FL:Div 1B Moriarty shines as the Ha get a badly needed win.

Curraha met with Moynalvey in round 9 of the Séamus Connolly Catering A league Division 1B match in Joe McDermott Park Curraha on Tuesday evening. Having been defeated by St. Michael's 5 days previous the Ha were looking to put things right and get a must needed win to boost their chances of survival.

Robert Purfield got the game underway with a large crowd in attendance from both sets of supporters. Played on a beautiful sunny evening in Curraha Robert Purfield threw the ball up at a quarter to 8 and straight away Curraha were in trouble with Neil Shortall landing badly on his knee and he had to be substituted with David Dowse being introduced. Michael Brady for Moynalvey got the first score of the game 50 seconds in with a point from play. Curraha had to wait seven minutes for their first score and it was worth the wait when Sean Ronan for Curraha calmly slotted the ball over the black spot 7 minutes in. Michael Brady restored the Moynalvey lead with a fine point from play. Diarmuid Moriarty was released from county duty to play for Curraha and started to show his class. Moriarty started his scoring spree with two excellent points from play, one in the 11th minute and one in the 12th minute of play. Moriarty was on the ball the whole time for Curraha and with some great link up play with the Curraha backs and forwards Moriarty won a free and converted in the 15th minute off his right foot to leave 2 between the sides. Moynalvey were under pressure at this stage and Curraha kept piling on the pressure. Moriarty added another free off his right foot in the 19th minute. Moynalvey got their first point of the game since the 8th minute when their centre half forward Vinny Walsh got on the score sheet with a fine point from a free 20 minutes into the half. Moriarty quickly hit back for the ha with a lovely team move resulting in a fine mark called by Diarmuid Moriarty which he converted off his reliable right foot. Eoin Corrigan reduced Curraha's lead to 2 points with a fine point from play. Moriarty again had the answer and done very well to win a free which again he converted 24 minutes into the half. Vinny Walsh kept Moynalvey in the game when he scored Moynalvey's 5th point of the match from a free. A great team move starting with Liam Hogan in the goals for Curraha and they sliced Moynalvey in two and the ball came to Moriarty's feet and he quickly turned his man and he shot from the edge of the D and it skimmed over the crossbar much to the delight of the home support. Things went from bad to worse for Moynalvey when David McLaughlin landed awkwardly on his knee and there was a long stoppage for this. Curraha were taking full advantage of the wind they were playing with and Moriarty again won a free and converted 5 minutes into stoppage time to leave the halftime score.

Curraha 0.09 Moynalvey 0.05

Moynalvey came out of the blocks fast in the second half and Charlie McCormack scored a fine point off his right foot 2 minutes into the half ro give them the perfect start. Liam Hogan the Curraha goalie was called into action a few times during the match dealing with high balls coming in but he dealt with them superbly, as well as ferocious tackling by the 6 Curraha backs they kept Moynalvey at bay. Moriarty once again slotted over a fine free 4 minutes into the second half to leave 4 between the sides. Curraha were then reduced to 14 men early in the second half when Robert Purfield showed Ciarán O'Hanrahan a black card for a debatable collusion with a Moynalvey player. This wasn't going to stop Curraha and they quickly notched on 2 more fine scores both off the right foot of Moriarty both from frees to leave 6 between the sides. Moynalvey then had their own purple patch and started to pile the pressure on Curraha and Darragh Branigan started their scoring spree with a fine point from play 14 minutes into the half. Vinny Walsh reduced Curraha's lead to 4 with a point from a free, and 2 minutes later Walsh brought the lead back to 3 with another point from a free as we passed the 18th minute of play. Curraha weathered the Moynalvey storm and a great bit of link up play between players for Curraha ended in a great score by Gavin Coyle 21 minutes into the second half. Moynalvey weren't finished though and a fine point from Charlie McCormack for Moynalvey brought the lead back to 3 with a point from play. Then in the 28th minute a high ball was sent in on top of Moriarty and he cleverly turned his man and slotted the ball under Conor Egan the Moynalvey goalie to leave 6 between the sides. Moriarty finished off his day with a fine point from a free as the clock ticked into stoppage time. Andrew Coyle got in on the act 2 minutes later with an excellent point from play to leave the full time score.

Curraha 1.15 Moynalvey 0.10

A brilliant performance by Curraha who get a well deserved win and will boost morale after being some defeats in games that were there for the taking in the weeks previous. Next up is Ballinabrackey on the 6th of June in Joe McDermott Park at 8 pm. Curraha will hope to have Podge O'Hanrahan and Niall McLarnon back as they will return from county hurling duty with hopefully a Christy Ring medal in their pockets. Hon the Ha!!!!!!!

Curraha team: Liam Hogan, Johnny Cahalan, Matthew Webb, Oisin Fay, Niall Murphy, Mark Jackson, Seamus Hogan, Neil Shortall, Brian Joyce, Conor Joyce, Diarmuid Moriarty 1.12(6F,1M), Sean Ronan 0. 01, Andrew Coyle 0.01 Ciarán O'Hanrahan, Gavin Coyle 0.01

Subs used: David Dowse for Neil Shortall.

Referee: Robert Purfield

CREDIT TO IVAN KEOGH FOR THE MATCH REPORT

https://www.currahagaa.com/draws