GOREY U14s INTO CUP SEMI-FINAL

Gorey made the long journey north on Saturday to face a Dundalk side they had comprehensively beaten in the Division 1A league earlier this year. In very windy conditions and on a heavy pitch it was obvious early that Dundalk were a much-improved side since January and had taken learnings from that game and were ready for what Gorey brought to this Leinster Cup quarter final game.

The opening exchanges took place in mid-field with both sets of forwards squaring up and neither team wishing to concede early territory. Gorey won the early battles with hard work from forwards Kyle Slator and DJ Donnelly and were rewarded with a try from captain Liam Murphy. Gorey continued to work hard but lost influential hooker Tomás Furlong to a recurring groin injury midway through the first half, some side line rehab allowed a return to the game in the second half to help steady the ship. Dundalk scrummed hard and gained ground, but Gorey got up and going again with Will Cooper pinging the ball around and with big carries from Dan Doyle, Alvaro, Aiden O’Gara and Michael McDonald Gorey scored again in the corner with Liam Murphy to lead 0-10 with minutes remaining in the first half. A well worked Dundalk scrum saw their super strong number 8 peel from the back to score under the posts and the conversion made it 7-10 at half time.

Dundalk came out with the huge wind in their backs and looked to gain advantage from the efforts just before half time and with their heads up, a clever dummy from their 10 saw space open which he brilliantly scored from to put the home side 12-10 up early in the second half. Gorey continued to fight for every ball and a line breaking run from Neil Byrne with support from Alex Cousins put Gorey back on the front foot and with sustained pressure Liam Murphy scored his third try of the day which was converted by the strong all-day Reece Price to put Gorey 12-17 ahead. A physical game in midfield and a deep Dundalk kick which James Pender brilliantly tidied lead to Gorey working the phases and making ground slowly and with carry after carry from Tom Stokes and Tom Fanning eventually leading them to the Dundalk 5 meter line and with constant pressure Dylan Hendy touched down to make it 10-22 and give the boys a bit of breathing room with 15 minutes remaining. Dundalk refused to lie down and worked the ball well and gave it their all to try make it back into the game and some ill-discipline from Gorey lead to 2 payers being yellow carded late in the second half. Dundalk worked up the field right to the end and scored right at the whistle to see the game finish 17-22.

It has to be satisfying for the Gorey coaches and team to know on a day they didn’t play to their full potential that they were able to grind out a result against a Dundalk team that had a game plan to which they stuck all day and really put it up to Gorey as would be expected at the quarter final stage of the cup.

Gorey now look forward to a Leinster Cup semi-final against unbeaten Premier Division side Tullamore in early April but for now all focus will be on next Saturday’s league quarter final at home to North Kildare.

Gorey

1. Kyle Slator

2. Tomás Furlong

3. Tom Fanning

4. DJ Donnelly

5. Alex Cousins

6. Aiden O’Gara

7. Liam Murphy

8. Tom Stokes

9. Will Cooper

10. Neil Byrne

11. Michael McDonald

12. Dan Doyle

13. Alvaro

14. Reece Price

15. James Pender

16. Dylan Hendy

17. Finn O’Gara

18. Calum Sheridan