GOREY ONE STEP CLOSER TO TILE          

                 Roscrea  8  Gorey 10

Gorey J1's returned to action on Sunday last after a three week Christmas break and had to make the long journey away to Roscrea. It was vital that Gorey returned to their winning ways which saw them go into the Chirstmas break with a five point lead in the Division 2A table. However with a match in hand Gorey did not play last weekend and it was Carlow who got the points against Clane which saw them close the gap on Gorey to just four points entering the final phase of the League. Carlow  were due to play North Kildare but this game is postponed due to a bereavement.

The last time these two sides met in Clonlattin it ended in a draw so Gorey were well aware that Roscrea would be fired up to try to cut Gorey's lead at the top of the table and maybe do Carlow a favour. The weather also played its part in this encounter and by kickoff the rain had been coming down for some time and with the wind added to this made it a day where flowing rugby could not played. From the whistle, Roscrea used the conditions to their advantage to piled on the pressure and were pushing Gorey around in the first few scrums and it was not long before they scrambled over for a try in the first  minutes of the game. With the conversion missed the game continued with Gorey working hard and slowly getting the measure of Roscrea and the conditions. After a good line break Gorey were awarded a penalty and James Nolan took a kick at the posts into a strong wind only to find the ball hold up in the strong wind and hit the post. Some time later Roscrea got a penalty for in at the side of the ruck by Gorey and the match reached halftime with Roscrea 8pts Gorey 0pts.

The second half was more of the same with Gorey turning the screws on Roscrea as every minute when on, but such were the conditions that any slight mistake could have handed the game to Roscrea . However their efforts payed off when a penalty was awarded for an infringement at the ruck and James Nolan put 3pts on the board for Gorey. The game continued in much the same vain for the most part of the second half, but in the last quarter relentless pressure from Gorey forwards on Roscrea's line payed off with substitute, Philip Horan crashing over to score Gorey's try and with the conversion taken by James Nolan the game ended Gorey 10pts Roscrea 8pts. This now leaves Gorey 8 pts clear of Carlow but Carlow have a game in hand. However Gorey march on still unbeaten and one step closer to the Division 2A title

Next weekend Gorey take on Railway Union under lights in Clonlattin on Saturday the18th, evening K.O. 7.30pm. If the last encounter between these two teams is anything to go by this should be a humdinger, so come along and support your local rugby club, in what promises to be a great evening's entertainment.

Team: 1. Ciaran Allen  2. Barry O'Connor  3. Thomas Tomkins 4. Darragh O'Leary  5. Adrain Copeland  6. Jordan Ahern 7. Micheal Woods  8. Paul Redmond  9. Mat Bater  10. Stephen Duke. 11 .Darren Dunne  12. James Nolan  13. Paul Clinch14. John Condern  15. Neville Copeland  16. Fergal Bolger 17. William Kearney.  18. Philip Horan  19. Aidan O'Brien 20. Robert Harrington.