Victory in Saturday’s All Ireland League Play Off final would be the greatest achievement in the club’s history, according to captain Paul Armstrong.

Clogher Valley dispatched Bective Rangers in the semi-final and now face Limerick based Richmond RFC with a place in the All-Ireland senior league at stake, and Armstrong is in no doubt about the scale of the achievement should they emerge victorious.

“This is as big as it gets,” he said.

“Maybe some people don’t realise how big it is. We have been in cups before, and been in play offs before, but we have never made the big jump and this is the big one.

"Getting through that last final stage is always the hard bit, and everyone is excited about it. We have been looking forward to the play offs for over a month. Bective was a big challenge to get over, and now we are ready to try to do something the club has never done before. We are just trying to get bodies on the pitch and get the job done. It is the biggest day in the club’s history.”

Armstrong is no stranger to the All-Ireland league having played at that level for Dungannon, and a return to the higher level of competition has always been his aim since making the switch to Clogher Valley.

“It was my target when I came back,” he admitted. “My objective was always to get Clogher there, because they are good enough. I think all the boys are the same. They want to try something new. They are a good bunch of boys and a lot of them still have ten years plus in the tank, and now is the time to go if we can go.”

Clogher Valley have amassed a large trophy haul in recent years, and although All Ireland play-off success has remained elusive, Armstrong believes their recent experiences will be invaluable as they approach the big day.

“Come Saturday there might be a bit of extra pressure, but with this bunch of players they are used to be matches and big occasions and doing things they have never done before. The more big events you are in, the more you get used to them.”

Richmond stand in the way of Clogher Valley. The teams clashed in the 2012 All Ireland play offs with the Limerick side emerging on top that day, and Armstrong is expecting them to pose another big test 11 years later.

“They are a typical Munster side, with a big pack,” he revealed. “They kick the ball around the pitch and try to create mistakes and then capitalise. I don’t think they will be as exciting and as flairy as we are, but when they get into our zones they will be hard to keep out.”

The final is set to be played at Ashford Rugby Club in Dublin, and the captain is expecting their challenge to be boosted by a large and enthusiastic travelling crowd.

“The supporters have been massive for us all year, wherever we have gone,” he acknowledged.

“The whole community is on a real high this last six months, and you are seeing people who had never watched rugby before. That last day down in Coolmine, any of the finals, any games. There was unbelievable support for the seconds at the weekend, which we never used to have. No matter where you go about the local towns somebody is in a Clogher Valley jersey somewhere, and they are ready for a big finale.”

The winner of Saturday’s fixture will be automatically promoted to Division 2C of the AIL next season, but if Clogher Valley are not successful in that game, they could still qualify if they beat the side that finishes second bottom of 2C in a one off fixture at the end of the month.