Navan O’Mahony’s 1-12 Moynalvey 2-12

A goal separated the sides at full time in Dunsany on Thursday evening in the semi-final of the Div 2 FL, with Moynalvey progressing to the final after an exciting finish.

The game got off to a slow start from a scoring perspective, and both sides had kicked a wide before Ivo Fitzherbert got the game’s first score on the seven minute mark.  Two minutes later, Moynalvey did likewise at the opposite end. After a good play from Ronan Clarke and Craig Munnelly O’Toole, Aodhán Mallon finished with a point to give O’Mahony’s the lead. Again, it was briefly held, with Moynalvey pointing almost immediately in response.

Both sides had a number of bad wides and the O’Mahony’s defence had some good blocks and interceptions. Two interceptions from Sean Betson and a block from Paddy Dillon helped to keep Moynalvey out and eleven minutes passed without score. Robbie Keelaghan put his side ahead again with a point following a foul on Duggie Dillon.

This was to be O’Mahony’s last score of the half with Moynalvey enjoying a strong finish. Netminder Jamie O’Reilly made a good save before the rebound ended up in the net. They also added three points, going in at the interval with a five-point advantage.

Navan O’Mahony’s 0-03 Moynalvey 1-05

A two-pointer from Moynalvey opened the scoring in the second half, the first of the game. Three minutes into the half, Evan Coffey scored from play followed quickly by a similar effort from Mallon. Four minutes later, the deficit was back to seven with two points from the south Meath side.

Munnelly O’Toole got his first score of the game on the forty minute mark, with Moynalvey responding with a 45 sixty seconds later. The same player also set the ball across the square nicely for Ronan Clarke to finish to the net, leaving three points between the sides for the first time in the second half. 

This was to be short-lived, with Moynalvey raising a green flag within a minute at the opposite end of the pitch. Six minutes later, it was again Munnelly O’Toole who reduced the gap with an impressive two-pointer from play. Coffey and Keelaghan made it a one-score game again with six minutes of normal time remaining.

In the fifty-sixth minute, a Keelaghan free reduced the gap to two points leading to an exciting conclusion to the match. The sides exchanged points for the next few minutes, with Moynalvey scoring one and Keelaghan adding one from play. Two points separated the sides for much of injury time with a great block from Paddy Dillon denying Moynalvey a score. They did eventually get one with less than a minute to be played, leaving O’Mahony’s chasing a goal. Ultimately, O’Mahony’s simply ran out of time and Moynalvey progress to the final and secure Division 1 status for 2026. 

Navan O’Mahony’s: Jamie O’Reilly, Darragh Murphy, Pady Dillon, Sean Betson, Ivo Fitzherbert (0-01), Mike O’Reilly, Darragh Maguire, Aodhán Mallon (0-02), Shane Maguire, Conor Finnegan, Robbie Keelaghan (0-04, 3 frees), Duggie Dillon, Craig Munnelly O’Toole (0-03, 1 2P), Evan Coffey (0-02), Ronan Clarke (1-0)

Louis Collins for S Maguire, Conor Brady for Finnegan, Brian Dillon for D Maguire, Eoghan Nugent for Fitzherbert, Cormac Nugent for Munnelly O’Toole, Shane McCarthy for D Dillon.

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