Moynalty 0-11 St Patrick’s 1-12 

St Patrick’s emerged victorious in the Division 9 Football League Final, with the more experienced Stamullen side overcoming a youthful Moynalty team in Castletown on Friday evening. Pats used all of their experience in the closing stages, stretching the Moynalty defence from side to side to secure a deserved victory in near-perfect playing conditions. 

The winners opened the scoring with a point inside the first minute, but it wasn't until the ninth minute that the next score arrived as both teams defended resolutely and gave little away. Paul Lynch got Moynalty off the mark, but St Patrick’s began to exploit space with their pace on the counterattack and looked dangerous every time they broke forward. Their pressure paid off in the 14th minute when they found the back of Tommy Owens' net. Kian Lynch responded to reduce the deficit, but the Stamullen men then enjoyed their best spell of the game, landing three unanswered points to establish a commanding lead. 

At that stage, St Patrick’s appeared to be in complete control. However, Moynalty continued to battle as Joe McMahon, Jude Gilsenan and Eoin Gilsenan all registered scores to narrow the gap. Despite their efforts, the young Moynalty side had to work tirelessly for every score against a disciplined and well-organised St Patrick’s defence. 

HT Score: Moynalty 0-06 St Patricks 1-07 

St Patrick’s were determined to keep their young opponents at bay and quickly extended their advantage with two points from play after the restart. Ronan Lynch, introduced shortly after half-time, helped spark a Moynalty revival as they began to dominate possession. At the back, Nicholas McKenna, Richie Gilsenan, Dylan Farrelly and Jack Kavanagh were solid, each winning crucial ball at key moments as they forced the Stamullen side deeper into their own half. 

However, St Patrick’s half-back line stood firm, protecting their rear guard and repeatedly forcing Eoin Gilsenan and the Moynalty attack away from the scoring zone. Their disciplined defensive display laying the foundation for their victory. Moynalty continued to battle bravely, with Paul Lynch, John Brogan and Sean McMahon all raising white flags to reduce the deficit. In the 50th minute, Sean McMahon came agonisingly close to a crucial goal when his powerful effort crashed off the underside of the crossbar. It was a moment that left many feeling it simply wasn't going to be Moynalty's day. As Moynalty committed players forward in search of a late comeback, St Patrick’s broke up field to add a vital insurance point. There was still time for Sean McMahon to register another score for Moynalty, but it proved to be too little, too late as the referee brought the contest to an end. 

Moynalty Team: Tommy Owens, Dylan Gargan, Richie Gilsenan, Jack Kavanagh, Dylan Farrelly, Nicholas McKenna, Paddy Gallagher, Cormac Kearney, Joe McMahon, Jude Gilsenan, Cillian Gaynor, Paul Lynch, Kian Lynch, Eanna Bennett, Eoin Gilsenan. 

Subs used: Ronan Lynch, John Brogan, Sean McMahon, Cathal Donoghue, Odhran McMahon. 

Scores Paul Lynch 0-03, Sean McMahon 0-02, Kian Lynch 0-01, Joe McMahon 0-01, Jude Gilsenan 0-01, Eoin Gilsenan 0-01, Ronan Lynch 0-01, John Brogan 0-01. 

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