Gorey move to third
Division 1A status secured for 2021
DIVISION 1A of the Leinster League was so tight that nothing short of a win would do for Gorey on their visit to Wicklow on Saturday.
And so it proved, with nearly all teams fighting for survival bar three and, depending on results, Gorey could still end up in either second place or second last.
In weather conditions that a cat wouldn’t even go out in, both teams took to the field, with the visitors playing with the gale-force wind first.
Gorey wasted no time and within minutes had Wicklow pegged back in their ‘22.
The home team survived and worked their way up field with some good retention, but as so often happens in these conditions, a sloppy pass or a knock-on saw the hard won territory lost, and soon you are back where you started.
With Dave Shannon and Fionn
O’Loughlin using their boot to good effect, Gorey soon laid siege to the Wicklow line.
For the next 25 minutes Gorey pummelled the Wicklow line and, as hard as they tried, the home team defended to a man.
Gorey were over on at least two occasions but the referee deemed them to be held up.
Gorey were also the architects of their own wastefulness as they butchered a number of chances, with some over-exuberance costing them.
The half wore on and with ten minutes left Wicklow finally lifted the siege with some pick and gos, and forcing some penalties out of the visitors.
They finally landed a crucial blow when phase after phase took them to the Gorey line, and their first visit was to prove fruitful when they moved the ball wide for Stephen Duffy to cross for a try.
It was completely against the run of play, but it was a well-taken score in the horrendous conditions, and 5-0 was how it was at the break.
Wicklow started the second-half and, like Gorey in the first period, could not break down the visitors’ defence.
As the half went on, the galeforce wind began to die down. Gorey slowly started to get a foothold in the Wicklow half with a few excursions, but the final breakthrough was still not coming.
With 15 minutes left Gorey finally crossed for a try after some great work by the pack. Some huge carries saw Stanley Hadden force his way over just right of the posts. What looked like an easy conversion saw the ball slice off Dave Shannon’s boot.
But ten minutes later Shannon made up for his earlier miss as Gorey began to shade the territorial battle.
Another strong surge by the Gorey pack saw them again back inside the Wicklow ‘22. Wicklow were under pressure and gave away a penalty to the left of the posts. Shannon made no mistake this time to leave three between the sides.
Wicklow tried to get back down the field but the last few minutes saw Gorey shut up shop and retain the ball until the final whistle. This win moves Gorey into third and, more importantly, secures Division 1A status for next season.
Despite the conditions, this was an entertaining game with both sides coping well.
Gorey had some good performances, with the back row of Killian Breen, Eoin Walsh, Jordan Ahearn and second row Darragh O’Leary showing well in the forwards.
Mark Kehoe, Fionn O’Loughlin and man of the match Dave Shannon were the pick of the backs.
Next Saturday Gorey welcome league champions Ashbourne to Clonattin, with kick-off at 3 p.m.
Gorey: W. Rothwell, C. Walsh, K. Browne, D. O’Leary (capt.), T. Jameson, E. Walsh, K. Breen, J. Ahearn, D. McGrath, F. O’Loughlin, F. Donnelly, M. Kehoe, G. Bater, D. Shannon, S. Hadden, W. Earle, B. O’Connor, J. Mulligan, A. Davis.