Moynalvey secured their place in the PMC Physiotherapy Div. 9 League Final as a result of this two point win over Duleek Bellewstown in this round eight tie played at Tommy Callaghan Park Duleek on Tuesday evening 18th June.

Duleek/Bellewstown 4-10
Moynalvey 3-15

A late smash and grab raid from Moynalvey saw them come away with the two points on offer with a two point win and in the process secure their place in the Div. 9 league Final with a game to spare. 

Little separated the sides throughout, but it was the home side who looked to be heading for a deserved win with five minutes remaining, however the Moynalvey bench showed its strength in the final minutes to lead the men in maroon to a two point win.

It was Caoimhin King’s side who opened the scoring in the second minute with a Luke Duffy drive at goal going over off the cross bar, which could have easily been underneath the crossbar with a little more composure.

Duleek/Bellewstown opened their account in the eighth minute through full forward Cian Kelly, but Moynalvey regained the lead with points from Stephen Cummins and Luke O’Halloran to make it 0-3 to 0-1 with twelve minutes played.

Moynalvey’s Barry Walsh had an opportunity to raise the game’s first green flag in the 14th minute, but for a fine stop by Paul Callaghan in the Duleek/Bellewstown goal. The game’s first goal did arrive at the mid-way point of the half when a hanging point attempt looped into the top corner to deceive Moynalvey ‘keeper Ray Ryan, leaving it 1-1 to 0-3 to the home side.

Moynalvey regained parity with Luke Duffy fisting over his second point, before a quickly taken free from Barry Walsh after he himself was fouled brilliantly picked out Stephen Donoghue with a cross field pass for Donoghue to rifle past Paul Callaghan in the Duleek goals to give the visitors a 1-4 to 1-1 lead with twenty minutes played.

The sides traded scores, Moynalvey’s point a third from Duffy, before Duleek/Bellewstown struck for their second goal, Cian Kelly pulling on a loose ball which the Moynalvey defence failed to deal with to level matters with five minutes of the half remaining, 2-2 to 1-5.

Luke O’Halloran and Cian Kelly traded scores to leave it all square at half time, 2-3 to 1-6.

Again, little separated the sides in the third quarter. Early Moynalvey points from Charlie McCormack, Barry Walsh and Luke Duffy were countered by a trio of Duleek/Bellewstown points to tie matters again, 2-7 to 1-10, twelve minutes into the second half.

Moynalvey points from Barry Walsh and substitute Craig Gilsenan extended Moynalvey’s advantage to two, before the margin was cut to the minimum again with a Duleek/Bellewstown point, making it 2-8 to 1-12 at the three quarter hour mark.

A quick fire 2-1 for the home side within a four minute period between the 50th and 54th minute saw them open up a six point advantage looking to set them on the road to victory with six minutes remaining. The point could easily have been a third goal for the home side, with Moynalvey ‘keeper Ray Ryan beaten a brilliant goal line save from Charlie Benson deflected over for the Duleek/Bellewstown point.

However, the impact of the Moynalvey bench proved vital in these last few minutes, Moynalvey responding to that second Duleek/Bellewstown goal within thirty seconds when a surging run from substitute Michael Brady broke to William Harnan, who in turn handpassed across the goal to another substitute Vinny Walsh for a simple palm to an empty net finish, reducing the margin to three with three minutes remaining, 4-10 to 2-13.

Another substitute James O’Neill chipped in with a goal in the 59th minute to draw matters and sixty seconds later the same player chipped over to give Moynalvey the lead at a crucial time. William Harnan rounded off the scoring with a point two minutes into added time to secure the two point smash and grab win for Moynalvey when referee Brendan O’Brien blew the full time whistle. 

The win means Moynalvey join Slane at the top of the Div. 9 Table with both sides set to meet each other in the Final with both having qualified with a game to spare with the final round of groups games set for Tuesday 9th July. 

Best for the winners here were Ray Ryan, Charlie McCormack, Luke O’Halloran, Charlie Benson, Ronan Thompson, Luke Duffy and Barry Walsh.

Moynalvey Team & Scorers: Ray Ryan, Darragh Branigan, David Durkan, Charlie Benson, Keelan Taylor, Charlie McCormack (0-1), Luke O’Halloran (0-2), Stephen Donoghue (1-0), Paul Corcoran, Ronan Thompson, William Harnan (0-2), Stephen Cummins (0-1), Luke Duffy, (0-5, 1f), Barry Walsh (0-2), John Donoghue.
Subs: Craig Gilsenan (0-1) for Taylor, James O’Neill (1-1) for Thompson, Vinny Walsh (1-0) for Cummins, Michael Brady for J. Donoghue, Taylor for Durkan. 

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