Moy end Clonoe double dreams

Moy 2-13  Clonoe 0-13

THE Moy did their homework and claimed a thoroughly deserved victory over Clonoe in Saturday afternoon’s Intermediate Championship semi-final in Galbally.

The O’Rahilly’s had been imperious all season and were fancied by many to claim a league and championship double, but the Moy put paid to that notion with an excellent performance in every respect.

Up front Ryan Coleman and Michael Conroy struck from beautiful points throughout – these two lads can kick points all day – but the foundations for success were laid further back the pitch as they kept extremely close tabs on Clonoe’s many dangermen.

Indeed, the likes of Steve Donaghy and Colm Cavanagh were imperious in the closing stages as they prevented any chance of a late comeback.

Clonoe opened the scoring after 15 seconds with a point from Declan McClure, but the Moy weren’t long in responding, Michael Conroy judging a 50-metre free to perfection despite the blustery conditions.

Big Danny McNulty powered through for Clonoe’s second of the day and they tagged on another, a straightforward enough free struck off the deck by Daryl Magee.

The Moy launched an enterprising attack, eventually winning a free which was duly converted by Ryan Coleman with nine minutes gone.
Coleman added another to leave it 0-3 apiece after a busy enough opening to the match.

The tackles were coming flying in at both ends of the pitch, but forwards were working hard to find space and veteran Clonoe man Fintan McClure knocked over a point.

Coleman scored his fourth free of the day in front of a bumper crowd at Galbally. As for Clonoe, Connor McAliskey was forced to forage deep for possession under the close attention of Steve Donaghy, and he won a free which was converted from distance by Magee with plenty to spare.

Both teams were putting in a great shift exemplified by a brave interception by Clonoe number ten Ronan Corey, putting his body on the line to shut down a Moy attack.

League champions Clonoe were forced out to the flanks by the men from the Moy, who turned over the ball and tagged on a fine score on the counter from Ryan Conroy with 20 minutes gone.

Sean Cavanagh’s side were well-organised, sometimes getting four or five men around the Clonoe player in possession, and the sides were deadlocked at 0-5 apiece.

The Moy had a wind advantage – it was swirling but in their favour – but at times their attacking play was a little ponderous. They conceded a needless free punished by Magee from the 13-metre line but they did snap back with a fine free from Michael Conroy.

Patrick Laverty was black carded in stoppage time following a high challenge though the feeling amongst the press was that it should’ve been a yellow.

It had been a competitive encounter and the Moy took a 0-7 to 0-6 lead into the break when Conroy got the final score of the half, another free. The Moy will have been happy – they kept the Clonoe dangermen fairly quiet and had bypassed the big midfield duo Danny McNulty and Declan McClure, normally so influential.

Ryan Coleman got the first score of the half, yet another free (the Moy had only scored a single point from play), before a fine point from Declan McClure under pressure.

Then a second point from play for the Moy, a neatly taken score from Coleman. Then a hugely important moment in the game as Ryan Conroy teed up that man Coleman, who dinked the ball over the onrushing goalkeeper.

The Moy were rampant at this stage, leading 1-9 to 0-7 and outscoring their opponents by 1-3 to 0-1 when they had been down to 14 men due to the aforementioned black card.

Clonoe were in a major spot of bother though they got the first score upon the resumption, a badly needed point from play from McAliskey.
Coleman was having a stormer and clipped over another point with Clonoe leaving gaps open at the back.

At the other end, the Moy were handling everything thrown at them with Colm Cavanagh, who well and truly rolled back the years, and Steve Donaghy particularly influential.

They opened up a 1-11 to 0-8 lead with Connor Mackle palming the ball over the bar. There was ten minutes to go and already the game looked as good as over. The two teams traded scores including lovely efforts from Conroy and McAliskey.

The Moy were in cruise control on the scoreboard and applied the coup de grace when Steve Donaghy goaled from a tight angle in stoppage time. 2-13 to 0-12, that was that, despite a late consolation score from Darragh McGrath.

THE SCORERS
The Moy
Ryan Coleman (1-6, 4f), Michael Conroy (0-5, 0-4) Steve Donaghy (1-0), Connor Mackle, Ryan Conroy (0-1 each)

Clonoe
Connor McAliskey (0-4, 0-3f) Darly Magee (0-4f), Declan McClure (0-2), Fintan McClure, Darragh McGrath and Danny McNulty (0-1 each)

THE TEAMS
The Moy
Philip Mallon, Chris O’Neill, Mark Gribbin, Ryan Conroy; Ronan O’Hanlon, Colm Cavanagh, Matthew Laverty; Adam Donaghy, Steve Donaghy, Declan Conroy, Michael Conroy, Diarmuid McKeown, Jamie Coleman, Patrick Lavery, Connor Mackle, Subs: Eunan Deeney for Lavery, Sean Cavanagh for A Donaghy, Jamie Coleman for O’Hanlon, Turlough Kelly for Mackle

Clonoe
Mickey O’Neill; Paul O’Neill, Conall Coyle, James Taggart; Dwayne Quinn, Patrick Doris, Darragh McGrath; Paul Coney, Declan McClure; Ronan Corey, Daryl Magee, Ryan McCabe; Fintan McClure, Connor McAliskey, Danny McNulty.
Subs: Shane Hughes for Coyle, Ryan Morrow for Taggart, Ciaran Corr for Coney

Referee: Shane Meehan (Glenely)