With Instonians having the Qualifying League One title safely in the bag, this encounter between the Valley and Inst was not the winner takes all game everyone had hoped for.

However, with Clogher still with the Towns’ Cup to contest, it was an important game all the same and while both teams were understrength, it was the Valley who came out on top with a convincing 22-7 victory.

The win means Inst finished three points clear at the top with both teams over 20 points clear of third placed Bangor.

Reflecting on the league campaign, Davy Black was far from downheartened.

“We are pleased enough with the league campaign but a bit disappointed not to have taken Instonians to the final game which would have made for a more meaningful game. To finish second in league, make the All-Ireland semi-final and Towns’ Cup final has to be viewed overall as a good year,” acknowledged Davy.

“We would be happy that we have blooded a lot of young players which bodes well for the future. We did have a bad run with injuries but the boys were totting up that we lost five games all year by a total of 13 or so points, so that tells its own story and it could also have been a very different season. We have the Towns’ Cup final on Easter Monday, so we will not be sitting back hoping it happens. We will be working hard to get there and win but we know it will be a big ask to beat Ballynahinch 2nd XV. We have a few boys back and it will be good to have five training sessions in a row without games as we prepare for the final.” Continuing on from last week’s strong finish, the Valley started best. A well judged kick from Armstrong brought Valley into the Instonians 22 after only two minutes. A Sharkey take at the lineout was the catalyst for a series of Valley pick and gos which rocked the visitors’ defence back. With the Instonians defence over-committed to the ruck, the Valley captain Best spotted the gap and touched down on five minutes. The conversion was missed to give Valley a 5-0 lead.

A faulty restart from Instonians gave the ball back to Valley who proceeded the put the ball through the hands and stretch the home defence with good yardage being made by Sharkey, Armstrong and Stott. Things went from bad to worse for Instonians on 17 minutes when they had a player yellow-carded.

It seemed only a matter of time before this would produce another score for Valley. This was not to be however, when after Valley ball was turned over in the Instonians 22, the visitor’s winger started on a mazy run which exposed a series of soft Valley tackles and led to him eventually touching down under the Valley posts. The extras were added to give Instonians an unlikely 7-5 lead on 19 minutes.

The game thereafter opened up with Valley dominating possession and territory and playing a fairly expansive game and Instonians also keen to play with width. A series of attacks just outside the Instonians 22 saw Valley move the ball along its backline and when Agnew brought play back inside, the ball eventually found Bennett who took route one and galloped over from 20 metres out. The conversion was missed but Valley were 10-7 back in front after 27 minutes.

With a strong set-piece and territorial domination, it seemed likely that Valley would add to their total before half-time but a combination of bad luck and clever poaching by Instonians at ruck time meant that the score remained 10-7 at the end of the first half.

The second half started as the first half had with Valley on the offensive. Great continuity and ball retention, after runs by Breen, Stott and Trenier, saw the Instonians defence stretched. The Valley pack mauled the home pack backwards and it was Treanor who did the hard yards to score Valley’s third try on 44 minutes. The conversion was missed but Valley led 15-7.

At this stage, Instonians sought to regain the momentum with a break out from their back row up the middle bringing play right into the Valley half. Sterling defending from Breen, McKenna and Agnew were to repell the Instonians attacks. Valley then turned defence into attack and when Armstrong and Breen had spilt the home defence the supporting Bennett touched down for Valley’s fourth try close to the posts. Armstrong added the conversion to give Valley a 22-7 lead.

The rest of the match saw Instonians desperately trying to use possession to best effect but stout Valley defence was to limit any further score.

The vistors’ frustration was evident when the referee produced a further yellow on 55 minutes.

As the last quarter commenced, with Valley again in attack, an injury to Stott saw the referee blow the match up early.

With Instonians having the Qualifying League One title safely in the bag, this encounter between the Valley and Inst was not the winner takes all game everyone had hoped for.

However, with Clogher still with the Towns’ Cup to contest, it was an important game all the same and while both teams were understrength, it was the Valley who came out on top with a convincing 22-7 victory.

The win means Inst finished three points clear at the top with both teams over 20 points clear of third placed Bangor.

Reflecting on the league campaign, Davy Black was far from downheartened.

“We are pleased enough with the league campaign but a bit disappointed not to have taken Instonians to the final game which would have made for a more meaningful game. To finish second in league, make the All-Ireland semi-final and Towns’ Cup final has to be viewed overall as a good year,” acknowledged Davy.

“We would be happy that we have blooded a lot of young players which bodes well for the future. We did have a bad run with injuries but the boys were totting up that we lost five games all year by a total of 13 or so points, so that tells its own story and it could also have been a very different season. We have the Towns’ Cup final on Easter Monday, so we will not be sitting back hoping it happens. We will be working hard to get there and win but we know it will be a big ask to beat Ballynahinch 2nd XV. We have a few boys back and it will be good to have five training sessions in a row without games as we prepare for the final.” Continuing on from last week’s strong finish, the Valley started best. A well judged kick from Armstrong brought Valley into the Instonians 22 after only two minutes. A Sharkey take at the lineout was the catalyst for a series of Valley pick and gos which rocked the visitors’ defence back. With the Instonians defence over-committed to the ruck, the Valley captain Best spotted the gap and touched down on five minutes. The conversion was missed to give Valley a 5-0 lead.

A faulty restart from Instonians gave the ball back to Valley who proceeded the put the ball through the hands and stretch the home defence with good yardage being made by Sharkey, Armstrong and Stott. Things went from bad to worse for Instonians on 17 minutes when they had a player yellow-carded.

It seemed only a matter of time before this would produce another score for Valley. This was not to be however, when after Valley ball was turned over in the Instonians 22, the visitor’s winger started on a mazy run which exposed a series of soft Valley tackles and led to him eventually touching down under the Valley posts. The extras were added to give Instonians an unlikely 7-5 lead on 19 minutes.

The game thereafter opened up with Valley dominating possession and territory and playing a fairly expansive game and Instonians also keen to play with width. A series of attacks just outside the Instonians 22 saw Valley move the ball along its backline and when Agnew brought play back inside, the ball eventually found Bennett who took route one and galloped over from 20 metres out. The conversion was missed but Valley were 10-7 back in front after 27 minutes.

With a strong set-piece and territorial domination, it seemed likely that Valley would add to their total before half-time but a combination of bad luck and clever poaching by Instonians at ruck time meant that the score remained 10-7 at the end of the first half.

The second half started as the first half had with Valley on the offensive. Great continuity and ball retention, after runs by Breen, Stott and Trenier, saw the Instonians defence stretched. The Valley pack mauled the home pack backwards and it was Treanor who did the hard yards to score Valley’s third try on 44 minutes. The conversion was missed but Valley led 15-7.

At this stage, Instonians sought to regain the momentum with a break out from their back row up the middle bringing play right into the Valley half. Sterling defending from Breen, McKenna and Agnew were to repell the Instonians attacks. Valley then turned defence into attack and when Armstrong and Breen had spilt the home defence the supporting Bennett touched down for Valley’s fourth try close to the posts. Armstrong added the conversion to give Valley a 22-7 lead.

The rest of the match saw Instonians desperately trying to use possession to best effect but stout Valley defence was to limit any further score.

The vistors’ frustration was evident when the referee produced a further yellow on 55 minutes.

As the last quarter commenced, with Valley again in attack, an injury to Stott saw the referee blow the match up early.