Clogher Valley are heading into the new rugby with high hopes of a successful campaign.

Valley, who open up their campaign on Saturday at home to last season’s fifth placed team CIYMS, will also be hoping to inject some youth into the squad during the season according to joint coach Davy Black.

“We are trying to blood a few new guys and get a few more home grown players in,” he said. “Maybe some of our pre-season matches and results could have gone a bit better but we played a lot of young guys to see if they were capable of moving up. We knew all about the more experienced guys so we took the chance to have a good luck at the younger lads and it was a good opportunity to give a few players a run out.” While blooding young players is a goal, the aim of winning cups remains the same for Black. Last season Clogher Valley finished as runners up in both Qualifying One and the Towns Cup, and Davy is hoping they can return to cup winning ways this season.

“A top four finish or better will be a priority and then maybe a bit of a cup run,” he said. “There is a big emphasis on developing the young players but the attitude of Clogher Valley will not change. We will be going out to win from start to finish. You always get your rewards if you put the hard work in and if the guys train hard enough they are still capable of winning something. It is all down to how much hunger desire and commitment they want to put in.”