|
|
 |
You are > Home > Glory for Gorey
|
26 January 2012
Glory for Gorey
IT WAS a mammoth occasion for Gorey Community School on Thursday when the Senior Rugby team walked away from the Leinster Schools McMullen Senior Cup final having been crowned champions for the first time in the team’s history.
The school faced tough competition in the form of St Conleth’s of Ballsbridge in the final match of what has been an incredible year for the team.
The day is now being considered, according to Frank Duke, a team coach, as “the finest day in the history of rugby in the school.”
St Conleths started the game very strongly and Gorey was under a lot of pressure in the early stages of the game as their opposition benefitted from a series of penalties and some very nervous handling by the Gorey forwards and backs. GCS began to find their feet however and pinned the opposition back into their twenty two.
The teams went in level at half-time and Gorey dominated the second half but despite long periods in the opposition half they managed to either give away a penalty or miss their intended targets when a score seemed inevitable.
The backs of Jack Cleary, Sean Byrne, Sean O’Connor and Rory O’Toole and Dan O’Loughlin were excellent in tackling and fielding on a difficult day under the high ball.
When Gorey failed to score it was St Conleths who benefitted from three successive penalties to move down the pitch.
They capitalised on their line-outs which was a serious threat to Gorey all day and from in front of the posts Michael Hassett put them in front with thirteen minutes left. From the kickoff Gorey pinned St. Conleths back in their half.
Superb kicking from the hand by Stephen Duke from excellent service from Robert Harrington kept them pushed back into the corner.
Once again Gorey went through the phases and again they were driven back.
With four minutes left Gorey drove back towards the Conleths line and substitute Harry Woods picked and drove over to make the score ten points to eight.
The final few minutes were spent deep in the Gorey twenty two with their backs to the wall.
They managed to hang in there however, and at final whistle had won their first final, on their first attempt. Scenes of great joy followed and the presentation of the cup was delayed for some time while wild celebrations continued.
Captain Stephen Duke accepted the cup on behalf of the team and thanked the officials, the opposition, the management and especially coach Ben Horan.
The team is James Sinnott J.J. Earle James Mulligan Richard Deering Donnacha Carroll Eddie Earle Danny Hughes Jordan Aherne Robert Harrington Stephen Duke (captain) Rory O’Toole Jack Cleary Sean Byrne Daniel O’Loughlin Sean O’Connor Peter Spencer Harry Woods Eoin Walsh Conor Savage Sean Carty Zach Sinnott Stephen Byrne David Condren Brian Cooney Sean Mahon Callum O’Donohoe.
Main News Page
Previous Page
|
|
|
|
