Moynalvey secured their place in the quarter finals of the Meade Farm Intermediate Football Championship with a game to spare following a last minute Cillian O’Sullivan point clinching the win over St. Patricks in this round two game played at Páirc Tailteann on Saturday afternoon August 24th.

Moynalvey 0-13 St. Patricks 0-12

Moynalvey’s first game back in Páirc Tailteann since 2018 proved to be a successful one with this narrow late victory over St. Patricks as they made it two wins from two and in the process secured their place in the quarter finals alongside Oldcastle. The Group C final round meeting between Moynalvey and Oldcastle in a fortnight will determine the final first and second place group placings.

Having trailed throughout the whole game it was that man Cillian O’Sullivan who as he has so often done in the past for Moynalvey, stepping up to fire over a monster point to give his side the lead for the first time and more importantly seal the one point win with the last attack of the game in the fifth minute of added time.

From the off it was the Stamullen men who were to the fore leading four points to one after five minutes with their talisman full forward Jamie Murphy leading the way with three of those points following Shane Dowling’s opening score. Moynalvey’s point came from the boot of their top scorer David McLoughlin.

McLoughlin sent over his second of the afternoon, which was followed by Pats’ points from John Curtis, Donal Landy (2) and a Jamie Murphy ’45 to leave Ronan Kearns and Daithi Whyte’s charges 0-8 to 0-2 to the good after 27 minutes.

David McLoughlin sent over his third point to leave five between the sides when referee Martin Dawson blew his half time whistle, 0-8 to 0-3.

Just as St. Patricks’ had in the first half, Moynalvey had the wind at their backs in the second half allowing them to push further forward, as a result they had that five point half time deficit down to two with a David McLoughlin brace, Moynalvey’s sole scorer in the match until Cillian O’Sullivan lofted over a free in the 8th minute of the second half, making it 0-8 to 0-5.

Goal chances went abegging for both sides, with David McLoughlin firing low to the right of Darragh Sullivan’s post when through on goal, while a minute later Moynalvey ‘keeper Conor Egan did well to advance and do enough to make Jamie Murphy blast over the crossbar when through on goal. 

A second Cillian O’Sullivan free was countered by a sixth of the afternoon from the game’s top scorer Jamie Murphy leaving it 0-10 to 0-7 at the three quarter hour mark.

The introduction of substitute William Harnan paid immediate dividends with the big man rising high to claim an advanced mark which he duly converted. St. Patricks’ responded with a point from Donal Landy before Harnan was on the score sheet again when he was quickest to react to a David McLoughlin ’45 rebounding off the post to send high between the posts leaving two between the sides, 0-11 to 0-9, with seven minutes remaining on the clock.

The game’s top scorers Jamie Murphy and David McLoughlin traded points, McLoughlin’s coming after a brilliant turnover from Cillian O’Sullivan to leave the two points between the sides with 58 minutes played, 0-12 to 0-10.

With five minutes of additional time added by referee Martin Dawson, Moynalvey’s never say die attitude saw them reel off three points without reply in the final seven minutes to clinch the one point win, sending them through to the quarter finals and St. Patricks’ to the relegation quarter finals.

The first of those three late points came from substitute Luke O’Halloran, followed by a Vinny Walsh effort which crept in off the inside of the upright, before the ball was worked forward into the hands of one man Moynalvey would want to see with that last minute effort, as Meath GAA twitter said “cometh the hour, cometh the hero” – Cillian O’Sullivan with that late match winning point with the last kick of the game. 

Best for Moynalvey in this round two win were David McLoughlin, Padraic Harnan, Conor Egan, Darren Brennan and William Harnan.  

Next up for Moynalvey is a round three encounter with fellow group qualifiers Oldcastle on Saturday 7th September at 6pm in Simonstown.

Moynalvey team & scorers: Conor Egan, Darragh Branigan, Cathal McCabe, Keelan Taylor, Conor Quinn, Michael Brady, David Reilly, Padraic Harnan, Donal Smith, David McLoughlin (0-6, one free), Ciaran Harnan, Vinny Walsh (0-1), Barry Walsh, Cillian O’Sullivan (0-3, two frees), Craig Gilsenan.

Subs used: Darren Brennan for Branigan, William Harnan (0-2, one mark), for B. Walsh, James Kelly for Taylor, Luke O’Halloran (0-1) for Gilsenan.

The game was preceded by a minute’s silence in memory of the late Catherine McHale, mother of Moynalvey coach Michael McHale. Ar Dheis De go raibh a hanam.

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