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CLOGHER Valley signed off 2025 in style on Saturday as they ran in seven tries for a fourth bonus point win in a row when they saw off Buccaneers at The Cran.
Tries from Taine Haire (2), David Stinson, Jake Woods, Jamie Allen and Phil Wilson, with the rest coming from David Maxwell’s boot, earned Stephen Bothwell’s men a comprehensive 43-14 victory on the day and it has moved them up to third in the table, just a point behind UL Bohemians.
“We’re delighted with the result, we played really well in the conditions, our forwards had a couple of maul tries and our backs, Maxwell controlled them pretty well – we played wide early, going flat pass and got outside them and we looked pretty dangerous – and our set piece went well, so I’m delighted,” Clogher head coach Bothwell noted.
“There were bits and pieces we’d like to do better but it’s a very pleasing result and it gets us up to that third position and we’re knocking on the door of Boh’s for second and that’s where we want to be. It’s been quite the turnaround for the Valley men, who stuttered into life this season, losing three of their first five fixtures, including at home to both Malone and Bohemians, to leave them closer to the bottom than the top.
But they have hit their groove since that early part of the campaign and Bothwell is keen to see his side continue their good form in 2026 and with several injured players set to return after the festivities, things are looking up.
“[Hopefully] we can get off to a good start in ‘26 because we’ve had good rebuilding their confidence and our performances have improved through the three blocks [of fixtures], which is nice,” he observed.
“We won a lot of games being down to the bare bones in the backs, so it will be nice to get Josh [Kyle], Karl Bothwell and Thomas Barnett back to give us a bit of depth.
“But we’re delighted with where we are, very happy.”
