Having lost out at the penultimate stage last year Castletown made no mistake this year with a devastating display against Moynalvey in this year’s Meade Farm Intermediate Football Championship Semi-Final seeing them run out nine point winners and qualify for the 2025 IFC Final.

Moynalvey 1-14
Castletown 0-26

Moynalvey crashed out of the 2025 Meade Farm Intermediate Football Championship to the same opposition as last year, this time at a stage later, the semi-final stage.

A hugely impressive performance from Justin-Carry Lynch’s side saw them outclass Moynalvey for the most part of the hour to take a step further forward than last year and qualify for this year’s IFC decider.

It was Castletown who opened the scoring in the first minute with a Declan Cribbin point. Moynalvey opened their account a minute later when Hugh O’Sullivan pointed.

A pair of Castletown points from Darren Finney and Kevin Ross made it 0-3 to 0-1 with four minutes on the clock.

Mark O’Sullivan reduced the margin to one, 0-3 to 0-2, but Castletown kicked on with five points in the next four minutes, a point from centre half back Killian Price, a free from Kevin Ross, a two point free from Rian McConnell and a point from  full forward Darragh Weldon making it 0-8 to 0-2 with nine minutes gone.

A pair of Moynalvey frees from David McLoughlin and Cillian O’Sullivan made it double scores 0-8 to 0-4. Then the Castletown midfield pairing of McConell and Adam Matthews sent over the next three points between them, a McConnell free followed by an effort from play and a point for the other midfielder Adam Matthews, leaving the score board read 0-11 to 0-4 after seventeen minutes.

Moynalvey points from David Regan and Hugh O’Sullivan were countered by Castletown points from Rian McConnell and Declan Cribbin to leave it 0-13 to 0-6 with seven minutes of the opening half remaining.

Moynalvey looked to be eating into the Castletown lead with a beautifully struck Adam Murphy two point free, however Castletown immediately replied to that with a two point free of their own from Rian McConnell when Moynalvey were caught with just two forwards up, 0-15 to 0-8.

Darren Finney and David McLoughlin exchanged points to leave the score board read 0-16 to 0-9 to Castletown after their impressive opening half when referee Derek Ryan blew for the half time whistle.

Castletown got the start Moynalvey would have been looking for with the first four scores of the half. Kickstarted by when Killian Smyth raced through from the throw in, followed quickly by a Declan Cribbin point, a second two point free of the afternoon from Rian McConnell and another from Killian Smyth this time fisting over, extending their advantage to a huge twelve points, 0-21 to 0-9, seven minutes into the second half.

Moynalvey did mount a comeback briefly with a purple patch of scoring between the 39th  and 47th minutes, narrowing the deficit to just four points with 1-5 without reply.

Four frees, Cillian O’Sullivan (2), David McLoughlin and a two point free from Adam Murphy  were followed by the game’s only goal, Cillian O’Sullivan palming to the net from close range after substitute William Harnan squared a handpass across the face of the goals to leave it 1-14 to 0-21 with thirteen minutes remaining. Moynalvey were unlucky not to raise a green flag a minute or so earlier when a William Harnan effort a goal went just wide of the posts.

Moynalvey’s hopes of a comeback were dealt a setback a minute later when a second yellow card for a high tackle more akin to his rugby career saw the men in maroon reduced to fourteen for the final twelve minutes or so when Hugh O’Sullivan was sent to the line.

Castletown capitalised on this Moynalvey setback with a third two point free of the afternoon from their impressive top scoring midfielder Rian McConnell, to leave the village side six ahead with ten minutes remaining.

Castletown’s Kevin Ross accounted for the next two scores, a brace of points within sixty seconds. The classy Rian McConnell added another free in the 56th minute to see his side atone for last year’s semi-final defeat with this hugely impressive and dominant nine point win over Moynalvey in this year’s semi-final to march into the decider in a fortnight’s time.

Best of luck to Castletown in the Final.

Moynalvey Team and scorers: Conor Egan, Brian O’Reilly, Conor Harnan, Darragh Branigan, Ciaran Harnan, Michael Brady, David Regan (0-1), Padraic Harnan, Craig Gilsenan, Hugh O’Sullivan (0-2), Mark O’Sullivan (0-1), Shane Lenehan, David McLoughlin (0-3: 2f), Cillian O’Sullivan (1-3: 3f), Adam Murphy (2x 2ptf).

Subs used: Cathal McCabe for Branigan, Vinny Walsh for Lenehan, William Harnan for Lenehan, Darren Brennan for Regan, Barry Walsh for Gilsenan. 

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