THE GOREY DETAILS!
Sound defence sees Wicklow come away with big win
GOREY RFC WICKLOW RFC 7 17
WICKLOW’S first teamtravelled to Gorey RFC on Saturday to face a strong Gorey side on their home turf.
With both teams having recorded impressive wins the previous weekend, this game was always going to be a lively affair.
Wicklow got off to a fantastic start with a try by Ben Armstrong after five minutes. The touchline conversion from Brian Keegan gave the visitors a 0–7 lead.
Wicklow extended their lead with a Billy Ngawini after 10 minutes. Keegan again added the extras and Wicklow led by 0–14 after as many minutes.
Gorey seemed somewhat shellshocked but applied themselves to their task and began to make headway into Wicklow territory. Wicklow’s defence was from the very top drawer and time and again the Gorey advances were repelled. The back row of Liam Gaffney, Wes Wojnar and Eoin O’Sullivan were to the fore in this regard.
Wicklow extended their lead after a spell of good pressure when the reliable boot of Keegan added another three pointer. Wicklow now lead by 0–17 approaching the break and were looking comfortable.
Gorey began to move the ball wide and on the stroke of half-time were rewarded with a very well taken try. The simple conversion made it 7–17 at half-time and it was very much game on.
The second half was remarkably scoreless. Gorey pounded the Wicklow line. Wicklow’s ferocious defence repelled attack after attack. Gorey attacked Wicklow’s scrum in a series of five metre scrums but the young front row of Killeen, McKenna and the excellent Jason Byrne stood strong and held them out.
Gorey seemed certain to score when a phenomenal hit by Wesley Wojnar knocked the ball free and Wicklow cleared their lines again.
Wicklow’s over eagerness in defence was causing them to concede penalty after penalty and while it frustrated the Gorey attack eventually the referee lost patience and sent a man to the bin.
Fourteen-man Wicklow held the line and finished the game on the attack until the final whistle went.
Wicklow will have been very happy with the win and the perfor- mance. They beat a strong Gorey side on their own patch and are lying in second place in the league after three games with ten points. Wicklow have a weekend off this weekend before taking on old rivals Enniscorthy in what should be a cracker in Ashtown Lane in two weeks time.
Eanna Killeen, Jack McKenna, Jason Byrne, John Jenkinson, George Naoupu, Liam Gaffney, Wes Wojnar, Eoin O’Sullivan, Dennis Higgins, Brian Keegan, Ben Armstrong, Ben Porter, Shane Farrar, Billy Ngawini, Stephen Duffy, Subs Dean Leonard, Tim Spencer, Mark Cullen, Cillian Ballesty.