GOREY ARE SOUTH EAST CHAMPIONS
29/12/2014
GOREY ARE SOUTH EAST CHAMPIONS
The much anticipated all Wexford South East Final between Gorey and the reigning Champions, Enniscorthy, was played in front of a large crowd at Ross Road on Sunday last. Both teams are in the running in their respective leagues, with Enniscorthy hot on the heels of Dundalk in Division 1A and Gorey leading Division 1B, as they both head into the business end of the season. So this game between the two was for Gorey a step in their upward curve of recent seasons and also a measure of how far they have come. Enniscorthy on the other hand were the 2014 All Ireland Club and South East champions and are used to competing at this level every week. With ideal weather conditions the game was set to be a cracker, as it is years since these two clubs have crossed paths, and what a cracker it was.
The game kicked off with the home team playing with the sun at their back but it was the visitors who were first out of the blocks and drew first blood with a Brendon Spears penalty, from just inside the halfway line, when Enniscorthy were penalised at a ruck. This settled the visitors and they continued to put pressure on the home team. Another Brendon Spears penalty saw Gorey stretch their lead. From the restart Enniscorthy got into Gorey territory and should have scored but Ivan Poole just shaved the outside of the post with a penalty. Further Gorey pressure saw the visitors awarded two further penalties, which the in-form Spears kicked with aplomb, to extend the score to 12 - 0. Gorey should have added a try, when Ciaran Allen seemed to have scored, only for the referee to disallow. Enniscorthy eventually lifted the siege and after some good play worked their way into the Gorey 22, with a penalty to the corner, and after sustained pressure a beautiful move saw out half Ivan Poole go in under the posts to convert and take the score to 12 - 7. With minutes left on the clock Gorey continued their assault on the Enniscorthy line and should have had another try with Jeff Dunne racing for the line only for Ross Barbour to make a fantastic try saving tackle. Enniscorthy kept their line intact and were relieved to hear the halftime whistle as really Gorey could have been out of sight such was their dominance in the opening half.
If Gorey controlled the first half Enniscorthy took over for the second, and in a carbon copy of the first half, laid siege to the Gorey line. But a stubborn Gorey defence, with Matt Bater at its heart, was proving hard to break down. Eventually the line was breached, Enniscorthy were awarded a penalty and from a quick tap Killian Lett reached over the line to score for Ivan Poole to convert. Enniscorthy saw a further Ivan Poole penalty stretch their lead to 17 - 12 and in a commanding position as the clock ticked down. With 10 minutes left, both teams were off-loading their benches, with Enniscorthy looking to close out the game. But Gorey had a sting in their tail and upped the ante as their never say die attitude lifted them for a final assault on the Enniscorthy line. The returning Shane Luby was instrumental in this, as he probed the home defence looking for that all important chink. A penalty into the corner created the platform for Gorey to do just that, and after sustained forward pressure, JP Redmond went over to a huge cheer from the visiting supporters. It was no more than Gorey deserved as this score drew the teams level, with a conversion attempt to take the spoils back to North Wexford. The ever reliable Luby was given the task but just couldn't manage to split the posts. Extra time was the order which both teams really did not need after such a hard fought battle.
The much anticipated all Wexford South East Final between Gorey and the reigning Champions, Enniscorthy, was played in front of a large crowd at Ross Road on Sunday last. Both teams are in the running in their respective leagues, with Enniscorthy hot on the heels of Dundalk in Division 1A and Gorey leading Division 1B, as they both head into the business end of the season. So this game between the two was for Gorey a step in their upward curve of recent seasons and also a measure of how far they have come. Enniscorthy on the other hand were the 2014 All Ireland Club and South East champions and are used to competing at this level every week. With ideal weather conditions the game was set to be a cracker, as it is years since these two clubs have crossed paths, and what a cracker it was.
