Gorey garner key away win
Improved form continues
GOREY D.L.S.P. 25 16 GOREY TRAVELLED to Kilternan to take on D.L.S.P. in a crucial Leinster League fixture on Saturday. D.L.S.P. were having a good run of late with five straight wins and also securing a semi-final place in the All-Ireland Cup.
The visitors on the other hand had lost their last five games up to the previous weekend’s draw in Ashbourne, so all indications pointed to a home win.
Gorey welcomed back number 8 Mark Whelan and number 7 Ben Horan after injury, and on paper looked to be starting to return to a full complement of players.
The game started in glorious conditions with both teams throwing caution to the wind and running at every opportunity.
Salmo missed a penalty on six minutes, but on nine minutes they finally found a gap and were not long in exploiting it with quick feet and hands putting their inside centre in for a try.
The Gorey response was swift and from the kick-off David Shannon gathered.
He set off down the right wing, and a beautiful pass to Garry Rynhart saw the flying outside centre outpace the covering defence to score a fine try.
Gorey were now growing in confidence and soaking up all that Salmo were throwing at them. On 27 minutes as Salmo attacked, a Gorey turnover suddenly saw the visitors on the offensive and this time it was the turn of inside centre James Nolan to touch down for an- other try which he also converted to take the score to 12-5.
Salmo missed a penalty chance on 33 minutes but finally reduced the score to 12-8 on the half-time mark.
The second-half saw Salmo reduce the lead to the minimum with an early penalty. David Shannon was then unlucky to miss a longrange penalty on the 50th minute.
Both teams were now throwing caution to the wind but the visitors were looking the more likely to score and they duly did when huge pressure was put on the home scrum just outside their ’22.
Gorey broke and a calamitous series of events for the home team saw scrum-half Conor Butler, who was making his first appearance for the first team, touch down for a well-deserved try which James Nolan converted.
Gorey were now in the ascendancy and two further James Nolan penalties saw them stretch out to a 25-11 lead with eight minutes left.
Salmo were reduced to 14 when their number 7 was red-carded, but they never gave up and on the 80th minute reduced the Gorey lead to 25-16 as the referee sounded his whistle.
Gorey had some big performers on a day when every man showed up, with David Shannon, Stephen Duke, Garry Rynhart and Conor Butler the pick of the backs.
The forwards were not found wanting either with Richard Deering, J.P. Redmond, Mark Whelan and man of the match Ben Horan outstanding in a crucial win for Gorey.
Next week Gorey welcome Monkstown to Clonattin for a crunch league fixture as both teams require a win to help them up the table.
Team: R. Deering, B. O’Connor, D. Bellanova, J.P. Redmond, A. Bond, E. Walsh, B. Horan, M. Whelan, C. Butler, S. Duke, A. Walsh, J. Nolan, G. Rynhart, N. Copeland, D. Shannon, S. Hadden, S. Triggs, D. O’Leary, J. Thomas, W. Rothwell.
Gorey seconds were also in Kilternan on Saturday and showed great resolve when they recovered from 12-0 down to eventually win 17-12.
The game started with Salmo setting a strong pace and they were full value as they raced into that 12-0 lead in the first 20 minutes.
But, just as D.L.S.P. had controlled the first 20 minutes, the visitors dominated the next and a Seán Byrne try quickly followed by a Stanley Hadden try, with David O Neill converting, drew the teams level at the half-time whistle.
The second-half was equally contested with both teams trying hard but a Tommy Newe try, converted by David O’Neill, separated the teams at the final whistle.
Gorey will be delighted with this win as they are slowly finding their feet, and the backroom staff of Lloyd Furlong, Phil Swaine and Michael Bolger can be quietly happy with the progress made by the squad thus far.
Team: Will Kearney, Stephen Triggs, Eoin Scallan, Zach Sinnott, Darragh O’Leary, Eddie Horan, Stanley Hadden, Heino Geiser, D. O’Neill, Josh Thomas, Tommy Newe, Seán Byrne, Sam Kennedy, Luke Willoughby, Jack Willoughby, Nigel Rothwell, Achille O’Neill, Barry Horan, Brian Brooks.