FL Div 2: Moynalvey hit Michaels for six
June 20, 2025
Moynalvey's Padraic Harnan
Moynalvey came away from Carlanstown with a seventeen point win over St. Michaels in this round 9 game of the J.M Food Services Div. 2 football league played on Thursday evening 19th June.
St. Michaels 1-9 Moynalvey 6-11
Moynalvey’s second journey to Carlanstown in five days saw them reverse the result of last Sunday’s Div. 8 game to come away with a seventeen point win in this Div. 2 game to see Moynalvey maintain their unbeaten run and position joint top of the Div. 2 table while St. Michaels remain bottom of the table.
Moynalvey’s ability to cut Michaels open for six goals, five of those in the second half proved the difference between the sides, in which St. Michaels dominated the first half largely through the free taking accuracy of Gearóid O’Malley and were heading for a deserved three point half time lead, but for a Padraic Harnan goal on the stroke of half time.
Moynalvey were first to trouble the score keepers with a Hugh O’Sullivan point after ninety seconds, with St. Michaels opening their account via Declan Reilly to leave it a point apiece after three minutes.
Moynalvey points from Craig Gilsenan and Adam Murphy in response to scores from the home side left it 0-3 apiece after sixteen minutes.
Four Gearóid O’Malley frees put St. Michaels into a deserved 0-7 to 0-4 lead before late Moynalvey scores, a ’45 from David McLoughlin and a goal from Padraic Harnan with the last play of the half, the goal coming after a trademark Harnan solo run through the middle saw him square to McLoughlin whose shot at goal was deflected and looked to be going wide of the post but for Harnan to fist to Sean Hardy’s net from an acute angle to leave the sides level 0-7 to 1-4 when referee Keith Sheerin blew for half time. Moynalvey were unlucky not to find the Michaels net earlier, but for the cross bar denying both Shane Lenehan and David McLoughlin.
Moynalvey emerged from the dressing room a different side after the break going on to dominate the second half and outscore their opponents 5-7 to 1-2 in that second period. Within two minutes of the restart Moynalvey gained the advantage when Brian O’Reilly had the ball in the Michaels net for a second time, 2-4 to 0-7.
O’Reilly’s goal was followed up by 1-3 for the visitors before St. Michaels got the first of their second half scores, those Moynalvey scores coming from David McLoughlin (2), Adam Murphy free and the goal coolly finished by substitute Conor Quinn to leave it 3-7 to 0-7.
St. Michaels first score of the second half came in the 42nd minute when they raised a green flag of their own, leaving two goals between the sides, 3-7 to 1-7.
Moynalvey responded to St. Michaels goal immediately with a fourth goal, this time from Craig Gilsenan to leave three goals between the sides, 4-7 to 1-7 with 47 minutes played.
David McLoughlin and Gearóid O’Malley traded points before Moynalvey went on to add 2-3 without response, the points from David McLoughlin (2) and corner back Charlie McCormack who raided forward to fist a point and the goals from Ciaran Harnan who blasted past Sean Hardy in the Michaels’ goals, with the final goal coming after Daren Brennan retrieved a wayward McLoughlin point attempt on the end line to turn and squared across goal to Craig Gilsenan for the simplest of finishes, leaving it 6-11 to 1-8 in favour of the men in maroon.
St. Michaels did tag on a late point with the very last play of the game to leave the final score line read 6-11 to 1-9 in favour of Barry O’Keeffe’s Moynalvey when referee Keith Sheerin blew for full time.
Best for Moynalvey were David McLoughlin, Craig Gilsenan, Padraic Harnan, Hugh O’Sullivan and Charlie McCormack.
Moynalvey team and scorers: Stephen Donoghue, Charlie McCormack (0-1), Conor Harnan, Darragh Branigan, Hugh O’Sullivan (0-1), Brian O’Reilly (1-0), Darren Brennan, Padraic Harnan (1-0), Craig Gilsenan (2-1), Ciaran Harnan (1-0), Adam Murphy (0-2f), Barry Walsh, David McLoughlin (0-6, 1f), Mark O’Sullivan, Shane Lenehan.
Subs used: Vinny Walsh for O’Sullivan, Conor Quinn (1-0) for B. Walsh, David Reilly for Lenehan, David Regan for Branigan, Cillian Kelly for Murphy, Ronan Thompson for McLoughlin, Patrick Roddy for Ciaran Harnan.
