Gorey savour late-night win
Maureen Bradley after Friday's Joe Bradley Memorial Cup final with Jody O'Shaughnessy (man of the match) and Matty Forde, captain of the Gorey District side which retained its title.
Wednesday February 17 2010
WEXFORD UNDER-21S' buildup to Saturday's Leinster championship opener against Louth could have gone a lot better as they succumbed to a Gorey District side in the final of the inter-District tournament in St. Patrick's Park on Friday last.
Probably very few on the field had been involved in games finishing at just after 10.30 p.m. before, but that was the case as a late start was compounded by an entertaining draw after normal time.
The county under-age stars didn't particularly impress in this run-out. All the starting forwards registering at least one score was a positive, but some of the aimless balls and poor decision-making will worry the management team in the coming days.
All wasn't well for their opponents, and in particular the watching Jason Ryan, as Matty Forde played again but put in an uncharacteristically poor showing, was well marshalled by André O'Brien for much of the game, and missed several frees he would usually convert with ease.
Conor Carty punched an early goal for the Under-21s, while Forde stroked a penalty, following a footblock on Mark Gethings, off the crossbar which helped the county side into a four-point lead at the break.
Despite only adding three points after the interval, two from the boot of the impressive Michael O'Regan, it still looked likely to be enough for victory. However, Myles Roche failed to get enough on his punched clearance with four minutes remaining, and Jody O'Shaughnessy was on hand to blast into the roof of the net and in doing so bring the game to extra-time (2-6 to 19).
The sides remained level after the first period of overtime, with Paudie Kelly firing the best score of the game right at the end of the half, a booming effort from tight on the left, but the Under-21s failed to score after the resumption and points by O'Shaughnessy and Forde clinched victory.
Maureen Bradley presented the Joe Bradley Memorial Cup to Gorey District captain, Matty Forde, as they retained their title, while a return of 1-1 gave influential substitute Jody O'Shaughnessy the man of the match trophy.
All of the focus will now be on how the Under-21s fare against Louth on Saturday.
