Omagh Accies targeting a crucial win over Clonmel

IF Omagh Accies can win against Clonmel at the Thomas Mellon Playing Fields on Saturday, another season in the All-Ireland Leagues will be closer to being secured.

At present, they are third from bottom, four points clear of Bangor, who they defeated two weeks ago, and five ahead of basement boys Ballina, who they visit in a few weeks time, accumulating as many points as possible in their five remaining games is vital.

“We knew once we beat Bangor it was in our hands,” Accies skipper Ryan Mitchell observed. “Now, we want to win against Clonmel and then we’ll look at the last four when we’ll try to pick up as many points as possible.

“Hopefully our home games will be enough but we’re just focusing on ourselves and at one game at a time. We’re looking at getting a win [against Clonmel] and then the rest after that.

“A big win at home would put us in good shape, so we’ll be gunning for it all week in training and hopefully we’ll put on a good show, which will give us a good gap.”

A losing bonus point at third placed Bruff last Saturday certainly didn’t help their cause on a day Bangor lost to Clogher Valley and Ballina defeated Clonmel, but it did take a last play Scott Elliott drop goal to secure it on a day when, perhaps, they could have earned more.

The Accies had led after Josh Kyle’s try, converted by Elliott, gave them a first half advantage, but the home side responded before the break with a converted try and a penalty.

After the restart, they added another converted score to give themselves some breathing space, but the Accies dug deep and earned a deserved point, which could prove vital come season’s end.

“It was good that we worked our way back in and earned a point with the last play,” observed a relieved Mitchell.

“It was a bit frustrating because we were ahead early doors. It was a stinking day down here, which made it difficult to play, but we played some nice stuff in the first 15-20 minutes and then we got dragged in to a bit of a dog fight.

“We cost ourselves a little bit with ill-discipline, but there were a few harsh calls against us, tough penalties given away which helped them get their two scores, but we fought our way back in and got a point at the end.

“We played in fits and starts. We had a few new combinations in today [Saturday]. We lost Joe Duff in the warm-up but David Cummings came in for his first game in the second row and did rightly, Scott Wilson had a brilliant game at seven – tackled all day long and was really good.

“There are positives to take and we’ll take confidence from it into next week when we’ll hopefully pick up some points at home which will leave us in good shape from these two.”

To achieve that, the Accies are crossing their fingers to avoid further injuries.

“We lost Joe [Duff] in the warm-up and we still have a few longer-term injuries like Fintan Lagan, Robbie Sproule and Ali Beckett,” Mitchell explained.

“Hopefully we can don’t have anyone else out by next week because we’re getting to the stage where we can’t afford any more. We had a number of changes today, so if we get any more we’ll be up against it.”

Meanwhile, title chasing Clogher Valley will also be in action this coming Saturday when they entertain Bruff at The Cran. That match and the Accies home encounter with Clonmel both kick-off at 2.30pm.