Clogher remain firmly in promotion picture

CLOGHER Valley remain firmly in the Energia All-Ireland League 2B promotion picture after they picked up a hard-fought home win over a battling Sligo side on Saturday.

The 11-6 win for Stephen Bothwell’s men leaves Clogher third in the table, eight points behind nearest neighbours Dungannon and three points ahead of Rainey, while UL Bohemians, Galwegians, Skerries and Malone aren’t put of the chase just yet.

On Saturday, Clogher edged into a 6-0 lead at the break thanks to two David Maxwell penalties and while Sligo, who gave Bothwell the sort of battle he anticipated, replied in kind.

But the home side ensured they picked up the four points thanks to Callum Smyton’s second half try, which went unconverted.

“They were good,” Bothwell admitted about Sligo, who belied their second from bottom position in the table. “Their coach told me this was the first time he’s been near enough full strength.

“I knew it was going to be tough because they are a hard side to play against. They spread very well in D, they don’t miss tackles, they counter ruck hard and that weather today [Saturday] suited them.”

Clogher’s victory over Sligo, which completed a successful block of fixtures that also included a narrow win at Galwegians and an emphatic triumph at Skerries, could prove key ahead of their final six games of the season, three of which take place in February when they travel to bottom side, Malahide, before hosting second placed Dungannon and fourth placed Rainey in two potentially pivotal fixtures at the Cran.

“It was a case of getting the win and move on because we had a tough group of fixtures there and if we can do that [win all three] in every block we’ll be happy enough!,” Bothwell added.

“Next we have Malahide, Dungannon, Rainey, so it will be about keeping boys on their feet. I just hope we get a wee bit of weather to play because you just want to play as much on our terms as possible.

“We have to stretch them [Dungannon and Rainey] but our first focus is Malahide and we have to really go at them.

“Hopefully we’ll get a dry track down there.”