Valley go Top with 52-0 win over Dromore
With Donaghadee only drawing at Ballymoney, Valley moved joint top with a game in hand.
2nds and 3rds both lose heavily
2nds lost away 7-38 to a strong Ballynahinch side while 3rds lost away to Cooke 5-21. Bad result for 2nds as Ballynahinch now top table.
Valley hammer Dromore 52-0
By Bob Beatty
Clogher Valley maintained their push for Kukri Qualifying League One honours with a bonus-point win against Dromore at The Cran. Wayne Lyons was a late withdrawal and Philip Holme was promoted from the bench to start on the wing. Andy Breen moved to the centre and Philip Falconer,returning from injury,was replacement back.
Valley set their stall out early on with some great ball retention and continuity. A couple of handling errors, over-elaborate passing and some spirited Dromore defence denied Valley the opening score. The Valley pack were dominating the scrums and half backs Bates and Best reveled in the plentiful supply of ball.The constant pressure eventually told and after several phases,Skipper Sharkey picked and drove through a ruck for the opening score.Holme,who was to have a faultless day with the boot,struck the conversion. Valley kept up the intensity and Holme extended Valley’s lead to 10 – 0 after a Dromore player strayed offside. A crooked Dromore lineout gave Valley an attacking scrum and Ryan Wilson powered over for the second try which Holme converted.
Dromore came more into the game in the second quarter and enjoyed a spell in Valley territory.Mattie Robinson saw yellow when he impeded a Dromore attacker and Ryan Wilson suffered a blood injury as Valley stuttered towards half time with a comfortable 17 – 0 lead.
The constant pressure began to tell on the Dromore defence and Ryan Wilson went over for his second try from a scrum. Holme’s conversion took the score to 24 – 0. Ean Griffiths made a great tackle and turnover on the Dromore ten metre line and when the ball was recycled left, Andy Breen put brother Ally through the gap He popped to Ryan Wilson who cantered in for his third and Valley’s bonus point try which Holme converted. Griffiths had to leave the field with a leg injury and he was replaced by the evergreen Willie Irvine, reinvigorated after his honeymoon.
Holme instigated Valley’s next try with a break and offload to Sharkey.Todd and Best carried the move on and Holme provided the scoring pass to Davy Dunlop. Holme converted to stretch Valley’s lead to 38 – 0.
James Bates came off to be replaced by Philip Falconer.In a reshuffled backline,Best went to scrum half, Holme to outhalf and Andy Breen to the wing.Valley kept up the pressure and Falconer’s first touch of the ball was to send Andy Breen in under the posts for another converted try. The final score came when Best moved the ball to Ally Breen who cut through the dispirited Dromore defensive line. He passed and looped with Andy Breen to scorch in for Valleys’ seventh try which Holme again converted. The final score 52 – 0 to Valley.
