Results:
1st won 44-0 with a bonus point victory to take them second in league. 2nds won 39-17 away at Cooke which should also consolidate them at second in league. 3rds lost but put up a good performance against a strong Dungannon side.
In the Youth U17’s and U13’s just scraped home against Cavan 24-22, (two tries from Josh Coulter and one each from Nathan Keyes and Stuart Coulter), and 29-19, (two tries from both Scott Johnston and Stuart Boyd with a further one from Ryan Whitside) respectively after both being well ahead. U15’s lost 3-7 in a game they should have won, also against Cavan.
3 Valley sides in top 2 in leagues
1st XV are top of Conference league and second in Qualifying 1 with a match in hand over leaders Donaghadee
2nd XV are top of Junior 2 but second place Ballnahinch have two games in hand.
U19’s are second in Group 1 with a match in hand over leaders Rainey, who they play this weekend.
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Cooke 2nds 17 vs 38 Clogher Valley 2nds
2nds beat bottom side Cooke 38-17
Defensive fraility a concern as Valley go top of Junior 1.
Clogher Valley 2nds travelled to Shaws Bridge,Belfast hoping to extend their recent winning run.Despite a disjointed and error-strewn performance against the bottom placed team, Valley managed to emerge 38 – 17 winners.
After a shaky start,Valley laid seige to the Cooke line,and when several attempts were repulsed,Ivan Dunn finally crossed for the opening try which Chris Dynes converted.Despite the perfect playing conditions,both teams struggled to put together any meaningful phases.The Valley forwards seemed to be off the pace and incurred the wrath of the referee on numerous occasions for infringements at the breakdown.
Dynes added a penalty before a pedestrian defence allowed Cooke to close the gap to 7 – 10.From a shortened lineout, Hamish McClennan crossed at the posts and Dynes converted to extend Valley’s lead to 7 – 17. Cooke scored a penalty to leave the half time score 10 – 17.
Valley did eventually put some phases together and began to demonstrate the form which has taken them into the top four of the league. Andy Creaney and Colin McKeown scored converted trys to extend the lead to 10 – 31.
Once again,defensive lapses allowed Cooke to score another converted try despite loosing their hooker for ten minutes for persistent scrummage offences.Cooke lost another player for illegal use of the fist.James McGeary was the unwitting recipient.
Valley did finish strongly.Skipper Greaves’ pass to outhalf Boyd was volleyed into the Cooke half.Kyle Cobain hacked forward,chased and caught the bouncing ball before shrugging off a despairing Cooke tackler and score at the posts.Dynes took his personal tally to thirteen points with the successful conversion.
While it is good to play badly and win, the Valley set piece didn’t function as smoothly as in previous weeks and overall it was a poor defensive display. If Valley are to challenge for League honours,greater commitment to training in the coming weeks is required.
Clogher Valley 44 vs 0 Limavady
Easy win in end for Valley 1st against Limavady 44-0
With bonus point takes us to second in league with a game in hand.
Clogher Valley maintained their unbeaten record and moved to within one point of Kukri Qualifying League leaders Donaghadee with a bonus-point win over Limavady at the Cran.
It wasn’t all plain sailing for Valley as the visitors gave as good as they got for the first twenty minutes. However the Valley pack began to take control and with a plentiful supply of ball, the backs probed for the first opening.
The Limavady defence was resilient and well- organised but the sheer intensity of the Valley attacks eventually took its toll.
Half backs Bates and Best kept changing the point of attack moving the ball left and right. Lyons made an outside break and passed back inside to the supporting Best who was tackled just short of the line. Like every good open side, Skipper Sharkey was first to the break down and dived over for Valleys first try which went unconverted. The Valley pressure was relentless and, on the half hour, Limavady were awarded a scrum after a Valley knock on. The Valley pack shunted the visitors off their own ball and Ryan Wilson picked up and powered over close to the posts. Best’s conversion gave Valley a 12 – 0 lead and Limavady managed to successfully defend their line until half-time.
There was no let up for the visitors after the interval. Best extended Valleys lead with a penalty. Wayne Lyons was a constant threat to Limavady. Both he and fellow centre David Dunlop were thriving on the plentiful supply of ball. Lyons made a break in midfield and put Dunlop away. He was held up short of the line and Limavady had a defensive scrum. Once again the Limavady scrum was turned over and Barry-John Wilson picked up and cleverly touched the post protector to be awarded the try. Best’s conversion took the score to 22 – 0. Almost immediately Valley had a line out on their own 10 metre line. Off the top ball from Sharkey was moved to Ryan Wilson in midfield. He took out two Limavady defenders and off-loaded to Lyons who, despite having a lot to do, ran in from the 10 metre line for Valley’s bonus-point try which went unconverted.
Another sweeping movement involving forwards and backs saw Griffith’s tackled on the line. The ever-alert Andy Breen picked up and drove over for another unconverted try. The last two trys came from Limavady scrums which were turned over. Sharkey was first to benefit when the ball popped out of the retreating scrum. He picked up and scored at the posts. Best took the score to 39 – 0 with the conversion. After another scrum against the head the ball was spun right and Lyons scored in the corner to complete the scoring at 44 – 0.
Valley has no game this Saturday. CIYMS are the visitors on 26th November.
