Moynalvey and Longwood made their 2025 competitive bow with an opening round tie of the Gaelic Games Equipment Corn Na Boinne at Kilmore Park Moynalvey on Saturday afternoon 8th February.

Moynalvey 4-20
Longwood 2-05

This Group D opening round tie of the Corn Na Boinne served up a repeat of last year’s round two encounter between the sides in the same competition, it was the same result this year with Moynalvey under the mentorship of a new management team led by Barry O’Keeffe and bolstered by the return of a few players following a temporary sabbatical abroad who won out by twenty one points this year.  

With both sides adapting to the new rules, it was Moynalvey who got off to a flying start, debutant Evan Drum netting in the third minute; followed up by a second green flag for the home side when a Luke Duffy point attempt deceived the Longwood ‘keeper to find its way to the net, leaving it 2-1 to 0-1 with seven minutes gone.

Longwood registered their second point in the 14th minute which was followed by a brace of points for Moynalvey courtesy of Barry Walsh and Brian O’Reilly. The visitors hit 1-1 in reply to leave a goal between the sides with twenty one minutes played, 2-3 to 1-3.

Moynalvey finished the half strongly with a trio of points from substitute William Harnan who had replaced the injured Adam Murphy after fifteen minutes, Darragh Branigan and Sean Duggan to head for the dressing room with a six point lead, 2-6 to 1-3, when referee Declan Leech blew his half time whistle.

Despite having plenty of first half possession, some wayward shooting and a goal chance or two going abegging Moynalvey may well have been further ahead at the interval. However, the second half was much improved from the home side and one way traffic saw Moynalvey outscore their opponents 2-14 to 1-2 in the second period.

Evan Drum fired over a free within a minute of the restart. Three minutes later when a Sean Duggan point attempt hung in the air for William Harnan to use his strength in winning the aerial contest with the Longwood goalkeeper to punch to the corner of the net for Moynalvey’s third goal, making it 3-7 to 1-3.

A second point of the afternoon for teenager Evan Drum was by followed soon after by a brilliant turnover by William Harnan resulting in Barry Walsh rifling to the Longwood net for Moynalvey’s fourth goal. The Harnan cousins William and Ciaran then combined for Moynalvey’s ninth point of the afternoon when the latter split the uprights. Longwood responded with a point to leave the score 4-9 to 1-4 fourteen minutes into the second half.

Points from Sean Duggan, Brian O’Reilly and Craig Gilsenan were followed by a second goal for Longwood in the 50th minute.

The final ten minutes saw the home side reel off another seven scores to Longwood’s one, meaning the men in maroon opened 2025 with a comfortable twenty one point win, 4-20 to 2-05.

The final score of that 4-20 tally being Moynalvey’s first two pointer from outside the 40m arc from the boot of William Harnan.

Best for the winners were Brian O’Reilly, Conor Harnan, Charlie McCormack, Craig Gilsenan, Sean Duggan, Evan Drum and substitutes William Harnan & Conor Harnan who had big impacts off the bench. 

Well done to David Regan, Evan Drum, Aaron Sweeney and Harry Dunne on making their competitive debuts at adult level.  

With a bye in the second round, no doubt a tougher test to come the next day with a round three tie away to fellow IFC group first round opponents Ballivor on Sunday morning 2nd March, but a good early run out none the less for Barry O’Keeffe’s charges with 4-20 racked up across nine different scorers. 

Moynalvey team and scorers: Conor Egan, Cathal McCabe, Charlie McCormack, Conor Harnan, Darragh Branigan (0-2), Brian O’Reilly (0-2), David Regan, Craig Gilsenan (0-3), Sean Duggan (0-2), Barry Walsh (1-1), Shane Lenihan, Conor Quinn, Luke Duffy (1-0), Adam Murphy, Evan Drum (1-2: 1f).

Subs: William Harnan (1-5: one 2pt), Ciaran Harnan (0-3), Cillian Kelly, Patrick Roddy, Aaron Sweeney, Harry Dunne, Anthony Brien, Ronan Thompson, Ray Ryan.

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