Nolan penalties crucial
Gorey claim points after tight affair in Wicklow
ROUND SIX of the Leinster League Division 1A saw Gorey travel to the Garden county to take on Wicklow in a crucial game for both.
With Gorey in second place and Wicklow just behind, this game was always going to be a tight affair.
And so it proved as Gorey shaded the Wicklow men in the dying minutes of a pulsating game in very difficult conditions.
To be fair, this game could have gone either way and unlike Gorey’s previous game away to Boyne, they had the breadth of the post to give them all four points as Wicklow hit the post with a brave penalty attempt from 40 metres out in the last play of the game.
It was a game of two halves as Gorey, playing into the strong wind, dominated the first-half.
Gorey were first to show their intent with a crunching tackle from Jordan Ahern on the receiver straight from the kick-off.
Gorey dominated for the next quarter, with Wicklow making the odd venture into the opposition half.
Some big carries from Stephen Gardiner and his forwards kept Gorey in the home territory, but the Wicklow defence was good and dealt well with the threat.
It was against the run of play that the opening score went to the home side when Gorey were penalised and Niall Earls split the posts.
The Gorey response was quick as, almost straight from the restart, Wicklow gave away a penalty and James Nolan drew the teams level.
That was the way it stayed until half-time.
The second-half was a complete reversal of the first as Wicklow upped their game and set about trying to break down the Gorey defence.
But, as Wicklow had done in the first-half, Gorey provided a watertight defence in the second as they repelled wave after wave of attacks.
Gorey had the odd foray into the Wicklow half, with Dave Shannon on his first game back kicking a number of long clearances to force Wicklow deep into their ‘22.
With ten minutes to go Gorey conceded a crucial penalty when Wicklow opted for a five-metre scrum instead of maybe a simple kick to put them into the lead.
The visitors, having got out of jail, put some good phases together and phase after phase of concerted play eventually forced a penalty in front of the posts. James Nolan duly slotted the kick to put Gorey in front with minutes left.
From the re-start Wicklow had the chance to draw level when Gorey were penalised for offside from a knock-on.
Niall Earls stepped up and from 40 metres out and into a strong wind he was within inches of drawing the sides level as his effort drifted onto the post to give Gorey all four points.
In an overall excellent team effort, Gorey had some big performances with James Nolan, Stephen Horan and Dave Shannon the pick of the backs. The forwards also played well, with Jordan Ahern, Eddie Horan and captain Stephen Gardiner man of the match.
Gorey have a week off next weekend and on Saturday, November 17, welcome league leaders Enniscorthy to Clonattin. At the moment the kick-off time is 2.30 p.m. but, with the New Zealand game on in the Aviva that evening, there may be a change. Please check the club website for confirmation.
Gorey: D. Bellanova, E. Badham, C. Allen, S. Gardiner (capt.), T. Jamison, K. Breen, E. Horan, J. Ahern, S. Horan, S. Duke, J. Naughton, J. Nolan, J. Rothwell, A. Walsh, D. Shannon, B. O’Connor, D. O’Leary, C. Allen, A. O’Brien, G. Bater.