Moynalvey opened their 2025 K. McKeown Carpentry and Home Improvements Div. 8 league with an eight point defeat at the hands of neighbours Blackhall Gaels at Batterstown on Sunday morning March 23rd. 

Blackhall Gaels 2-13 Moynalvey 0-11

Despite having plenty of first half possession Moynalvey’s inability to convert in front of the posts left them with a mountain to climb as a paltry two point first half return saw them trail the hosts 1-7 to 0-2 at the break.

Blackhall Gaels Dylan Cranley opened the scoring in the third minute, with Moynalvey responding thirty seconds later when Conor Quinn curled one between the posts off the left from the left.

The first of the Gaels two goals arrived in the sixth minute courtesy of full forward Niall Mangan who calmly rolled his effort low past Moynalvey ‘keeper Ray Ryan.

Moynalvey responded with an Evan Drum free in the 12th minute, 1-1 to 0-2, but that was as good as it got for the men in maroon in the opening half as they were guilty of some wayward shooting and a couple of goal opportunities going abegging with fine saves from Blackhall goalkeeper Eoghan Kiernan denying them.

Blackhall Gaels went on to add another six points, three from the impressive Kealan Forde and a point apiece for Niall Mangan, Micheál McIver and Dermot Carty to lead 1-7 to 0-2 when referee Keith Sheerin blew his half time whistle.

It was more of the same for the home side after the restart with Dylan Cranley once again opening the half’s scoring before a second goal for the home side in the third minute put them out of reach altogether, 2-8 to 0-2.

A further pair of Blackhall points from Cranley and Kealan Forde extended the home side’s advantage to fourteen points, 2-10 to 0-2.

A close range free from substitute David Regan was followed up by the game’s only two pointer when veteran Moynalvey midfielder Stephen Donoghue split the uprights with a trademark outside of the boot effort from outside the 40m arc, leaving it 2-10 to 0-5.

A trio of unanswered Blackhall Gaels points rounded off their scoring with their final point coming in the 51st minute.

With the two points secured Blackhall may have been guilty of taking the foot off the gas and with the game more open Moynalvey got in for a few late points to put a small bit of respectability on the final score line, those six points coming from Aaron Sweeney, Conor Quinn, Conor Byrne (2), Stephen Donoghue and David Regan.

Best for Moynalvey were Conor Byrne, Conor Quinn, Charlie Benson, Evan Drum and the evergreen Stephen Donoghue.

Moynalvey team and scorers: Ray Ryan, Harry Dunne, Charlie McCormack, Charlie Benson, Conor Byrne (0-2), Conor Quinn (0-2, 1f), Patrick Roddy, Stephen Donoghue (0-3:  0-1 and 1 x 2pt), Paul Conneely, Evan Drum (0-1f), Vinny Walsh, Cillian Kelly, Anthony Brien, Ronan Thompson, Aaron Sweeney (0-1).

Subs: David Regan (0-2, 1f) for Roddy, Darragh Branigan for Dunne. 

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