Gorey’s glory well deserved
Second-half was first class
AN ALMOST perfect second-half performance propelled Gorey Community School to a memorable McMullen Cup triumph in Donnybrook on Wednesday.
The Seniors were trailing by seven after repelling the best that Dundalk Grammar School had to offer in the first-half.
However, the hard work was done in the first 35 minutes as they battened down the hatches against the breeze and tackled anything that moved to keep the game close.
The Louth school started to exert pressure in the opening minutes.
The Gorey plan was clear - keep them at bay as much as possible and pounce later - but they were let off the hook in a big way in the seventh minute.
Dundalk looked odds-on to score when they spread the ball out wide to the right. Daniel Molloy swung it out to Eoin Brooks, and the full-back was certain to canter over had he held the ball, but he dropped it forward and out of touch.
However, the respite was shortlived as Jack Connolly pounced on a loose ball in the ingoal area and touched down. Jack Hughes added the conversion to make it 7-0 with just nine minutes on the clock.
To their credit, despite being on the back foot for much of the half, Gorey never looked like conceding again. In fact, just before the interval, with Dundalk down to 14 after David Nwambu was sin-binned, they nearly got back on terms.
All the work was done by Jack Ryan who looked like he was just going through another phase when he put the head down and drove forward. However, carrying three defenders with him, Ryan pushed over the line only to lose the ball trying to get to the ground.
With the aid of the breeze after the break, Gorey played most of the game in opposition territory. In the 38th minute Cormac Wolohan-Walsh picked up a loose ball from a maul and raced over to touch down. Michael Duke added the two points to tie the game.
With the bit between their teeth, Gorey continued their attacking intent and took the lead in the 52nd minute.
Mark Boyle, Shane Stokes and Duke were all involved but it was Gonzalo Sanchez-Toscano who touched down in the left corner to make it 12-7.
Then, with the game moving into the 67th minute, Wolohan-Walsh off-loaded to Stokes who had plenty to do but he drove through the heart of the Dundalk defence to score.
To add the cherry on a pretty impressive second-half performance, Duke popped the conversion to make it 19-7 to complete the victory.
Gorey Community School: Mark Kehoe, Flynn Donnelly, Seán Wafer, Greg Bolger, Joseph Naughton, Michael Duke (two conversions), Donough McGivern, Jack Ryan, Gonzalo Marquez, Dylan Slator, Martin O’Loughlin, Seán Dunne, Cormac Wolohan-Walsh (try), Mark Boyle, Shane Stokes (capt., try). Replacements - Gonzalo Sanchez-Toscano (try), Oran Fitzpatrick, Cian Sullivan, Ryan Gibney, Stephen Doran, Eoin Canavan, Eli Jackson, Andrew Cushen.
Dundalk Grammar School: Eoin Brooks, David Murdock, Daniel Molloy, Max McGloin, Joshua Reynolds, Jack Connolly (try), Jack Hughes (conversion), Tobi Akinseloyian, Zac Coan, Peter Kerley, David Nwambu, Caoilin Traynor, Jonathan Johnson, T. A. Irwin, Andrew Cox (capt.). Replacements - Seán Walsh, Dillon Dunne, Jarlath Jones, Cathal Quinn, Luke McSherry, Eugene McEntagert, David O’Connell, Oisín Matthews.
Referee: Pádraic Reidy.