Moville goals enough to give them narrow victory against Pettigo

In a very close and entertaining Junior A championship encounter at the School Field in Pettigo, Moville were relieved to make the long journey home with a narrow win.

They led by eight coming down the straight but failed to score in the final 12 minutes as Pettigo laid siege to their goal.

The post denied Pettigo two goals and a two pointer in that period as Moville also finished with 13 with two players black carded in the final minutes.

Moville had the advantage of the breeze in the opening half and started really well with six points without reply in the opening quarter. Danny Murphy was to the fore with a booming left boot hitting 0-3, one free and one two point free.

Enda Faulkner had opened their account on three minutes and Cailliou O’Kane and Michael Leech added the others.

Pettigo warrior veteran Johnny McManus had to go forward to show the way for the home side as he hit two points by the 25th minute. In between Pettigo created a great goal chance with a slick move but Emmet McGurn saw his effort come back off the angle of post and crossbar.

Moville took a commanding lead when another boomer from Murphy dropped short and Dylan Doherty got a hand to it for a 1-6 to 0-2 lead. Emmet McGurn had the final score of the half for Pettigo.

Ronan Maher came in for Pettigo at half-time and made a huge difference. However, it was Danny Murphy who had the opening score, a 21m free.

Pettigo then had their best period with Adam McBarron firing a two point free; Ronan Maher from play and Corey Monaghan a two pointer to cut the lead to four points.

But they were hit with a second Moville goal on 37 minutes when Seamie McLaughlin set up Eoghan McLaughlin to fire home from close range.

It was a bitter blow to the home side and Danny Murphy added two frees to stretch the lead to seven.

Johnny McManus had another Pettigo point but with nine minutes left Malachy McDermott struck a beauty of a 45m free for a 2-11 to 0-9 lead with 51 minutes on the clock.

Pettigo owned the ball for the final period as John Carrigeen hit a post with Matthew Gallagher firing just over from the rebound.

Ollie McCaughey landed a two pointer and Ronan Maher had an effort for goal saved. With Moville having Ryan McDermott and Josh Lafferty black carded, Pettigo kept pushing, landing high ball after high ball into the Moville square. McCaughey was denied by the butt of the post and then pointed a free while Ronan Maher landed a two pointer to reduce the lead to just two points.

They had a last chance to get an equaliser but the effort from Johnny McManus was just a foot wide and Moville survived.

Apart from Danny Murphy, Enda Faulkner was outstanding at full-back while Malachy McDermott also played a big part. Johnny McManus was outstanding for the losers and Emmet McGurn, Jarlath Leonard, the Robinsons and Corey Monaghan also played their part and they missed their captain Ronan Maher, who only came into the action for the second half.

Pettigo scorers: Johnny McManus 0-3; Ronan Maher 0-3,1tp; Ollie McCaughey 0-3,f,tpf; Adam McBarron 0-2,tpf; Corey Monaghan 0-2,tp; Emmet McGurn, Matthew Gallagher 0-1 each.

Moville scorers: Danny Murphy 0-6,5f,1tpf; Eoghan McLaughlin, Dylan Doherty 1-0 each; Malachy McDermott 0-2,tpf; Enda Faulkner, Cailliou O’Kane, Michael Leech 0-1 each.

Pettigo: Adam McBarron; Oisin Lynch, Lorcan McCaughey, Darren Lynch; Emmet McGurn, Jarlath Leonard, Johnny McManus; Paul Robinson, Matthew Gallagher; Eoghan McGoldrick, John Carrigeen, Shaun Robinson; Kieran McGee, Michael O’Riordan, Corey Monaghan.

Subs: Ronan Maher for McGee (ht); Ciaran Barry for D Lynch (40); Ollie McCaughey for McGoldrick (45); Aidy Britton for O’Riordan (56).

Moville: Stephen Teles; Jack Lee, Enda Faulkner, Lorcan Gillen; Brendan McClenaghan, Michael Barr, Cailliou O’Kane; Malachy McDermott, Michael Leech; Eoghan McLaughlin, Thomas Johnson, Daithi Peto; Seamie McLaughlin, Dylan Doherty, Danny Murphy.

Subs: Josh Lafferty for Gillen (28); Ryan McDermott for Leech (55); Michael Leech for Johnson (59).

Referee: Raymond Gallagher (Aodh Ruadh)