Clougher Valley Report
Monday, 24 August 2009 09:58
Clogher Valley 27 – Academy 46
Well what do you know? The start of another season…..June - Cape Town…..July - grey wet Belfast, August – sunny Clogher Valley…..!!
The magic bus loaded up and shipped out sharp on Saturday morning, heading west to Clogher. We weren’t sure what was ahead, given Clogher’s rising status in Ulster rugby, but how better to gauge where we stand???
Clogher were true to their word and started with younger and fringe players, keeping the “hard core” prowling around at side of the pitch. Anyway, you have to play what is in front of you….What a start, we weaved a bit of magic from a loose hoof up the park from CV – Norm fielded the kick, sped forward fed to Jonny Edens (great to have him back after his “travels”) who added more pace and kicked on for NC to catch and speed in to score: top class – Coop converted, 3 mins: 0 – 7.We held CV’s forward effort and punished some poor handling culminating on 11mins with “Slim-Line” Mood bursting in from 6 inches after a wicked break by Phil “Steady Hand” Moffett. Coop converted again: 0 -14. CV were not making much inroad into us, despite a mounting penalty count against us. On 22mins their coach added some “ballast” to their front row which was getting “Vickery’d”. On 23 mins we moved the ball from a clean LO take, Coop came into the line to create a gap for Zippy on the left – Norm beat his man and made 20 mins – drew the defence, kicked ahead, and beat CV to the touchdown: 0 – 19. On 27mins CV engineered a LO on our 5m line – this time our “D” went soft and CV came right through the middle of the maul to score: 5 – 19. This gave CV some encouragement, and, on 31mins, they set up a great rolling maul, but after making 15m, they overcomplicated, and we turned the ball over. Rather than hoof the ball clear, we saw a gap and moved the ball to Norm who scalded his man to get behind CV – SteveO was trucking up in support, took the inside pass and stretched those hamstrings all the way to the posts: 5 – 26, Coop converted. The remainder of the ½ was heading for a quiet end until “WWE” Corkey saw yellow on 40mins – “What’d I do?” Then we capped a fine first half with a great break from Gav who fed to Phil M – cross kick to Zippy to score under the posts – Coop converted: 5 – 33.
We realized we’d caught CV unawares and that the second half would be a different story – but pleasing all the same. CV made 12 changes!
On 42 mins CV showed that this was to be a different story as the scoreboard started to roll in their favour:
• LO on our 5m line – mauled us over our line to score: 10 – 33
• 48mins – they put real pace into their forward play to score: 17 – 33
• 53mins - We reversed the pressure for a spell, Coop kicked a pen: 17 – 36
• 58mins – 5m scrum on our line, their #8 scored from an advancing scrum: 22- 36
• 60mins – Gav left the pitch with a bent nose
• 66mins – close in defence slipped as 3 tackles were missed to allow CV to break free on ½ way to run in to score: 27 – 36
• We dug in defensively and slowed CV’s advance, on 74mins Coop kicked a pen: 27 – 39
• The game was really a ding dong now, and we matched CV in most phases – we had an advantage in open play throughout, and Jonny Edens emphasized this capping a great return with a fine try on 79mins, Coop converted: 27 – 46.
A great start to the season! The new boys made a mark, Adam and Chris at the Coal Face – sorry about the “Dirty Pints”: Phil Ross back after his year in a Mickey Mouse suit; Jonny Edens out wide right…..Well done all!
Next week – Larne in a friendly at the ‘Fort, bring your sunhats (and wellies?)
The Management……