The game kicked off with the home team playing with the sun at their back but it was the visitors who were first out of the blocks and drew first blood with a Brendon Spears penalty, from just inside the halfway line, when Enniscorthy were penalised at a ruck. This settled the visitors and they continued to put pressure on the home team. Another Brendon Spears penalty saw Gorey stretch their lead. From the restart Enniscorthy got into Gorey territory and should have scored but Ivan Poole just shaved the outside of the post with a penalty. Further Gorey pressure saw the visitors awarded two further penalties, which the in-form Spears kicked with aplomb, to extend the score to 12 - 0. Gorey should have added a try, when Ciaran Allen seemed to have scored, only for the referee to disallow. Enniscorthy eventually lifted the siege and after some good play worked their way into the Gorey 22, with a penalty to the corner, and after sustained pressure a beautiful move saw out half Ivan Poole go in under the posts to convert and take the score to 12 - 7. With minutes left on the clock Gorey continued their assault on the Enniscorthy line and should have had another try with Jeff Dunne racing for the line only for Ross Barbour to make a fantastic try saving tackle. Enniscorthy kept their line intact and were relieved to hear the halftime whistle as really Gorey could have been out of sight such was their dominance in the opening half.
If Gorey controlled the first half Enniscorthy took over for the second, and in a carbon copy of the first half, laid siege to the Gorey line. But a stubborn Gorey defence, with Matt Bater at its heart, was proving hard to break down. Eventually the line was breached, Enniscorthy were awarded a penalty and from a quick tap Killian Lett reached over the line to score for Ivan Poole to convert. Enniscorthy saw a further Ivan Poole penalty stretch their lead to 17 - 12 and in a commanding position as the clock ticked down. With 10 minutes left, both teams were off-loading their benches, with Enniscorthy looking to close out the game. But Gorey had a sting in their tail and upped the ante as their never say die attitude lifted them for a final assault on the Enniscorthy line. The returning Shane Luby was instrumental in this, as he probed the home defence looking for that all important chink. A penalty into the corner created the platform for Gorey to do just that, and after sustained forward pressure, JP Redmond went over to a huge cheer from the visiting supporters. It was no more than Gorey deserved as this score drew the teams level, with a conversion attempt to take the spoils back to North Wexford. The ever reliable Luby was given the task but just couldn't manage to split the posts. Extra time was the order which both teams really did not need after such a hard fought battle.
As in the first half of normal time it was Gorey who started the brighter. Shane Luby again put Gorey on the front foot and, with his forwards working their socks off, the Enniscorthy line came into view. Again Enniscorthy defended well but as so often happens if you keep knocking, the door finally opens, and Gorey's tighthead Ciaran Allen charged over for Luby to convert. From the restart Gorey went back on the attack again as their tails were up. They moved the ball with purpose and forced Enniscorthy back into their own 22. From the resulting lineout Gorey rumbled forward and after a number of phases of play Adrian Copeland crashed over in the corner to put two scores between the teams. The second period of extra time saw Enniscorthy come back strong but unlike the second half of normal time they could not break down a determined Gorey defence. The final whistle sounded to huge cheers from the Gorey support as they lifted the South East cup for the first time since 2007. This game had everything that makes rugby the spectacle that it is with both teams leaving nothing on the pitch. Enniscorthy can have no complaints as on the day Gorey just seemed to want it that bit more and were full value for the win. In an outstanding team performance for Gorey the Bater brothers, Matt and Gareth, and Brendon Spears were the pick of the backs with Ben Horan, JP Redmond and Ciaran Allen the pick of a very hard working pack. Enniscorthy had some great performances too from Tom Ryan, Timmy Morrissey and Sean Wall in the forwards with Daniel Pimm, Ivan Poole and captain Killian Lett the pick of the backs.
Teams
Gorey - J Mulligan B O Connor C Allen JP Redmond A Copeland J Ahearne Captain B Horan J Dunne G Bater A O Brien A Walsh M Bater S Byrne PJ Clince B Spears R Deering S Luby R Harrington M Woods G Mullins
Enniscorthy - J Doyle D Murphy P Waters S wall T Morrissey A Jacob M Dalton T Ryan E Lett I Poole I Jacob D Pimm K Lett H O Neill R Barbour P Bolger J Kelly A Todisco R O Connor S McGuire
Gorey - J Mulligan B O Connor C Allen JP Redmond A Copeland J Ahearne Captain B Horan J Dunne G Bater A O Brien A Walsh M Bater S Byrne PJ Clince B Spears R Deering S Luby R Harrington M Woods G Mullins
Enniscorthy - J Doyle D Murphy P Waters S wall T Morrissey A Jacob M Dalton T Ryan E Lett I Poole I Jacob D Pimm K Lett H O Neill R Barbour P Bolger J Kelly A Todisco R O Connor S McGuire
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