GOREY KICK-OFF LEINSTER LEAGUE WITH A WIN

After weeks of anticipation the Leinster League kicked off on Sunday afternoon in Gorey against North Kildare. However NKRFC were scheduled to travel with their J2's as well as their J1's and it was with great disappointment that Gorey learned the night before the game that they would only be fielding a J1 side. This left a lot of lads who were champing at the bit to kick their season off, without a game and very frustrated, but the season is long and those lads will get their chance to shine, the flip side to this is that Gorey RFC were able to field three sides this weekend and NKRFC only able to field one. This is a testament as to how far GoreyRFC has come.

Back to the game that did take place and the J1's kicked off their season on a fine sunny Sunday afternoon in Clonattin with a large crowd in attendance. The game started with both sides having pre-season nerves but NKRFC were bringing their game to Gorey and it became a very physical encounter with both sides getting up close and personal and NKRFC giving some nice off loads around the breakdown. It was NKRFC who got on the score board first after a breakdown in their own 22 when the ref seemed to put his hand up for a penalty and caught some Gorey players napping, when the ball went out the back and they ran the full pitch to score and convert the try. From the restart Gorey piled back on the pressure and when Stephen Dukes made a break only to be pulled back. From the resulting play Jordan Ahern was pushed over the line to get Gorey of the mark and Stephen Dukes converted.

Just before the half time break Matt Bater chipped though and was just shy of a touch down but the ball went over the dead ball line and soon after the ref blew up with the score 7 all.

The second half recommenced with Gorey attacking and it was not long before Sean O'Connor went over after fine back play to leave it 12pts to 7pts in favour of Gorey. NKRFC staged a surge from the restart and were rewarded with a penalty at the breakdown and made the score 12pts to 10pts. For this reporter, this game was always going to come down to fitness as it was such a tough battle from the start, it was Gorey's pre-season training that won out in the end and from this point in the game they never looked back with sub Jason Emery scoring two tries and PJ Clince going over to bring the try tally to five, with Stephen Dukes converting these scores, Gorey went in to the final few minutes 33pts to 10pts. NKRFC got a late try to leave the final scores Gorey 33 North Kildare RFC 15. All in all it was a super start to Gorey's league campaign with a win and a bonus point in the bag.

Gorey head to Portlaoise next Sunday 6th October for their next game K.O. 3pm.

Gorey RFC 33 North Kildare 15

Team

1. Ciaran Smith  2.Barry O 'O Connor 3. Willie Kearney 4. Simon Besanson 5. Adrain Copeland 6. Daragh O'Leary 7. Micheal Woods 8.Jordan Ahern 9.  Robert Harrington 10. Stephen Dukes  11.John Condorn 12. Matt Bater 13. PJ Clince 14. Killian Breen 15.Sean O' O Connor

SUBS   Jason Emery, J P Redmond, Ben Horan, Richard Jones, Cirian Allen, Fergal Bolger, Sean Byrne.