Gorey bow out of cup
AFTER THE final league game of the season the previous weekend against Ashbourne, Gorey travelled to take on the same opposition in the quarter-final of the Towns Cup.
On a beautiful day and on a perfect pitch, both teams took the field knowing that this could be their final game of the season. Gorey opted to play with the strong breeze and were the first out of the blocks. They moved the ball through the hands and their first attack brought them from well inside their own half to yards from the Ashbourne line.
Ashbourne weathered that storm but Gorey were soon back again, only to fluff their lines as the try line beckoned.
Ashbourne slowly worked their way into the game and their pack was growing with stature. They moved deep into the visitors’ territory and released their backs, but a high tackle saw Gorey penalised and an obvious yellow card followed it up.
Ashbourne, unlike the week before, took full advantage of the yellow and opted for a scrum. They kept the pressure on the visitors and finally crossed for the opening try.
In fairness, the try had come against the run of play but Gorey had their chances and did not take them. With minutes left on the clock, another sweeping attack saw Gorey again spread the ball wide, and a high tackle on Johnny Butterworth saw the Ashbourne winger also yellow-carded.
Gorey opted to kick and James Nolan sent the ball straight between the posts just two yards in from the touchline. The half-time score was 5-3.
Ashbourne now had the wind at their backs and for the next 15 minutes kept Gorey in their own half. The visitors were dealing comfortably with the pressure, but as always games are won and lost on incidents.
The outstanding Steve Horan put up a garryowen and the Gorey follow up was good. Somehow though, the ball bounced off into the hands of an Ashbourne player and he kicked forward, but a number of their players, who appeared offside, contested the next breakdown.
The referee allowed play to continue and Ashbourne moved the ball to space to cross for a very fortuitous try which they also converted. On the 65th minute another Ashbourne penalty saw Gorey fall further behind at 15-3.
For the next ten minutes Gorey played some of their best rugby of the game as they worked their way from inside their own ‘22 to see Nevil Copeland cross for probably a contender for try of the season. It was a 15-man effort as the whole team to a man had got their hands on the ball as it moved from right to left and back again to reduce Asbourne’s lead to five points as James Nolan converted.
The next ten minutes saw Gorey repeat that effort but as the Ashboune line beckoned, for what would have been an unbelievable end to the match, a relieved home side were awarded a penalty.
They released the pressure and from the line-out deep in the Gorey half a penalty saw them close the game out in the 86th minute on a score of 18-10. Gorey can only rue their first-half effort as they did not take their chances when playing with the wind.Gorey had some good performances in the pack, with Ben Horan and J.P. Redmond the pick. Steven Horan, Phil De Barra and James Nolan tried hard in the backs.
Team: R. Deering, B. O’Connor, D. Bellanova, D. O’Leary, A. Copeland, M. Whelan, B. Horan, J.P. Redmond, S. Horan, P. de Barra, J. Thomas, J. Nolan, E. Walsh, J. Butterworth, N. Copeland, E. Horan, C. Allen, S. Triggs, A. Bond, G. Bater.