Gorey undone by unanswered points

SEVEN UNANSWERED points in a nine-minute first-half spell powered Coláiste Iosagáin (Portarlington) to an eventual threepoint victory over Gorey C.S. in this Top Oil South Leinster Post Primary Schools Junior football ‘B’ final at the Netwatch Carlow Training Centre in Fenagh on Thursday.

In the opening five minutes the Gorey side looked quite impressive, building a succession of attacks, but they were unable to sustain the effort as their opponents took a firm grip on the midfield exchanges which enabled them to kick over a succession of excellent points from a variety of angles.

Calum Byrne-Murphy put the north Wexford school ahead with a neat opening-minute point. While their opponents got back level through a fifth-minute Colin Slevin point, a delightful move started in midfield was carried through by Eddie O’Brien-Murphy who picked out Páraic Hughes, leaving the Ballinstragh Gaels clubman to power home a superb shot across the ‘keeper into the opposite corner of the net to give his side a 1-1 to 0-1 lead after six minutes.

But from then until the 15th minute the Coláiste Iosagáin side took a firm grip on proceedings, kicking over excellent points through the accurate finishing of Colin Slevin, Jake Nicholl and Mark Barry to lead by 0-8 to 1-1.

While Gorey managed to finish the half with two Jack Doran pointed frees, they still trailed by 0-8 to 1-3 at the interval.

While Gorey applied lots of early second-half pressure, their opponents refused to wilt, managing to counter-attack at pace. This led to a Mark Barry point to extend their lead.

Gorey responded with a point from midfielder Mark Boyle, but they were forced to go a lengthy stretch without a further score.

Coláiste Iosagáin had moved into a 0-12 to 1-4 lead before the Gorey side managed their second score of the second period, a Stephen Mordaunt point ten minutes from the end.

While they added a further Jack Doran pointed free one minute later, they were unable to translate pressure into scores mainly through wayward finishing, leaving them unable to claw back the three-point deficit.

Gorey C.S.: Aaron Hall (Réalt na Mara); Darragh Canavan (Castletown), Seán Dowling (Naomh Eanna), Cian Molloy (Naomh Eanna); Ben Morris (Ballinastragh Gaels), Nathan Byrne (Naomh Eanna), Adam Fleming (Réalt na Mara); Mark Boyle (Castletown, 0-1), Páraic Hughes (Ballinastragh Gaels, 1-0); Ben O’Connor (Ballinastragh Gaels), Stephen Mordaunt (Ballinastragh Gaels, 0-1), Billy Kavanagh (Ballinastragh Gaels); Calum Byrne-Murphy (Ballinastragh Gaels, 0-1 free), Eddie O’Brien-Murphy (Naomh Eanna), Jack Doran (Naomh Eanna, 0-3 frees). Subs. - Calum Travers (Naomh Eanna) for Byrne-Murphy, Conor Morris (St. Patrick’s) for Kavanagh.

Coláiste Iosagáin: Seán Mooney; Oisín O’Dea, Adam Kirwan, Michael Bennett; Cathal Bennett, Glen Hassett, Colin Slevin (0-2); Seán Michael Corcoran, Patrick Hurley; Jake Nicholl (0-3, 1 free), Mark Barry (0-4), Matthew Byron (0-1); Conor McCarthy, Caoimhín Murphy (0-2), Darragh Galvin. Sub. - Michael Cunningham for Murphy.

Referee: David Hickey (Carlow).