Moynalvey Ladies opened their Kepak Junior ‘A’ football championship with a hard fought three point win against Trim at Kilmore Park Moynalvey on Wednesday evening 12th August.

Moynalvey 2-13
Trim 1-13

The solar eclipse seemed to have an effect on the players as scores were hard to come by early on, Trim were first to trouble the score board with the opening point in the 7th minute and Moynalvey’s opener proved to be a green flag when a looping Louise Donoghue free was claimed by Stephanie Walsh on the end line and recycled back to Jennifer McLoughlin who found the Trim net via a slight deflection, 1-0 to 0-1 after ten minutes.

Two Louise Donoghue frees either side of a Trim point meant McLoughlin’s goal stood between the sides after 18 minutes, 1-2 to 0-2.

A Trim point was countered by a pair from Moynalvey’s Louise Donoghue and Jennifer McLoughlin who pointed after Olivia O’Halloran provided the assist having fielded the kickout, 1-4 to 0-3 with twenty three minutes gone.

A Trim goal in the twenty fifth minute brought them back to within a point of the home side, 1-4 to 0-3. However, three Moynalvey points from Stephanie Walsh, Clodagh Murphy and Louise Donoghue to Trim’s one rounded off the first half scoring with the half time score board reading 1-7 to 1-4.

Whatever Declan Smyth and the Trim management said at half time had the desired effect as the town side hit Moynalvey for five unanswered points within the opening twelve minutes of the second half for Trim to regain the lead for the first time since the opening score, 1-9 to 1-7.

Moynalvey’s Jennifer McLoughlin eventually broke the Trim purple patch with a point in the 44th minute, followed by a Stephanie Walsh point and a goal from substitute Aoife O’Shea when she latched on to a breaking ball after a rasping effort from Stephanie Walsh rebounded off the cross bar, a goal now separating the sides at the three quarter hour mark, 2-9 to 1-9.

Trim narrowed the deficit to two with a point in the 47th minute, but three Moynalvey points, a brace from Jennifer McLoughlin and one from Aoife O’Shea left Moynalvey five points to the good with seven minutes remaining, 2-12 to 1-10.

Trim’s dominance around the middle third in the final quarter left Moynalvey in for a nervy finish. A pair of Trim points had just the kick of a ball between the sides with three minutes remaining.
The Moynalvey defence led by Abbie Killalea and Mairead McCabe stood firm during this period of Trim pressure and a relieving Jennifer McLoughlin point looked to be the insurance score, but there was still time for a late Trim point to leave a goal between the sides at full time, 2-13 to 1-13.

Best for the winners were Olivia O’Halloran, Stephanie Walsh, Jennifer McLoughlin, Mairead McCabe, Abbie Killalea and Aoife O’Shea.

Next up for Moynalvey in round two is a trip to Stamullen to take on St. Patricks on Tuesday evening 25th August.

Moynalvey team and scorers: Aoibheann Corcoran, Rachel Pender, Abbie Killalea, Mairead McCabe, Aoife Weston, Aideen Smith, Fia O’Brien, Cheyenne O’Brian, Olivia O’Halloran, Roisin Murphy, Louise Donoghue (0-4, 2f), Rachel Garrett, Stephanie Walsh (0-2), Clodagh Murphy (0-1), Jennifer McLoughlin (1-5).

Subs used: Aoife O’Shea (1-1), Charlene Murray, Ciara Mulligan.

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