Gorey U 19s Leinster Cup Final

Gorey 11 Mullingar 0

Gorey youths rugby's golden era delivered a third Leinster trophy in 3 years when their U19s won a cracking cup final encounter with Mullingar at Donnybrook on Saturday. This added to Leinster Premier League titles at U17s and U19s in the previous seasons.
Gorey club's emotional investment in this fixture was manifest over an hour before kick off as the green white and blue jerseys and flags claimed the north end of Donnybrook's  famous stand. Nor were they prepared to be quiet, as the cheers, horns and bodhrans of Gorey's fantastic 23rd man [woman-child?] commenced a din that would enthuse and inspire until long after the final whistle. And what a moment of connection, as supporters drawn from all sectors of the club, formed a green white and blue tunnel to engulf the 22 man squad as they ran out from changing room to pitch. How it must have heartened this team, still reeling from the news earlier that day that their inspirational captain Fergal Bolger had not been cleared as eligible to play by the Leinster Branch officialdom.

Gorey chose to play with the light first half wind and confidently chose to run rather than kick their first ruck ball with Josh White and Conor Hatton carrying and forcing the first Mullingar breakdown concession. Gorey kicked for territory and tried to work out the Mullingar weaknesses. The Mullingar pack was very well built and they troubled Gorey all day in the scrums, normally a Gorey attacking platform. But Gorey's ruck clear out was top class with Richard Deering, JJ Earle aiding their re-enforcer Stephen Gardiner while Donnachada Carroll and James Mulligan bossed the defensive lines. Furthermore, Mullingar failed to contest the Gorey lineout where David Condren and Harry Woods were imperious all day in taking JJ Earle's crisp deliveries. This allowed Gorey to set their potent lineout maul which was a source of go forward ball all day. 

 Armed with possession and territory, Gorey handling in the first quarter seemed all that was denying them their first score. But as they edged closer to the Mullingar line they were turned over and Mullingar produced the back move of the game to move away from contact and put their pacey fullback into space and up the left wing. A try seemed inevitable until Jack Cleary produced the tackle of the season racing 100m from the opposing wing to stop the movement just inside the Gorey 22. Gorey scrambled but conceded a penalty and had to work hard to save their own line. Two fantastic choke tackles later, with a great Stephen Duke clearance in between and Gorey were once again safe and free to build again. Perhaps stunned into caution by the sheer neck of the Mullingar break-out, Gorey now seemed reluctant to move beyond the second receiver, attacking the narrow channels. But the running  lines seemed flat and a little slow and Mullingar were coping easily. Finally territory yielded a kickable penalty opportunity which the ice cool Conor Hatton duly slotted to get Gorey off the mark near the end of the half.

Following the kick-off Mullingar had the opportunity to level the score with a penalty from a similar distance but it rebounded off the post into the arms of a vigilant David Condren who cleared to touch Castletown style. Gorey continued to defend their line for the remainder of the half with penalty concessions at the breakdown keeping Mullingar in the game. The half ended 3-0 to Gorey after a further missed penalty attempt by Mullingar.
When Gorey turned around for the second half the wind, now against them, had disappeared. The line-out maul was once again the platform for Gorey attack with Josh White breaking from the back of the first one and stepping inside the 10 channel. Gorey now widened their attack with encouraging results, Stephen Duke and Jack Cleary combining up the left wing. Mullingar scrambled but with persistent infringing in their red zone, their No 8 spent seven minutes in the bin. Conor Hatton kicked the ensuing penalty to stretch the lead to six points. Gorey tails were up, Mullingar were a man down and their supporters increased the din. From a line-out on the Mullingar 22, Stephen Gardiner peeled around the front only to be denied a try by the brave Mullingar right wing. Gorey probed from close in again, only for Stephen Gardiner to be denied a second time when almost over the line. Mullingar were returned to 15 men and continued to deny a Gorey try with fantastic defence. Stephen Duke probed the 10 channel close in taking a lively pop inside Josh White but was deemed held up when over the line.

Finally the breakthrough try came as we entered the final quarter, and it was the wide channel and a move involving the entire Gorey backline that produced it. Robert Harrington managed another crisp delivery from the back of a retreating scrum on the Mullingar 10m line. With Sean Byrne and Rory OToole running dummy lines, Stephen Duke was able to find James Nolan who ran a wide line. Full back Conor Hatton gained ground and off-loaded skillfully to James Nolan looping around. Now Gorey finally had a 2 on 1. Left wing Jack Cleary stormed into the 22 and had the sense the pass back inside when the drift defence covered him. James Nolan was one of three Gorey backs in support, a miniature celebratory pump of the air heralding the touching down. In the celebration Conor Hatton was handed the wrong kicking tee and failed with the difficult conversion attempt.
But it barely mattered. Gorey knew they were home, if not hosed. A fitting try for a team that has tried to play expansive rugby all year. And a cause for celebration for their incredible supporters. Whether this era for the club will ultimately prove a milestone or a stepping stone remains to be seen. But for all connected with the club, this was a most special day.

Gorey: Fergal Bolger [Non playing Capt], Conor Hatton, Jack Cleary, Sean Byrne [Captain], James Nolan, Rory O Toole, Stephen Duke, Robert Harrington, James Mulligan,  JJ Earle,  Richard Deering, David Condren, Harry Woods,  Stephen Gardiner, Donnachda Carroll, Josh White.  Subs: Kallum O Donoghue, Conor Savage, Sean Mahon, Deasun Griffin, Peter Spencer,  Paddy Chapman, Brian Brooks, David Eirkem, Stephen Doyle, Adam Thompson, Eoin Walsh, Sean O Connor.

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