Valley delighted to get first win of season under belt

Clogher Valley secured a morale boosting first win of the season with a superb victory over previously second placed Carrick to close the gap on both Enniskillen and Portadown at the bottom of the Ulster Championship Division One table. 
Indeed, with the Valley and Skins due to clash head on next on Saturday week at Mullaghmeen it is definitely all to play for in the basement battle. Clogher’s Davy Black was delighted with the first win of the season and he can see new improvement under new coach Hemi Taukiri. 
“Credit where credit is due,” explained Black. “Training has been really good and the drills that Hemi is utilising are first class. The numbers at training have been over 30 every night and we are starting to see some buds of growth which is great. The new coach has working on a different gameplan and that was always going to take time to bed in. In saying that, we also realise that it is still only one win and we have a lot more work to do.” 
Davy was delighted with the display of the team. 
“Our defence was rock solid on Saturday and that undoubtedly gave us the platform for the victory. Ross Finlay was colossal on Saturday at open flanker and we have a number of young guys who are performing really well. Neil Trotter reverted to scrum half and again was superb. All the boys performed really and they got their rewards on Saturday with a very deserving win against a good team. We did feel it had been coming but it is is good to get the actual win under the belt.
“The win closes the gap to four points on Enniskillen and Portadown and we play Enniskillen next, so that is a massive game for us and them as well as being a local derby,” concluded Davy.
Clogher started well on Saturday and enjoyed the territorial advantage in the opening quarter without getting the scoreboard ticking. 
They did eventually make sustained spell of pressure in the Carrick 22 pay off when Ryan Wilson finished off a couple of good pick and drives from the Valley to cross the line. 
Trotter added the conversion and Clogher led 7-0. It was nip and tuck thereafter until half time with the strong Valley defence ensuring Carrick could not get any scores. 
Growing in confidence, Valley doubled their lead. David Sharkey secured good lineout ball and a driving maul was stopped short after which the Valley reset twice and Clive Donaldson came in from centre and brust through to touchdown. Trotter again added the extras to make it 14-0. 
Valley then put the game to beyond Carrick with the impressive Donaldson again scoring. Again there was a good driving maul from a ruck and Donaldson was on hand to finish off in style. Trotter kicked the conversion and the Valley were on their way to a first win of the season. 
The drama did not end their however as the Valley lost Barry John Wilson and Phillip Hopper to the sin bin and they conceded a converted try and penalty when down to 13 men to leave the final score reading 21-10 to a relieved Clogher Valley.