Murray's magical moment sends Moorefield through
James Murray (Moorefield) gets past the challenge of Eoin Conneff (Eadestown) Photo: Sean Brilly
A 43rd minute Mark Murray goal proved crucial as Moorefield secured the win they needed to reach the quarter-finals of the Joe Mallon Motors Senior Football Championship, where they will meet fierce rivals Sarsfields.
Despite the pressure of the occasion, this was in essence a knock out tie with Eadestown having the advantage of knowing that a draw would send them through, Murray was calmness personified when his big chance arrived.
Anthony Durney did well out the field and kept going when referee Ryan Moran played an advantage when he had been fouled. Mark Dempsey, excellent throughout, received the pass from Durney and then offloaded to Murray. The nippy forward cut inside Harry Carroll and then rolled the ball into the Eadestown net after wrong footing goalkeeper Charlie Carroll.
In a low-scoring game such as this, whoever scored the first goal was always going to be strong favourites to go on and win the game, and so it proved.
Despite the best efforts of Eadestown, it was a deserved win for Moorefield and they saw out the game in a very controlled manner after Murray’s goal.
Indeed, were it not for a spell when Eadestown outscored Moorefield by 0-5 to 0-1 during the ten minute spell either side of the half time break that Aaron Masterson spent in the sin bin, the final scoreline could have been more one-sided.
That Eadestown scoring spree only served to underline the importance of Masterson to this Moorefield team and he will have to be at his best if they are to get past their neighbours and reach the last four of the Championship.
It took until the eighth minute for the first score of the game but it was worth the weight as when it arrived, it was a sweetly struck two-pointer by Evan O’Brien.
Eadestown levelled through Ben Fitzsimons and Eoin Conneff before Kevin Murnaghan, another of Moorefield’s star performers on the day, stroked over a casual looking two-pointer.
Moorefield kicked on and moved into 0-7 to 0-3 lead by the 24th minute, when Masterson was temporarily sent from the field for dragging down an opponent.
Niall Cummins, Ben Fitzsimons, from play and from a free, and Harry Carroll rattled off points and the sides were tied at 0-7 each at half-time.
Rian Boran continued that scoring run with the first after the restart to give Eadestown the lead.
Tommy McGrath ended that run of scores in the last action before Masterson returned, and once back involved the big midfielder scored the next point.
Murray’s goal made it 1-9 to 0-8 and was quickly followed by Murnaghan’s fourth point of the game.
Eadestown never really threatened to get back into the game apart from a lightning quick counter-attack in the 49th minute. Fitzsimons broke quickly through the Moorefield defence and found Cian Bolton. The substitute tried to get back on his left foot before shooting but good defending meant he couldn’t and he still hit a strong right-footed shot that needed to be pushed over the bar by Tom Kinsella.
Ryan Moore was close to a second goal for Moorefield in the 52nd minute but Eadestown defenders got back to make the block, but play was brought back for an earlier foul on O’Brien and he stuck over the free to push his team five clear.
Fitzsimons pulled one point for Eadestown in the 57th minute. A minute later, goalkeeper Carroll was called forward to take a difficult free from two-point range. Had it gone over it would have left just two points between the teams and would have given Eadestown a chance in the final stages. He didn’t strike it cleanly, though, and Eadestown never really got another chance as Moorefield booked their quarter-final spot.
Tom Kinsella; Liam Callaghan, Mark Dempsey, Conor Walsh, Anthony Durney, James Murray, Dan Hanniffy; Tommy McGrath 0-1, Aaron Masterson 0-2 (1’45); Luke Sweeney, Kevin Murnaghan 0-4 (1tp), Mark Murray 1-1, Evan O’Brien 0-3 (1tp), Ryan Moore, Dan O’Callaghan.
Adam Sweeney for Murray, b/s 16-19; Tommy Rooney for O’Callaghan, h/t; Adam Sweeney for Hanniffy, h/t; Eoin Meehan for L Sweeney, 42; Ciaran Kelly for Murnaghan, 55.
Charlie Carroll; Cian Cahill, John Lawlor, Harry Carroll 0-1, Daragh Jameson, Jack Sargent, Niall Cummins 0-1; Rian Boran 0-1, Conan Boran; Michael O’Brien, Sean Hynes, Padraic Touhy, Eoin Conneff 0-2, Ben Fitzsimons 0-4 (2fs), Conor McCarthy.
Cian Bolton 0-1 for McCarthy, 34; Tom Boran for O’Brien, 46; Max Sargent for Tuohy, 46; Ben Nichol for Eoin Conneff, 55.
Ryan Moran.
