Gorey Rue missed opportunities in League Semi final Exit

Gorey Under 15s missed a real chance to make the Leinster League Final when going down to Kilkenny 12 points to 0 in a closely fought Leinster League semi final
in Carlow last Saturday. Gorey should have got points on the board early in the game when their forwards were dominant and played the price in the end.

On a super day for rugby with sunshine and perfect conditions the Semi final at the neutral venue in Carlow was billed as a tight encounter. Indeed Gorey were unusually favored due to two close wins against the same opposition early in the season.

Gorey started well actually winning the ball from the kick off and establishing their intent
for the match. Gorey continued to play well and establish a foothold in the Kilkenny 22 for the first 15 minutes of the game. The Gorey forwards were dominant and try as they might they were unable to pierce the Kilkenny line due to some fine Kilkenny tackling.

Eventually Kilkenny managed to clear their line and this seemed to have a crucial effect on the Gorey lads.

Kilkenny managed a try and conversion towards the end of the first half against the run of play and you felt Gorey would react strongly and rectify the situation and get a score in reply. However the Kilkenny defense was resolute and held out till half time without being breached.

The second d half began and as the cliché goes, the next score was always going to be crucial .Unfortunately for the Gorey lads it came from the Kilkenny team and now
Gorey ware facing a mountain of a 12 points to 0 score line.

To their credit the Gorey lads got going and finally sparkled into life and made a contest of the game and were rewarded by a fine try from who else but Paul Boyle from the back of a five meter scrum This set the match up for a nail biting finish with Gorey within a score and conversion to level the match.

Try as they might with fine breaks from John Roche and Sam Kennedy Gorey failed to pierce he fierce Kilkenny defending and Gorey went down battling to a 12 - 5 score
line to a good Kilkenny team. The failure to put points on the board early on in the game when Gorey dominated was a tough lesson in knock out rugby for the Gorey Lads

The squad includes Achille Kinsella, Jack Byrne, Dan Keogh, Darragh Bellanova Ross Doyle, Declan Wilde, Stanley Hadden, Paul Boyle,Ross Doyle, Conor Butler, Kevin Harrington, Joe Gardiner, John Roche , Nicholas Kearnes, Sam Kennedy, Ian Maguire.
Subs; Jack O Hagen, Lee Farrell McCabe, Cathal Murphy, Ryan Mc Carthy,.