Liverpool side show no mercy

FINALLY the long-running adventure ended for Moynalvey on Sunday when they were defeated by John Mitchell"s in the All-Ireland Club JFC quarter-final at Pairc Tailteann. The followers of the Liverpool-based side - and there were plenty of those to cheer their heroes on - celebrated at the final whistle as if their team had won the Sam Maguire. The players were also jubilant with the result and they had every right to be after overcoming the odds and a Moynalvey team that looked weary and worn from a championship-winning run that began early last year. Along the way PJ Cummins and his team have had some great days. This wasn"t one of them as a physically-imposing John Mitchell"s side showed a hunger and desire that carried them to a deserved victory. The score that evoked the biggest cheer of the day from the big John Mitchell"s following came at the end of the third-quarter. Their team put together one of those sweet-passing movements they were well capable of stitching together. Paddy Mulligan and Daryl McConnell were involved in setting up Kevin Kane who shot low to the net with conviction from about 20 metres. That put the Mitchell"s in front for the first time with the score standing at 1-5 to 0-6. The goal infused further confidence into a team that had, up to then, displayed considerable self-belief and assurance. From the time Kane despatched his venomous shot to the net it always looked likely the British SFC titleholders would seize their opportunity and prevail. Moynalvey also found the net however, that was in the closing minutes when substitute James Weldon somehow found a gap in a crowded goalmouth to slot home. It proved no more than a consolation. It looked ominous for the Meath side at the interval when they led by only 0-6 to 0-2 despite having the advantage of a strong wind behind them and benefiting from some contentious refereeing decisions. There were also indications during that opening half that the Lancashire champions would be far from compliant and fold after putting up a decent challenge. They showed themselves to be fit, strong and eager for battle. Even with the elements behind them Moynalvey struggled to find their best form and their afternoon was reflected in the performance of their talisman Cathal Sheridan. So often in the past the hero of the hour for Moynalvey, Sheridan on this occasion just couldn"t get to the pitch of the game, like most of his colleagues. He did end up as his team"s top scorer with five points, four from play. However, he missed a series of frees from very kickable positions, unable to get the better of the whimsical conditions. Meath panellists Stephen Donoghue and his brother John toiled away at midfield. John especially covered a lot of ground as he tried to spark his side. They came up against a very formidable midfield combination in Mulligan and John McDermott. Mulligan lofted over three points and made his presence felt with surging forward runs. McDermott was very unlucky not to top his barnstorming display with a goal midway through the opening half when a long-range shot cannoned off the bar. The ball broke to full-forward Shane McCann and his shot was deflected away by Moynalvey goalkeeper Ollie Regan and eventually the danger was cleared. It was a sign of things to come. Mark O"Sullivan had given Moynalvey an early lead with a well-taken point from play. The promising youngster didn"t have too many other opportunities to shine as his colleagues outfield struggled to get the ball into the danger zones. Willie Byrne did manage to engineer two points out of the few scraps of possession that came his way. The problem for Moynalvey was that they just couldn"t get the ball forward enough, particularly in the second-half. At no point did they carve out a clear-cut scoring opportunity and a lot of this was down to the efforts of the highly competent John Mitchell"s defence. The two opening half points for John Mitchell"s were scored by the industrious Lorcan McGonagle and Ryan Mullan. McGonagle was again on the mark in the second-half as the Lancashire champions grew stronger and stronger. One of the best players on view was Rocky Ivers and the John Mitchell"s half-forward capped a fine outing with a long range point after the break. Kane, McConnell and Mulligan were others that strode forward to split the posts with excellent efforts to send their team on the way. Weldon"s goal and a point from Byrne inside the last five minutes ensured a frantic finish with Moynalvey reducing the deficit to a single point. For a moment extra-time looked a possibility but Mulligan fittingly scored the last point to seal it for the side from Merseyside. John Mitchell"s - G Dooley; G McNamee, C Phillips, P Walsh; A Brady, S Rice, P Duddy; P Mulligan (0-3), J McDermott; R Ivers (0-1), K Kane (1-1), L McGonagle (0-2); D McConnell (0-2), S McCann, R Mullan (0-1). Subs - P McLennan for McCann, D Aspell for Brady, P Melanaphy for Mullan. Moynalvey - O Regan; R Kiernan, P Donoghue, D Kane; P Weldon, D Dixon, D Donoghue; S Donoghue, J Donoghue; M O"Sullivan (0-1), C Sheridan (0-5), R Quinlan; S Reilly, W Byrne (0-2), B Gilsenan. Subs - G Fagan for Reilly, J Weldon (1-0) for Quinlan. Referee - Gregory Walsh (Antrim).