Gorey ladies shine in top-table win
GOREY 66, GREYSTONES 0: The Gorey Senior ladies took on Greystones in a top of the table clash. Gorey were the only unbeaten team in the league going into the game.
The action started at a ferocious pace and, within the first 20 minutes, Gorey were five tries up, with scores coming from Niamh Newens, Ciara Tomkins and a quick hat-trick by Tara Doyle on her first start in Senior rugby.
The workrate of the forwards was making life very difficult for the Greystones ladies. Big carries from Shannen Byrne, Maria Breen and Olivia Veal set up a good, clean platform for scrum-half Nicola McGrath to work off.
More tries followed from Anna Nolan, Nicola McGrath and another for Tara Doyle.
Gorey showed their strength in depth and, even after emptying the bench, continued to pile the pressure on the Wicklow natives.
Gorey put in a strong finish, and the last 20 minutes saw Orla Molloy, Triona Murray, Niamh O’Connor and club captain Olivia Veal all cross the line to score.
Gorey: Shannen Byrne, Sarah Sheridan, Val Conyard, Maria Breen, Alix Doyle, Ciara Tomkins, Olivia Veal (capt.), Anna Nolan, Nicola McGrath, Ciara Breen, Orla Besanson, Niamh Doran, Tara Doyle, Triona Murray, Niamh Newins, Dee Farrell, Olivia Daly-Tallon, Rebecca Grannell, Tess O’Brien, Niamh O’Connor, Cailín Fitzpatrick, Orla Molloy.
Meanwhile, Gorey Under-12 girls, a new addition to the club’s mini-section, represented the Leinster clubs at the recent women’s international between Ireland and Wales.
The Gorey girls were invited by the I.R.F.U. to attend the international, following their participation in last summer’s ‘Give it a Try’ initiative.
The I.R.F.U. introduced ‘Give it a Try’, a non-contact version of rugby, to encourage girls between ten and 14 to literally give it a try.
Gorey, along with teams from Ballymena, Buccaneers and Shannon, formed the guard of honour for the Senior players as they ran onto the pitch prior to kick-off.
At half-time, the Gorey girls gave the crowd a demonstration of their rugby skills in a match against the Buccaneers. Gorey R.F.C. would like to thank Orla Fulham-Smith of the I.R.F.U. for the invitation and her organisation of a fantastic occasion for the girls.