It was a great day for rugby, with the sun out and very little wind, so the lads of the newest Rugby club in Ireland took to the field for one of the last games of the season. Everyone of the guys that lined out felt that the was something special going to happen, they have just went through a string of games which seen them take some heavy defeats, some close calls but they just couldn’t get that elusive victory which they so badly wanted. Before the game their assistant coach felt that the win was close, from what had been done in training and the team spirit which was building in the squad things where starting to come together. However, before that kick off no one connected with the club or its supporters could have believed what was to unfold in those 80 mins of rugby ahead of them.
University of Ulster Coleraine 2nd’s where the opponents who turned out the Dragons Den in Stranorlar for what they believed would be an easy game for them, quite rightly given the record for the home team up to now. However, from the kick off they took to start the game their minds where quickly changed, second row and club CRO Barry Laverty called the high ball his and with the usual secure catch he brought it down and ran straight into contact, the ruck that followed leavt the visitors in no doubt the Dragons where up for it. New to the game in terms of experience but not lacking in spirit and quick hands, scrum half Dermott McCrory got his troops ready and the first crash ball of the game took centre stage. The forwards started well and gained some positives yards, counter rucking by UUC proved futile as the Valley men got the ball cleared quickly and secured the ruck very well. The Valley Captain Iain Friel in his very strong runs helped get the movement get some momentum and the Dragons made some ground towards the visitors 22, however, with just 10 mins gone the referee awarded a penalty, after some talk it was decided that a shot at the posts was better. Out half and Man Of The Match, Niall Jackson, stepped up and confidently split the posts to get some points on the board, something that in the past has more than eluded this young team. After the restart again the pack got the ball and made their way forward. It was good stuff but the Coleraine defence held strong and after a time they got a scrum near the halfway line and even with the props, Darren Gallen and Gerry Melaugh who had very little playing experience before this season where doing well, Coleraine kept possession and pushed on from that and got a scrappy try which they failed to convert. In recent games sometime the head may have dropped but it was a different team out there today, they got together and decided that was the last time they would concede a score. From the kick off, they went at Coleraine and ruck after ruck they hit them until eventually possession was given up by the visitors and Jackson now in flying form hot for touch. Hooker Duncan Holmes another player with limited game time before last season launched the ball high and flanker Jim McDermott was hoisted high by his front row, he palmed the ball to his teammates who with quick hands fed the backline, Jackson seen his change and made a break for the line. What mesmerising run, the defenders where leavt falling and when he broke their line made a dash and placed the try under the posts, he then took the conversion well and the score was 10-5, the crowd could sense this could be the day. Again a well fielded ball setup another crash ball, with the pack hitting hard regrouping and recycling again. When the time was right the backs got their chance and again it was Jackson who started the run, quick hands feed, Dan McNulty who made good ground with a quick off load to his fellow centre John McDermot, a GAA player from Lifford, the two codes combining well to feed Graham Toal on the wing who had a great game today. The ball was then recovered by Coleraine, just a prop Gerry Melaugh had to be taken off for a blood sub with a not too serious injury, in stepped the young yet experienced, John Tague, who kept the scrum strong for Meluagh’s return after 5 mins he did, just in time for a scrum on Colerain’s 22, Melaugh had the ball on the open side and feed McCrory who off loaded to Jackson who needed no encouragement to run for the line again and put in between the posts and yet again converted it well. The score was 17-5 and no the blood was up. Coleraine soon got possession back after the kick off and made ground against a tiring side who may have felt the job was over, but the defence held strong. Time and time again and penalty after penalty was awarded but the defence just kept coming back and Coleraine had no answer for it, the ball was grounded and the resulting 22 drop out took of some pressure and then half time came.
Coach Shane Gallaher a veteran Limavady player and first year coach was not letting the lads head get away with them, they still had 40 mins and in the past sometimes the team dies off and lets victory slip away. There was worry for Captain Iain Friel who had taken a knock just minutes before and the medical staff on hand felt that concussion could have been a problem, it is the nature of the man that he didn’t want to come off so it was agreed a regular check on him would take place. One change at half time came when John Tague replaced Darren Gallen at tight head, and off they went again, a great kick saw the ball turned over quickly and the Valley men where back in charge, toing and froing took place after this with some questionable referring decisions, none the less the valley men kept their heads and just 15 minutes later, Friel who was having a storming game made a break for the line, deflecting two tackles with the hand he could smell the whitewash but a despairing tackle from an out of steam second row saw Friel come just short. The team could sense another try and they kept pushing for the line. A penalty saw Friel take it quick and made a charge for the line, he got over but the referee deemed it held up, much to the amusement of a fired up coach on the sidelines who offered the ref a voucher for a well known optician. After this Friel was checked again and to his dismay the decision was made to sub him, a change then occurred when Donal Friel was put in centre and Dan McNulty in to number 8 from the centre to replace Friel. All game the second row partnership of Damian McGlynn and Laverty where working well as the engine of the scrum was solid and lifted flanker Paul Heuston perfectly each time making the throwing for hooker Holmes easier, at one time a well rehearsed move saw Holmes throw short to Laverty on the turn and the powerful second row made at least 15 yards on a run that could have seen another try. It was coming though and with 15 minutes to go, Jackson again went on a mazy run and got another try which he duly converted. The score for everyone around who found it hard to believe was 24-5, the players and the management team didn’t find it hard to believe, they knew it was coming and with the work rate and team effort on display a victory was assured. Coleraine, however refused to give up and for the last 10 mins of a great game the Valley men were pinned back, some heroic tackles where made by full back Gary ‘Red’ O’Loughlin who had put in a sterling display. The ball was then given to the Valley men on a penalty and with the last kick of the game Jackson sent it up the field. The ref then blew the whistle on the game and the scenes of sheer delight and relief where evident as all involved at the club players and officials went crazy at the river end so happy that at last the team could say they won a match, and even sweeter was the result as in the corresponding game at the start of the season Coleraine where victorious in a 56-0 trashing. A day which will live long in the hearts and minds of all the lads and one which will keep the fire alive in the club and be something positive to build on for the future.
After the game head coach, Shane Gallaher, was congratulated and his response was, “this was nothing to do with me, the lads on the pitch done it all, I’m just happy for them and this is what we knew was coming”, the man who only this year took over coaching was seen just after the game grinning from ear to ear a brilliant achievement for a young coach and a very young and inexperienced team.
Chairman and assistant player coach, Paddy McMenamin said after the game, “I am completely over the moon, all the time and effort put in by the lads paid off today, we knew it was coming and the team has such a togetherness now, gone are the days not so long ago when we trained with 6 or 7 and had just about 15 on a match day. No, now its 20 – 25 at training on Tuesday and Thursday nights and on match days we have a selection headache. I’m just so proud of the lads, we have taken some beatings up to this and took some flack too, but today proves that if you have the believe and stick at nothing is impossible, it’s a great day for this young club and the first of many victories also.”
So a great result and something which will be a real part of the history in this young club, one which will see the Finn Valley name stay long in rugby circles all over the club and the province.
