CLOGHER Valley and Omagh Accies served up a thrilling Towns’ Cup semi-final at The Cran on Saturday with the recently crowned Qualifying League One champions narrowly winning by just four points to seal a place in the decider for the third time in as many years as they attempt to retain their crown.
A hard-fought derby encounter was witnessed by the huge and vocal crowd who saw Omagh start and finish the stronger, but it was the more experienced Clogher side who were able to take their chances despite, arguably, being outplayed for large spells of a pulsating encounter in Fivemiletown.
The Accies led twice in the first half through Johnny Giboney’s second minute try, converted by David Ward, who also added a penalty, while in between those scores, Valley scored a try through Ali Breen, converted by Aaron Best.
In the second half the home side pulled ahead with a Ryan Wilson try, converted by Best, who also scored a penalty, while Ward also kicked three points.
However, the final five minutes belonged, in an attacking sense, to Omagh, who could have snatched a deserved late victory with Lee Warnock twice looking likely to score, but on both occasions he was stopped by try-saving tackles from Davy Dunlop who ensured his side would once again run out at Ravenhill in the decider.
Both sides started without key personnel with influential scrumhalf, James Bates, and outhalf, Philip Holme, missing for Valley, while Omagh were without Stephen Giboney, Stephen Rutledge, Neil Browne and Stephen Maclaine from their starting XV.
Despite having four important first team regulars out, it was Omagh who began the brightest and they opened the scoring after only two minutes when scrumhalf, Jamie Lagan, offloaded to Johnny Giboney and the rangy second row forward galloped over in the right corner. Ward added an excellent conversion from the touchline to give the Accies a 7-0 lead.
Valley regrouped after the early setback and struck back in style when a backline move ended with Breen receiving the ball deep in his own half before outsprinting the Omagh defence and touching down in the right corner. Best matched Ward’s earlier conversion with a solid kick to level the scores.
Despite being pegged back, Omagh’s vibrant young side continued to take the game to Valley, impressively turning over possession on numerous occasions and they deservedly regained the lead in the 26th minute through a Ward penalty from just inside the home team’s half.
The Accies continued to belie their Qualifying League Two status and they almost extended their lead with 30 seconds of the first half to go, but Ward’s ambitious penalty attempt from long range drifted agonisingly wide.
With Clogher still stuttering following a demanding schedule of league and cup games in recent weeks, they eventually mounted some concerted pressure on the Omagh defence, which performed heroically until the 58th minute when Valley’s extra weight and experience in the pack told. They drove their opponents back over their own line following a five metre scrum and Wilson touched down next to the posts. Best again converted and the hosts led 14-10.
The visitors refused to be rattled at finding themselves behind for the first time in the game and after bursts from skipper, Mervyn Edgar, Richard Smyth and Lagan, they were rewarded with a penalty with 18 minutes remaining, which Ward converted to leave only a point between the sides.
The last 10 minutes of the game were remarkably frantic with both teams attacking and defending as if their lives depended on it. Omagh pressed the Valley defence until a loose pass allowed Breen to run the ball into their opponents half.
Omagh turned the ball over following a fine Lee Warnock tackle, but Valley regained possession from a lineout and Sharkey made a burst forward, winning his side a penalty, which Best converted to leave Omagh needing an unconverted try to reach the final.
With only five minutes left, Omagh camped themselves in the Clogher ‘22’ and had it not been for a knock-on and the two vital Dunlop tackles they could have produced a grandstand finish. However, in the end, with both sides out on their feet it was Valley who sighed with relief, while Omagh could only imagine what might have been.
Clogher Valley: Philip Moore; Kyle Cobane; Ronan McAleer; Johnny Trimble; Ivan Dunn; BJ Wilson; David Sharkey (cpt); Ryan Wilson; Aaron Best; Wayne Lyons; Keith Todd; PC Falconer; Davy Dunlop; Andy Breen; Ali Breen. Replacements: Colin McKeown; Philip Greaves; Craig Glenn; Nathan Orr; James McFarland.
Omagh: David Thompson; Adam Pollock; Mark Smyth; Johnny Giboney; Stefan Hamilton; Mervyn Edgar (cpt); Colin Lee; Richard Smyth; Jamie Lagan; Alistair Beckett; Lee Warnock; Stuart McCain; Alan Heaney; Andy McFarland; David Ward. Replacements: Ryan O’Neill; Alastair Ferguson; Stephen Maclaine; John Loughlin; Stewart Harper.
Referee: S McDowell, Belfast.
Clogher Valley will take on Ballymena seconds, who defeated Enniskillen 37-19 in the other semi-final, in the Towns’ Cup decider at Ravenhill on Easter Monday, April 9.
Prior to that they travel to Skerries this coming Saturday for their opening All Ireland League play-off match, while Omagh, who can still win the Qualifying League Two title, visit Grosvenor.