Towns Cup Semi-final Clogher Valley 24 Ballymena 2nds 17
At half time many thought this game was over, including the Valley travelling support, when Ballymena led 17-3 and were in command of the game. Someone forgot to tell the Valley players and with a superb second half performance they first clawed their way back and then won the game.
Clogher Valley started and took the first scrum against the head. A kickable penalty was kicked to touch but a knock on stopped progress. It was all Valley though Ballymena were defending well. A series of scrum penalties for Valley saw them take a 3-0 lead after 12 minutes when one was converted by Armstrong.
Ballymena seemed to wake up from this and levelled the scores on 15 minutes with a penalty in front of the posts. For the rest of the first half Valley were run ragged with the slick back play of Ballymena causing Valley all sorts of problems. The game was now loose and this suited Ballymena. Valley could not get their hands on the ball and when they did poor decision making and open field kicking allowed Ballymena to reassert pressure. When Ballymena then started to turn over Valley mauls the writing was on the wall. Ballymena thought they had scored in the 24th minute but the referee adjudged a knock on. Within minutes another good back move saw the Ballymena winger sprint down the touch line and grubber kick past the last defender. Luckily for Valley full back Stott managed to win the race to the ball for a Valley 22.
But the pressure was building on the Valley line and eventually Ballymena scored a converted try and led 10-3.
Ballymena quickly returned to the attack from the restart and Valley were in disarray. They tried to run out from their own 22 and were swiftly bundled into touch by Ballymena. From the line out Ballymena stretched the Valley defence and scored their second converted try and a 17-3 lead at half time. Valley needed the time to regroup as the game was starting to get away from them.
The game changed immediately after the restart. Firstly a Ballymena centre, after 44 minutes, was yellow carded and then the Valley side upped the level of intensity led by an outstanding back-row trio of Eugene McKenna, Sharkey and Treiner who began to knock Ballymena out of their stride with some ferocious tackling behind the gain line. The rest of The Valley forwards and backs had also upped their game and Ballymena began to look vulnerable with all the pressure.
However Valley were being forced into replacements when Clarke, who had not played or trained since November, replaced McAleer at prop. McAleer was suffering from the aftereffects of flu, but he had to be used to replace an injured Bennett before half time.
Valley backs were now coming into the game and a good blind side move between Armstrong and Stott led to the latter grubber kicking behind the Ballymena defence but it went into touch before winger Breen could reach it. Valley then turned over a Ballymena maul and their backs moved the ball quickly to winger Breen who sprinted down the line. Unfortunately the last pass was forward and Ballymena escaped, though not for long. The Valley pressure at the scrum forced a Ballymena kick to touch. The lineout was text book Clogher Valley as the catch and drive led to hooker Cobane scoring a try after 65 minutes. Armstrong kicked the conversion from the touchline and Valley, now 10-17 down, started to have belief that they could win the game.
Valley were now keeping the game tight and using their rolling maul to good advantage. They returned to the Ballymena five metre line and won a series of penalties where they took the scrum rather than the kicks. After another scrum penalty the referee awarded a penalty try, converted by Armstrong after 69 minutes and Valley were level against all the odds.
Ballymena had not been out of their half for the entire second half. Whenever they tried to move the ball the Valley tackling stopped them dead. Valley centre Falconer, impressive throughout, turned over a ball and released Armstrong, Stott and Breen who repeated their earlier move. This time Stott’s grubber was good and Breen was able to hack on towards the Ballymena goal line. Ballymena picked up in the field of play but the follow up of the Clogher players forced then over their own try line and Valley had a five metre scrum with 5 minutes left.
Ballymena were expecting a drive but instead Best took the quick ball went blind and then reversed passed to the supporting Sharkey, who although tackled, stretched for the line and another Valley score. When Armstrong again kicked from the touchline Valley led 24-17 with minutes remaining.
Valley held on for an unexpected victory and a place in The Towns Cup final against old foes Ballynahinch 2nds who beat Donaghadee in the other semi final
This Valley win was based on superior fitness, youth, (9 of the finishing 15 were under 25) and a never say die attitude prevalent in all Clogher Valley sides.
At the Cran Valley 2nds also advanced to the Crawford Plate final against Bangor 2nds after beating Academy 2nds 13-8. Valley had a late cry off which led to the 1st traveling to Ballymena with only 4 replacements. A fine example of the Clogher Valley ethos where all sides are important.
