23 Apr 2013

Gorey RFC U13s Win South East Shield

Gorey Under 13s took to the field on a beautiful Tuesday eveing to face their final match and biggest challenge of the season with the prize of the Leinster South East Shield awaiting the winners. Facing them was a big Enniscorthy team that came with a reputation of tough players with some great backs.

Gorey didn't need much of a team-talk to get them motivated for this game and they hit the ground running, taking all of the play to Enniscorthy. Big tackles and fantastic rucking left Enniscorthy in no doubt that they were going to have a tough task ahead of them.

The large crowd of Gorey supporters that had gathered for the game didn't have to wait long for something to cheer, as pack leader, Toby Falconer burst through off a ruck for the first try of the game after just 14 minutes.

Enniscorthy looked rattled and done their best to re-group, but they had barely recovered from the shock of Gorey's early try, when some fantastic forwards play by Josh Doyle and Tadhg O'Neill allowed Gorey's powerful No. 8, James Lawlor, to break free and run the full 22 metres to put his name on the scorers list with a great try, just three minutes later.

Gorey now switched the play to the backs, with Niall Murphy, Sean Wafer and Paraic Hughes spreading the ball and running great lines to keep Enniscorthy pinned in their own half. Greg Bolger made some great tackles leading to an interception by Henry Kennedy, a try looked certain, but Henry was isolated and Enniscorthy held their lines.
A knock-on gave Gorey a scurm in Enniscorthy's half and scrum-half Cillian Tomkins fed the ball in to Toby Falconer, whose scrummaging was inspiring. It was collected by Frank Kavanagh, who never looked liked being stopped as he went over for Gorey's third try, which was converted by Mark Kehoe to leave the score at 17 - 0.

Gorey made some substitutions before half-time and Evan Dwyer, coming back for his first game after an injury, spotted the gap off a ruck and darted over the line in O'Driscollesque fashion for a brilliant try to leave the half-time score at Gorey 22 Enniscorthy 0.

Gorey used their very strong bench to introduce some new players in the second half, with Flynn Donnelly, Sean Newens and Paul O'Reilly making a great impact as soon as they joined the play. But Enniscorthy weren't finished and to their great credit kept their heads up and came back to pressurise Gorey, eventually leading to a try of their own placed directly under the posts, which was easily converted to bring them back to 22 - 7.

Paddy O'Hagan linked up well with Donough McGivern to create a few chances, but Enniscorthy were now fighting back. Gorey had to defend really well to stop several good chances, but again Gorey's tackling was superb.

With just minutes to go, Enniscorthy broke through Gorey's lines to earn a well deserved consolation try to leave the final score at Gorey 22 - Enniscorthy 14.

However, it was clear from the very first whistle that there was only ever going to be one team to lift the trophy at the and of this game and that was this incredibly hard-working and well drilled Gorey team.

They have improved tremendously from their first foray into full 15-a-side Youth rugby at the beginning of this season and have put down a marker for next season. Watch this space!!!

Click Here for more match photos from our Gallery. 

GOREY TEAM

1. Toby Falconer

2. Cormac Walsh

3. Josh Doyle

4. Tadhg O'Neill

5. Jack Ryan

6. Ryan Gibney

7. Frank Kavanagh

8. James Lawlor

9. Cillian Tomkins

10. Pauric Hughes

11. Niall Murphy

12. Sean Wafer

13. Greg Bolger

14. Mark Kehoe

15. Henry Kennedy

Subs:-

Thomas Doyle

Flynn Donnelly

Sean Newens

Patrick O'Hagan  

Evan Dwyer

Donough McGivern

Cian Sullivan

Paul O'Reilly

Tadhg Kirwan