For much of the Junior Football Championship campaign it looked as if Moynalvey would make it through to the knock-out stages, but there was ultimate disappointment as they just failed to qualify for the business end of the competition. By Paul Clarke. Moynalvey had also shaped well in the early stages of the junior title race in 2004, but bowed out when they lost to Dunboyne's second string in a play-off to decide who would advance to the quarter-finals. This year was their third campaign back in the junior ranks and for a club that knows what it's like to play their football at the highest level in the county they won't want to leave it too long before they start to move up through the ranks once more. However, it wasn't to be in 2005. A look at the other teams in group A clearly suggested that Moynalvey should have been more than capable of going through - Kilmainham, Navan O'Mahonys, Moylagh, Meath Hill, Gaeil Colmcille, Longwood and Summerhill. The second string team from Gaeil Colmcille provided the first test of the group stages at Skryne and, despite making a dreadful start to the match, Moynalvey recovered well to record a comfortable enough win on a 1-16 to 2-7 score line. They trailed by 0-1 to 1-1 after 10 minutes, but a solid defensive performance subsequently provided the inspiration for the forwards to respond positively and with John Donoghue also in brilliant form at midfield they went on to hold a sizeable 0-12 to 1-2 lead at the interval. A second Gaeil Colmcille goal helped the Kells side to reduce the deficit to three points early in the second half, but Ciaran Collins netted subsequently for Moynalvey to make sure they would open the campaign on a winning note. Donoghue made an immense contribution to the success as he finished with an impressive personal tally of nine points. Longwood, winners of the Junior B Championship the previous year, were next up in round two at Summerhill and this was certainly a match Moynalvey would rather forget as they lost by all of 14 points (1-5 to 4-10). A victory was essential as Moynalvey prepared to meet neighbours Summerhill in the third round at Dunsany and they got it against the Hill's second string, winning by 1-7 to 0-6. A goal from Stephen Donoghue boosted them to a 1-4 to 0-2 advantage at half-time and that lead stretched to 1-7 to 0-3 in the second half, before the Hill hit back with three pointed frees to close the gap to four at the finish. Two further victories followed which suggested that Moynalvey would make it to the knock-out stages, firstly when they got the better of Meath Hill by nine points (2-14 to 1-8) at Walterstown and subsequently when Kilmainham, who were making a big impression in the competition, were beaten by 1-15 to 0-4 at Bohermeen. Moynalvey led by 0-7 to 0-2 at the interval against Kilmainham and took complete control after the change of ends to go on and win by 14 points. PJ Walsh, Stephen Donoghue, Davy Donoghue, Paul Conneelly and Ciaran Collins were particularly prominent in a win that seemed to augur well for the remainder of the competition. It all meant that after five rounds Moynalvey were in a favourable position in group A on eight points after four wins and one defeat. They appeared to have every chance of achieving their first big goal of the championship campaign by reaching the knock-out stages, but their hope turned to great disappointment as they suffered their second loss of the competition in their sixth round outing. That was against Navan O'Mahonys second string at Dunshaughlin and it was the Brews Hill combination which got the victory that secured them a quarter-final clash with town rivals Simonstown Gaels, winning narrowly by 2-10 to 2-8. But it was a match Moynalvey looked very likely to win as they moved well clear early in the second quarter with a nine-point (2-6 to 0-3) advantage. However, that all changed dramatically as O'Mahonys hit back with a telling salvo of two goals to trail by just two points (2-4 to 2-6) at the interval. Unfortunately for Moynalvey, they managed to add only two points to their tally in the second period and the Navan side battled their way to a narrow victory and a place in the knock-out stages. From occupying a very promising position in the group Moynalvey now knew that they couldn't qualify as they were in fourth position in the section on eight points. That left them two adrift of O'Mahonys and Longwood who both had 10 points after completing their seven-match group schedule. As the Navan men and Longwood had won their group meetings