Clogher Valley 1XV – 28
versus Portadown 1XV – 5
Clogher Valley 1XV – 3 tries, 2 conversions, 3 penalties, 0 drop goals.
Portadown 1XV – 1 tries, 0 conversions, 0 penalties, 0 drop goals.
Better Second Half Showing
Clogher Valley outgunned visitors Portadown on Saturday in a fine second half showing that has kept them in the hunt for league honours. The first half was largely forgettable as both sides struggled to put a decent passage of play together. Clogher had a real edge at scrum time but the line out was well below par and thwarted any sustained passage of play or any attempt to hold decent field position. Potadowns first scrum disintegrated giving the Valley an early penalty .Going for the lineout may have seemed the right idea but alas it failed to deliver as did many subsequent attempts. Eventually though on twenty minutes a take and drive was executed to perfection, Portadown were caught offside and Holme stepped up to open the scoring.
The biggest cheer of the day was not for the three points but for Cloghers new scoreboard under the control of technical director Derek Wright registering its first points. Portadown almost hit back immediately but Cloghers defence was equal to the task and Holme eased the pressure with some great touchline clearances. On the half hour another Portadown scrum heading in a backwards direction conceded a penalty, the kicking tee was launched from the touchline and Holme struck a fine effort to double his and his teams tally. The Valley had a slight edge for the final ten minutes but could not put a continuous passage of play together. Portadowns defence was committed and well organised and the only other real scoring chance in the remainder of the half fell to Holme but this time his penalty effort drifted wide.
The coaches and the physio set to work at the interval and applied the required lotions and solutions that obviously lifted their charges as Clogher went on to produce a much better second half showing. Indeed the same applied in the Portadown camp as they too contributed to a much more enjoyable second half spectacle. It was the visitors who set the early standard encamping deep in Valley territory. Cloghers defensive line held and eventually Ali Breen launched a massive 70 metre clearance kick that took play to the 5 metre line. Portadown scrambled the ball into touch and it was line out time again. There was a collective holding off breath around the pitch, would Blackies half time directives work. Perfect throw, perfect catch, powerful driving maul, Griffith touchdown. The kiwi who scores most Saturdays had grabbed another. Holme was off target with the conversion but landed a penalty several minutes later after yet another scrum infringement.
The Valley held the upper hand in the middle section of the half, the Wilson bros and Sharkey were very hard to handle thriving on the work of the front five. A series of 5 metre scrums saw Portadown in real trouble. Ryan Wilson was held up over the line but the scrums kept coming and the pressure kept building. Eventually the no 8 got his reward with a well deserved touchdown which was engineered by the front five. Holme added the conversion and at 21pts up all was looking rosy at the Cran. A late tackle and penalty where the ball landed gave Portadown a strong field position. Several phases of great play resulted in tight head Neilly crossing wide out for a well worked team try. The touchline conversion was missed. Back came the visitors hungry for more and now it was Cloghers turn on the ropes. At times it was frantic defence and times it was well drilled defence that kept the mid ulster marauders at bay and on one occasion it was the guile of fullback Ali Breen. A try seemed a certainty Portadown had a 5 verses 2 situation. Breen pounced to intercept and suddenly he was in open space. There was only one winner in that scenario and he touched down under the posts giving Holme an easy conversion to wrap up the scoring. Next Saturday it’s back to the junior cup and a daunting trip to Coleraine.
Clogher Valley 2XV – 21
versus Portadown 2XV – 11
Clogher Valley 2XV – 2 tries, 1 conversions, 3 penalties, 0 drop goals.
Portadown 2XV – 1 tries, 0 conversions, 2 penalties, 0 drop goals.
Hard-earned Victory
The Valley second string completed the double over Portadown on Saturday by recording this fine 10 point victory over a strong Portadown side. Again skipper Greaves had to reshuffle his troops but like all good leaders he got on with it and succeeded. Portadown opened up in retro fashion launching ‘ Garryowen’ after ‘Garryowen’ which worked the Valley back three for a period.
Eventually though showing enterprising continuity Clogher worked their way into the defensive red zone. The valley scrum and lineout would supply quality possession and after a series of 5 metre scrums and resets second row forward Primrose crashed over for the opening score. Dynes missed the conversion but added two penalties as the half progressed. Portadown struggled at first phase particularly the line out where Greaves was turning over possession at will. Nevertheless they did gain good field position at times and scored a try and a subsequent penalty before the half drew to a close.
The second period was error ridden and lacked any real ‘get up and go’. The quartet of Greaves, Gibbs, Richmond and McClennan worked their socks off to stabilise proceedings and eventually McClennan capitalised on good work to score an excellent try which Dynes duly goaled.
Montgomery was red carded on 50 minutes which didn’t help the cause but Clogher would not let the victory slip out of their grasp. Portadown did convert a second half penalty as did Cloghers Dynes wrapping up this hard earned victory.
