Moorefield finally shake off dogged Allenwood

An early goal by Dan Hanniffy and a late one by Aaron Masterson secured the win for Moorefield
Moorefield finally shake off dogged Allenwood

Dan Hanniffy scored an early goal to help set Moorefield on their way to a win over Allenwood Photo: Sean Brilly

JOE MALLON MOTORS SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP – GROUP C ROUND 1 

MOOREFIELD 2-16 ALLENWOOD 0-15 

Moorefield eventually burned off a lively Allenwood challenge at a sun splashed Cedral St Conleth’s Park to take the opening day spoils in Group C of the Joe Mallon Motors Senior Football Championship.

The scoreline perhaps flattered the winners a little as Allenwood, their scoreline embellished by 0-3 in injury time, but they won’t be too bothered by that.

With the calm conditions conducive to long-range shooting, Allenwood’s Eoin Bagnall was on fire with four orange flags raised, but even he was outdone by an outrageous free out of the hands from close to 60 metres out from Aaron Masterson in injury time, albeit aided by a slight breeze.

A free flowing first half saw Allenwood open the scoring with a Joey Cunningham point from just inside the arc, but Moorefield hit back immediately, Ryan Moore’s first pass into Dan Hanniffy in plenty of space in the danger zone and he buried it to the roof of Luke Anderson’s net.

Ryan Houlihan added a point from 35 metres out but Allenwood, playing with the slightest of breezes into the Kilcullen End, began to get traction and Cunningham, despite being fouled and off balance, added his second point.

On ten minutes, the Sky Blues were level with Eoin Bagnall, settling back in nicely after his travels, nailing a two-point free from a central position. Moorefield, though, hit back with the next three points. Mark Murray won and converted a free from inside the ‘D’ and Ciaran Kelly and Evan O’Brien added to that from play to put them 1-4 to 0-4 ahead after eighteen minutes.

Cormac Denagher almost got in for a goal during that spell, Liam Healy deflecting his shot out for a ’45 but Bagnall arrowed over a two-pointer from the outside of the boot before Seán Dunne equalised for Allenwood.

Denagher than converted a close range free to put his side ahead but Adam Tyrrell edged Moorefield ahead at the break (1-6 to 0-8) with two well-taken points, one off each foot, in the space of a minute.

Allenwood were in for another goal chance right on half-time, but Alex Lenehan shot wide after a good move involving Cunningham and Bagnall.

There was still only the minimum in it in after the sides shared the first six points of the second half, though Cunningham might have felt he was due a penalty when fouled very close to the box. Moores lost Tyrrell to an early second half injury.

By the 50th minute Moorefield were four clear thanks to three unanswered points from Mark Dempsey and O’Brien (two) and Allenwood seemed to be fading, but Bagnall launched a rocket for another two points from the right wing to make it a two-point game coming down the home stretch.

A turnover from an Allenwood kick out by substitute Jason Phillips and he fed Ciaran Kelly who offloaded to Masterson for a low finish to the net for the game’s crucial score on 55 minutes, Hannify added a point before Bagnall with another two-point free narrowed the gap to four points.

But Phillips point and Masterson’s incredible two-pointer sealed the deal for Moorefield in injury time.

MOOREFIELD: Tom Kinsella; Liam Callaghan, Mark Dempsey 0-1, Liam Healy; Ryan Houlihan 0-1, Kevin Murnaghan, Dan Hanniffy 1-1; Ryan Moore, Aaron Masterson 1-2 (0-2tpf); Eoin Meehan, Mark Murray 0-2 (1f), Luke Sweeney; Evan O’Brien 0-5 (3fs), Ciaran Kelly 0-1, Adam Tyrrell 0-2. Subs: Jason Phillips 0-1 for Tyrrell 36, James Murray for Moore 41, Sean Dempsey for Houlihan 50.

ALLENWOOD: Luke Anderson; Seán Moran, Ronan Guilfoyle, Cillian Moran; Jamie Gartland, Brendan Hanafey, Fionn Moran; Alex Lenihan, Eanna O’Neill; Gavin Malone, Johnny Byrne, Cormac Danagher 0-2 (2fs); Seán Dunne 0-1, Eoin Bagnall 0-9 (2tps,2tpfs,1f), Joey Cunningham 0-3. Subs: James Moore for S Dunne 41, Mark Delaney for Malone 53, Aaron Dunne for Denagher 58.

REFEREE: Lee Moore

Read our score-by-score update here 

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