath to edge ahead in the closing stages.
They won by 0-11 to 0-9 and were minor champions for the first time, but what a tremendous contribution Moynalvey had made to a memorable final. Kelly was their top scorer with four points, O'Sullivan contributed three and Padraic Harnan and McCabe notched one each.
The Moynalvey team in the final was: C O'Malley; C Egan, S Browne, D Hoban; B Regan, A Forde, D Brennan; P Harnan (0-1), S Burke; C McCabe (0-1), C O'Sullivan (0-3), E Walsh; F McCabe, J Kelly (0-4), B Harnan. Sub - D McLoughlin.
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