Moynalvey advanced to the final of the J.M Food Services Div. 2 league with a three point win over Navan O’Mahonys in the semi-final played at Dunsany on Thursday evening 17th July.

Moynalvey 2-12
Navan O’Mahonys 1-12

Having had a ten point win over the same opposition six weeks ago, as expected the semi-final was a tighter affair with a goal separating the sides at full time meaning Moynalvey earned promotion to division one next year and advance to Sunday’s Div. 2 league final.

Early on it was Navan O’Mahonys who dominated possession but shooting into a tricky cross field wind a series of wides failed to see them pull away from Moynalvey.

It was Navan O’Mahonys who opened the game’s scoring in the 7th minute with an Ivo Fitzherbert point, Moynalvey opened their account two minutes later with a David McLoughlin free.

Aodhan Mallon pointed for the O’Mahonys with McLoughlin once again replying for Moynalvey to leave it two points apiece after twelve minutes.

Following a series of wides and missed chances for both sides, the next score didn’t come until the 23rd minute when O’Mahonys took the lead again with a free.

That free proved to be Navan O’Mahonys last score of the half, with Moynalvey rattling off 1-3 without reply in the final six minutes of the half. The goal coming from William Harnan when he volleyed to the net after Conor Quinn’s initial shot had been well saved by Jamie O’Reilly in the O’Mahonys net. The three points came via a David McLoughlin free and a ’45 and the final point of the half from Adam Murphy after Hugh O’Sullivan had picked him out with a pin point pass, leaving the score 1-5 to 0-3 when referee Andrew Smith blew for half time.

The opening score of the second half saw David McLoughlin excellently curl in a free from the right hand side for the game’s first two point score, making it 1-7 to 0-3.

Navan O’Mahonys responded to McLoughlin’s two pointer with a brace of points from Evan Coffey and Aodhan Mallon, with Moynalvey countering with points from Hugh O’Sullivan and McLoughlin to leave seven between the sides again, 1-9 to 0-5, eight minutes into the second half.

Craig Munnelly O’Toole pointed for O’Mahony’s with David McLoughlin responding with the second of his two forty-fives, before O’Mahonys goal came in the 42nd minute when Munnelly O’Toole turned provider, squaring across the goal mouth for Ronan Clarke to finish to Conor Egan’s Moynalvey net, 1-10 to 1-6.

Moynalvey responded immediately to the O’Mahonys goal when centre back Michael Brady drove forward to net Moynalvey’s second goal and extend their advantage back out to seven again, 2-10 to 1-6, with forty three minutes played.

Six minutes later Craig Munnelly O’Toole sent over a two pointer for O’Mahonys, which was followed by points from Evan Coffey and Robbie Keelaghan to leave it a one score game, 2-10 to 1-10.

A Keelaghan free for the side in hoops narrowed the deficit to just two points with six minutes remaining, but an Adam Murphy point for Moynalvey broke the O’Mahonys scoring patch briefly, but for another Keelaghan point to leave two between the sides again with two minutes remaining, 2-11 to 1-12.

A nervy final few minutes ensued for Moynalvey supporters as plenty of O’Mahonys possession looked like they might get the required scores, but the Moynalvey defence stood firm and a Moynalvey turnover saw Shane Lenehan race forward to land the game’s final score in injury time, meaning the men in maroon and white won out by a goal, 2-12 to 1-12, to advance to the league final whilst also gaining promotion to division one for 2026.

A successful league campaign sees Moynalvey now advance to meet Trim in Sunday’s Final, a stark contrast to being in a relegation playoff of the same division this time last year.

Moynalvey team and scorers: Conor Egan, David Regan, Conor Harnan, Darragh Branigan, Hugh O’Sullivan (0-1), Michael Brady (1-0), Darren Brennan, Padraic Harnan, Adam Murphy (0-2), Vinny Walsh, Cillian O’Sullivan, Shane Lenehan (0-1), David McLoughlin (0-8: 1x2ptf, 3f, 2x’45), William Harnan (1-0), Conor Quinn.

Subs used: Mark O’Sullivan for W. Harnan, Stephen Donoghue for Quinn, Luke O’Halloran for Walsh. 

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