Advertisement

Valley claim coveted crown at Kingspan

CLOGHER Valley snatched victory from the jaws of defeat by scoring 10 points in the last eight minutes to beat Ballyclare in an exciting Energia All-Ireland Junior Cup final at Kingspan Stadium last night.

The old adage is you have to lose one to win one, and the success for the Valley was made all the sweeter after they lost in their previous All Ireland Junior Cup final to Enniscorthy by just one point eight years ago almost to the day.

Captain Paul Armstrong, who was a 19-year-old rookie during that last final in 2014, landed a long range penalty as the clock ticked into the red to put Clogher in front for the first time in the Ulster derby, and that was enough to win the trophy for the first time.

Ballyclare had led for almost the entire 80 minutes and held an 11-3 advantage until the final moments when Neil Henderson crashed over for the Valley’s only try, converted by Armstrong, who then knocked over that vital penalty moments later to send the Clogher team and faithful into raptures.

 

FULL REPORT, PHOTOS AND REACTION IN TOMORROW’S TYRONE HERALD….

BROUGHT TO YOU BY