against Moynalvey, it meant that even if Moynalvey won their final game they wouldn't go through. In the end, Kilmainham, who topped the section on 11 points, Longwood and O'Mahonys advanced from the section. Paul Regan was coach to the Moynalvey team and, like everybody else in the club, he felt a sense of disappointment after his side had exited the championship race. "It was a huge disappointment not to make the knockout stages of the championship," he said as he looked back on the campaign. "I honestly thought that we would get through and if we had managed to do so I firmly believe that we would have been there or thereabouts after that. "We were missing a fair few lads during the campaign and it was only in our last game against Navan O'Mahonys that we really had a full panel of players to choose from. "We won our first group game against Gaeil Colmcille, but we were then absolutely hammered by Longwood in the second round. Looking back at it I just don't know what happened that day. A few of us went to see Longwood playing against Summerhill in the first round and Summerhill beat them. "Maybe the lads thought they only had to go out and beat Longwood. Perhaps it was complacency." That heavy defeat against the 2004 Junior B winners probably acted as a wake-up call for Moynalvey who then went on something of a winning streak in the championship. "After losing to Longwood we recovered to win our next three matches against Summerhill, Meath Hill and Kilmainham which meant we had won four of our first five group matches," Regan added. "We looked to be in a good position at that stage and were nine points ahead before half-time in the game against O'Mahonys. "We had Willie Byrne sent off in the second half and he was a big loss to us. They ended up beating us by two points. It was a big disappointment not to go through." Next year marks the 25th anniversary of Moynalvey's Junior Championship triumph in 1981 and would be the perfect year to win it again. But how hopeful is Regan as he looks to the future? "We have plenty of good young lads coming through and we also have more experienced players in the panel," he said as he contemplated 2006 and beyond. "But we have huge problems with so many players hurling with Kiltale as well. The guts of 20 of them also play hurling and that can create problems with injuries. But I would still be hopeful for the future. However, we need to get through to the quarter-finals. If we do I think we can go places." UNDER-AGE SUCCESS The Moynalvey juvenile footballers brought further glory to the club in 2005 when they won the U-12 FL Div. 3B title, thus adding to the success of the previous year when the club secured an historic U-14 FC Div. 3 title and reached the finals of the U-14 FL Div. 4B and U-12 FL Div. 4B. These successes augur well for the future of the club and are a clear indication of the amount of work being done at under-age level in Moynalvey. This year's under-12 triumph was achieved with a final victory over Dunderry in a match that produced no fewer than 14 goals. The fact that Moynalvey scored eight of them proved highly significant and they ran out winners by six points on an 8-7 to 6-7 score line. David Duffy, James Kelly, Padraig Harnan and Anthony Forde all found the back of the net for Moynalvey in the first half, while Cillian O'Sullivan contributed a very useful three points. However, Dunderry were in no mood to surrender and battled back strongly to trail by only a point at the interval. Duffy scored two further goals after the change of ends as Moynalvey extended their lead, but Dunderry once again battled back and notched two goals of their own to eat into the deficit. The outcome of the final was very much in the balance until some fine approach play by Kelly and Cian Gorman put Harnan through for a goal and when Forde found the net for the second time Moynalvey had secured victory and the title. Cathal McCabe, Eamonn Walsh, Eric Ryan, Harnan, Gorman, Forde, Kelly, Duffy and O'Sullivan were particularly prominent in a sound all round team display >from Moynalvey. The Moynalvey team and scorers in the final were - C. O'Malley; C. Egan, S. Browne, C. McCabe; J. Hegarty, S. Burke, N. Cullen; P. Harnan (2-2), T. Forde; R. Fagan, A. Forde (2-1), C. Gorman; D. Duffy (3-0), C. O'Sullivan (0-4), J. Kelly (1-1). Sub - E. Ryan for Walsh. Moynalvey also reached the final of the U-14 FL Div. 4B, but lost by 2-3 to 3-4 against Clonard who were winning their first under-age title. Tweet

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