Gorey back on track
Home comforts in must-win match
of phases later, another Shannon penalty put six between the sides.
The remainder of the half was all Seapoint as phase after phase saw them batter the Gorey line.
Seapoint camped on the line but, try as they might, they could not break down a resolute defence.
That was the way the half ended as Gorey withstood everything that Seapoint threw at them to go into the break with their line intact.
The second-half saw Seapoint start strong but within minutes, and again inside the Gorey ‘ 22, Fionn O’Loughlin popped up and weaved his way out through the visitors’ cover to outstrip their chasing defence and touch down for a crucial try.
Shannon added the conversion to make it 13-0.
Seapoint again put pressure on the home defence but Gorey were now growing in confidence, with the back row of Breen, Horan and Hadden causing all sorts of problems to their attack.
Gorey again worked their way up field, with astute play between backs and forwards taking them into the visitors’ ‘22. Another Shannon penalty was their reward.
Gorey were now looking more confident, and the next few phases saw them again back in the visitors’ ‘22 and, unlike the previous week, they were not coming away empty-handed.
Quick hands through the backs saw Andrew Walsh go over to cheer the home support. Shannon was just wide with the conversion.
From the re-start, Seapoint were again back in the home ‘22, with phase after phase battering the Gorey line.
Gorey were reduced to 13 as two players were yellow-carded. With the numerical advantage, the next ten minutes saw Gorey go in four down as Seapoint’s Dave McCoy crossed for a Darragh Mullins converted try, with Gorey adding another Shannon penalty.
With Gorey returned to full strength, the final ten minutes saw the home side close out the game, with Darren McGrath urging his forwards to new heights.
In the 75th minute Gorey put the game to bed when Fionn O’Loughlin rounded off a man of the match performance with a defence-splitting run taking him in under the posts. Shannon added the conversion to leave the final score at 31-7.
Though the scoreline suggests a comfortable success for Gorey, it was anything but, as Seapoint on another day might have taken the chances which they did most definitely have.
For Gorey, what a difference a week makes as they were full value for their win, with some outstanding individual performances culminating with a team effort that spoke more about the collective.
When defence was required it was delivered by a team focused on a result that was so important to the team and the coaches, Phil De Barra and Jason Emery.
Next up for Gorey is an away trip to Kilkenny on Saturday with kick-off at 2.30 p.m.
Gorey: W. Rothwell, B. O’Connor, K. Browne, D. O’Leary (capt.), E. Walsh, K. Breen, B. Horan, S. Hadden, D. McGrath, F. O’Loughlin, F. Donnelly, M. Duke, A. Walsh, H. Kennedy, D. Shannon, L. Molloy, D. Redmond, J. Naughton, A. Davies, B. Mason.