Clogher Valley Rugby Club is one of the youngest clubs in Ireland. Formed in 1990, the club progressed through the ranks of Minor, Intermediate and Junior rugby to become one of the top sides in Kukri Qualifying League One…
The 1st XV went through their Qualifying League campaign undefeated, winning 17 of their 18 fixtures. They added the Powerade Towns Cup on Easter Monday to complete a rare double. Added to that was the Conference League, which confirmed their status as the top Junior Club in Ulster in 2012.
From those early beginnings with one adult team playing friendlies in 1990 and Minor League from 1991, the club now fields three adult teams in addition to U19, U17, U15 and U13 sides.
In 1990, a group of former pupils, assisted by the late Derek Lee, formed Clogher Valley Rugby Club. Club patriarch Roy Armstrong was the first President and remained in that position for eight years. The club undertook ambitious tours to South Africa in 1998 and 2005. Another major tour is in the advanced planning stages for Canada in 2013.
A vibrant mini rugby section provides the early foundation for the production line feeding trough to the adult teams. Of the twenty players who took the field in the Towns Cup Final, no fewer than seventeen came through the Clogher Valley youth system. A glowing testament to the sterling work put in by Youth Convenor William Trimble and his team of coaches and helpers.
Rugby was introduced to the PE curriculum of Fivemiletown College (formerly Fivemiletown High School) in the late 1970s by Kenny Towers and current Club President William Boyd. The school remains the main feeder school and twelve of the twenty players in the Towns Cup Final are past pupils.
Ulster Academy player Chris Farrell is a product of Fivemiletown College and the Clogher Valley youth system. He made his senior debut for Ulster in their PRO12 match versus Leinster in December and has a great future in the game.
The club also has a close affiliation with Aughnacloy College and St. Ciaran’s College, Ballygawley. Club captain David Sharkey, who has played a number of seasons for Junior Ulster, is a past pupil of Aughnacloy. 1st XV squad member Ronan McAleer is a former pupil of St. Ciaran’s, as is U19 Captain and Ulster U19 player Eugene McKenna.
The club has always been blessed with a dynamic hard-working Committee Members and a generous and supportive local community. Major fundraising events which included a draw for a house, along with lottery funding and other grants raised the money to construct two sand based pitches and changing rooms at The Cran, Fivemiletown. Ulster’s European Cup winning team of 1999, accompanied by coach Harry Williams, played at the official opening in 2005.
Training lights were then provided on the ‘seconds’ pitch and full match floodlights were made available on the main pitch at the beginning of the 2011-2012 season. An electric scoreboard, sponsored by major local Company, Cooneed Wats & Stone was erected during the 2011-2012 season.
Clogher Valley Rugby Club is deeply indebted to all of their sponsors – from the weekly match sponsors to all major sponsors, which include:-
Severfield – Rowan Fisher (Fisher Engineering)
The Jubilee Bar
Allan Montgomery & Co Accountants
Fivemiletown Creamery
George Crawford & Son Quarry
Cooneen Watts & Stone
G.R White Electrical
Elkin & Bennett
Gary Coote Meats
Compass Windows
The Committee of Clogher Valley would encourage all members and friends to support their sponsors whenever possible.
The club will always welcome adult and youth players who want to play rugby, whether they have played the game before or just want to try it out. Full coaching is provided for those at all levels. Details of training nights and times, along with all the latest other news and events are available on the club’s website:- www.cloghervalleyrfc.co.uk
Originally featured on the Ulster website.
