Clogher Valley continue title charge at Belmont

CIYMS 15

Clogher Valley 42

CLOGHER Valley’s Ulster Championship Division One title charge continued at pace on Saturday when they earned their sixth victory and seventh try scoring bonus points in eight games.

The rampant young side from the Cran remain top of the table, two points ahead of an equally clinical Instonians, who have a game in hand and are the only side to have defeated Stephen Bothwell’s charges this term.

There only ever looked like being one winner at Belmont where Clogher charged out of the blocks to engineer a 21-3 half-time lead.

Scrumhalf Matthew Bothwell, who had an excellent game, opened the scoring after a quick tap from Paul Armstrong who off-loaded to the number nine for a converted try.

Ewan Haire scored the second converted try before Callum Smyton touched down following a push over scrum to make it 21-3 at the break.

After the restart, Armstrong, who kicked all six conversions, then grabbed a brace of tries, the second of which was an intercept to make it 35-10.

And Haire grabbed his second of the game to make it 42-10 before CIYMS scored a consolation second try of the game.

And with a break in the action until November 20 when Clogher host Dromore in the All-Ireland Junior Cup quarter-finals, Bothwell was delighted to get yet another convincing win before they return to league action in a few weeks time.

“It was important to go into the break on a high,” confirmed the Clogher head coach.

“It was important that we went into the break with another bonus point win because it will keep the pressure on Instonians. All we can do is look after ourselves, what more can you do.

“And we’re delighted with where we are at this stage of the season because we have no major injuries.

“Keith Todd does a lot of work on their fitness and a lot of work with their warm-ups, so I think it’s testament to him that we’re keeping them as fit as we can and hopefully it stays that way.”