Moynalvey opened their Meade Farm Intermediate Championship with a six point win over Ballivor at Summerhill on Sunday afternoon 3rd August.

Moynalvey 3-19
Ballivor 1-19

Moynalvey’s ability to create goal chances and convert two pointers proved the difference in the end as Barry O’Keeffe’s Moynalvey got the better of Kevin Dowd’s charges in this opening round game of Group A of the Meade Farm sponsored Intermediate football championship.

With both sides wearing alternative colours due a jersey clash it was Ballivor wearing their alternate green strip who opened the scoring after a minute with a Kevin McKeown free. Moynalvey wearing their aternate white/maroon jersey opened their account a minute later with midfielder Padraic Harnan splitting the Ballivor uprights.

It was Kevin McKeown again who scored Ballivor’s second point in the third minute when he fisted over, Moynalvey responded with Adam Murphy converting a tricky free into the clubhouse end to leave it all level, two points apiece, with five minutes played.

Adam Gannon opened his account in the seventh minute when a quick tap and go saw his effort go narrowly over the cross bar to put Ballivor ahead again. The next three scores went the way of Moynalvey putting some daylight between the sides for the first time, firstly Cillian O’Sullivan was hauled down and stepped up to concert the penalty himself, followed by a brace of two pointers in a row, the first from Mark O’Sullivan from play and the second from a free by David McLoughlin to make it 1-6 to 0-3 with eleven minutes gone.

Brendan McKeown opened his account with a free in the twelfth minute, but a minute later Ballivor found themselves eight points adrift of their opponents when Shane Lenehan finished low cross Thomas Raleigh to the corner of the Ballivor net to leave it 2-6 to 0-4 with thirteen minutes gone.

Adam Gannon sent over his second of the afternoon, but Moynalvey’s eight point lead was restored soon after when David McLoughin excellently converted a ’45 into the clubhouse end after Cillian O’Sullivan’s effort at goal had been deflected wide of the post.

Three Ballivor points in a row from Jamie Kavanagh and Brendan McKeown (2), reduced the margin between the sides to five, 2-7 to 0-8.

A second Mark O’Sullivan two pointer briefly interrupted the Ballivor scoring patch, but the village side had the deficit back to three with another 1-1 before the break. Ballivor’s goal coming after Moynalvey corner back Brian O’Reilly was turned over after receiving a short kickout for Brendan McKeown to apply a sweet finish to the corner of Conor Egan’s Moynalvey net. Adam Gannon rounded off the first half scoring to leave three between the sides when referee Stephen Cregan blew the half time whistle, 2-9 to 1-9.

But for some excellent saves from Ballivor goalkeeper Thomas Raleigh, Moynalvey could have found themselves further ahead at the interval having left two/three goals behind them in the first half.

The opening seven minutes of the second half belonged to David McLoughlin, the Moynalvey forward accounted for four points in that period, a brilliantly struck two point free into the breeze and two frees, with Ballivor responding with points from the McKeown brothers Brendan and Kevin leaving the score board read 2-13 to 1-11 ten minutes into the second half.

Moynalvey midfielder Adam Murphy fired over his second of the game in the 40th minute, with Ballivor responding with their first two pointer of the game courtesy of Brendan McKeown, followed by a free from the same player to leave a goal between the sides, 2-14 to 1-14, at the three quarter hour mark.

David McLoughlin and Kevin McKeown traded points before 1-4 without reply from Moynalvey in the final quarter put them in control and on their way to victory. Points from Mark O’Sullivan, Adam Murphy, a two point free from David McLoughlin and the goal finished by Cillian O’Sullivan to leave it 3-19 to 1-15 with two minutes of normal time remaining.

Ballivor did add on a few later consolation scores, Kevin McKeown (2) and a Brendan McKeown two pointer to leave six between the sides at the full time whistle, 3-19 to 1-19.

Best for the winners were Darren Brennan, Brian O’Reilly, Adam Murphy, Mark O’Sullivan and David McLoughlin.

Next up for Moynalvey in round two is a trip to Dunshaughlin to take on Walterstown on Thursday 14th.

Moynalvey team and scorers: Conor Egan, Brian O’Reilly, Conor Harnan, Darragh Branigan, Hugh O’Sullivan, Michael Brady, Darren Brennan, Padraic Harnan (0-1), Adam Murphy (0-4, 2f), Conor Shirren, Mark O’Sullivan (0-5, 2x2pt) , Shane Lenehan (1-0), David McLoughlin (0-9: 3x2ptf, 2f, 1x’45), Vinny Walsh, Cillian O’Sullivan (2-0, 1pen).

Subs used:
Conor Quinn for Shirren, David Regan for Branigan, Branigan for Murphy.

 

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