Portadown 1st XV 14 Clogher Valley 1st XV 17

Clogher Valley produced a stirring performance on Saturday as their battle to climb away from the bottom continued with a terrific win away to league leaders Portadown.
Clogher went into the game with only one league win to their name but with experienced players returning confidence has been lifted with some good recent results and that was followed on Saturday by a strong display to defeat the league leaders.
It was a nervy start from the Valley and a penalty in front of posts gave Woods, the Portadown scrum half, the opportunity to open their account which he duly did.
Stung by the reversal Clogher upped the tempo. A great Trotter penalty into the corner gave rise to some optimism but a badly executed lineout resulted in Portadown making 60 metres up-field. Several scrums against the head and strong Wilson carries restored play to mid-field. A Trotter penalty rebounded off the upright as the Valley tried to get back on terms. 
A Woods snipe around the side caused panic but it was to be well dealt with. Then just as the visitors were settling to the task they offered the hosts a Christmas gift. Static possession was shovelled out the back line, a loose pass was pounced on by Portadown who raced 50 metres to the corner. It went unconverted but at that moment it looked gloomy from a Valley perspective.
Undaunted, in the remaining ten minutes of the half Clogher really turned the screw on the Portadown pack. 
Several scrums saw the hosts finding reverse gear. Penalty after penalty was converted into scrum after scrum and eventually the inevitable happened and the official had no option but to award the penalty try. Trotter goaled it and at 8-7 at the interval it was game on.
The second period opened as the first had with Clogher conceding penalty after penalty. Woods had two attempts at goal landing the second one to stretch the lead to four points.
Gradually though Clogher settled with Ryan Wilson, Sharkey and prop forward Hopper to the fore. It was at scrum time that Clogher were at their best with Portadown having no answers to the power of the visitors. Indeed it was this that led to the Valleys second try. Ryan Wilson launched himself forward of an advancing scrum to grab his customary try. It went unconverted but Clogher were now ahead for the first time in the encounter.
Not for long though another Woods penalty restored the lead to Portadown as the game drifted towards the final quarter. Trotter arrowed a great penalty into the corner to set up another opportunity for the visitors. Perfect line out execution followed by an aggressive maul resulted in skipper Cobain getting the all important touchdown. It went unconverted but Clogher had their noses in front once again.
Time was running out but Portadown had one more glorious chance. A try seemed on the cards as their winger raced for the corner flag but Philip Wilson at full back had the pace and tenacity to drag him down inches from the line and the day was to belong to Clogher Valley.