Gorey RFC Official Website

16th Feb 2013

Gorey Under 15s vs Boyne RFC

Gorey U15s Breech Boyne Stronghold

Under the watchful eye of match referee Mick Lennon, the Gorey RFC U15 Rugby Captain, Mark Hoare and his counterpart Oisin McCormack of Boyne RFC, Co Louth exchanged handshakes for the opening bout of the 2013 McArdle Cup campaign, on Saturday last, February 16th. Boyne, on home soil, were eager to impress. Dave Floyd and Dave Lyons, the Boyne management team, had indicated earlier that the grounds were in great condition considering the terrible weather over the previous weeks. Both squads were certainly up for a good game and all were eager to impress.

Some players appeared at first a little rusty. Lack of match time showed. In the opening minutes, an unfortunate knock on by Boyne resulted in a quick tap and go which allowed the Gorey No8 Mark Hoare to get over the line only to be held up and forcefully driven back. Three more waves of attack were launched by Gorey, led by Oscar Falconer, Lucas Stafford and David Bailey yet still Boyne held out. Ciaran Murphy struck on the ten minute mark, snatching a loose ball that had squirted out from under a scrum. He advanced at speed along the right flank and kicked for territory before being closed down. The ball bounced favourably for winger Jamie Doyle who was deadly at close range. Over he went, under the posts to make light work for kicker Cian Hadden who converted. On several occasions the weight and power of the Boyne pack was used to devastating effect. Their slow creep forward was repelled only by some sheer gallantry from Barry Doyle, Jack Cushe and Conor Mangan. Oscar Falconer cruised around the middle of the pitch torpedoing Boyne ships as they tried to ride the waves in. Such was his intensity that many times the attackers were slow to get to their feet.

Twenty minutes in and Boyne's Jack Cronin found a hole and was away. He offloaded beautifully to his running mate and only for an ankle tap by Murphy, he would most certainly have been over. The Drogheda men had to use every weapon in their arsenal to break down the Gorey defence. Their big men smashed forward. Momentum was on their side. A penalty ten meters out caused Capt Oisin McCormack to reflect on his choices. Fortune favoured the brave and he ordered a running line attack. Gorey scrambled desperately to hold out but grim determination by Ross Berkeley proved decisive. His try was converted by Cronin and the sides were level. Moments later, from a line out deep in the Boyne twenty two, Gorey's Ciaran Murphy, running on a great line, took a ball at full pace from Seamus Tomkins and sliced open a snoozing Boyne defence to add five of his own. Again, Hadden did the honours. The first half closed out at fourteen points to seven to the visitors.

The second half saw Falconer and Doyle again wreak havoc on Boyne. They displayed great strength and combined well to turnover the ruck. Jack Willoughby fielded some superb ball and released Lucas Stafford who tore up the wing within three minutes to stretch Gorey's lead. Cian Hadden made it three from three. From the restart, a series of handling errors allowed Boyne gain a foothold in the Gorey twenty two. An attack off the blind side of a scrum allowed Ross Berkeley to dive into the corner on the six minute mark. The resulting angle was too sharp for kicker Cronin. Gorey suffered a blow during this skirmish, when their scrum half, No9 Seamus Tomkins went down clutching his right knee. Luke Willoughby, brother of full back Jack, was rapidly dispatched into the fray and had an immediate impact.

Referee Mick Lennon awarded Gorey a penalty for a high tackle and Boyne were repeatedly punished for not allowing the attacker make the ten yards. Reece Hughes used his dexterity and agility to advance the team forward, passing to Hadden who bounced it into touch. From the lineout winger Jamie Doyle was over for his second try of the afternoon but the geometry of angles proved too much for the kicker. Moments later Willoughby, Murphy and Doyle provided the gap for Conor Mangan to have a go but referee Lennon deemed his try to be a double movement. The five meter scrum was cleared from the in-goal area by Joe Fitzpatrick.

Sprinting under the high dropping ball, full back Jack Willoughby fielded superbly and lobbed in one of his own. Murphy and Hughes doubled forward putting everyone on side and

their effort was rewarded. Support running by Oscar Falconer paid dividends and the fruits of his labour was an outstanding try. Hadden, by now limping with an ankle injury passed the baton to Jack Willoughby but the breeze just took it away and it shaved the uprights. Boyne did get over in the dying seconds but the ever sharp Chris Bolger held it up to close out the contest thirty one points to twelve to Gorey.

As always, the squad would like to thank their opposition for their hospitality, their management and coaching staff of Brian Willoughby, James Tomkins and Jim Hoare, the families that travelled in support and especially their sponsors, Stafford's Bakery of Clonattin, Gorey.

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The squad consisted of;

1. Barry Doyle

2. Ben D'Arcy

3. Jack Cushe

4. David Bailey

5. Dale Rothwell

6. Reece Hughes

7. Michael Wafer

8. Mark Hoare, Capt

9. Seamus Tomkins

10. Cian Hadden (3 Conversions)