CITY of ARMAGH 3rd’s 21 CLOGHER VALLEY 2nd’s 14

You had to be there to witness the strength and resilience of City of Armagh Thirds as they came back from 14-3 down at half time to win the match 21-14 away to Clogher Valley Seconds and keep a firm grip on the top of Provincial League 3. It was a much changed Armagh team with John Fletcher playing his first game of the season, Eoin Campbell at hooker, Andrew Pogue and Matthew Allen at 5&6 and Jeffrey Dougan and Scott Armstrong in the backs. Against a much heavier and determined Valley pack it looked for much of the match that Armagh were going to be pushed off the park. From the very start, when the kickoff didn’t go 10 metres the scrum showed what Armagh were up against; they simply could not get near the ball. Armagh did take the lead on 8 minutes when Andrew Knipe converted a penalty under the posts. However this was short lived as the Valley No 8 burst free from a maul to score under the Armagh posts. The conversion took the score to 7-3 to the hosts. Five minutes later he did it again despite the best efforts of the Armagh defence.
14-3 down at halftime and it looked as if Armagh were facing their first defeat of the season. The team talk at half time proved pivotal with coach Andrew Winder encouraging the players not to concede scrums but rather to pressurise the Valley back line by kicking the ball over their heads and using the Armagh attacking line speed to force mistakes.
This tactic began to work and Armagh took every opportunity they could to get points on the board with two penalties taken by Knipe narrowing the gap to 5 points within 8 minutes of the restart.
Some astute ball handling by Andrew Morton at prop and flanker Connor Simms freed the ball to Andrew Brady who went on a solo run in the Valley half to score close to the posts. The score was tied when Knipe pulled the conversion wide. From another penalty conceded by Valley deep in the Armagh half Brady secured the ball again and, despite the attention of the Clogher Valley backs, made an incisive solo run from his own 22 to score in the left corner. This time Knipe succeeded with the conversion for 21-14 to Armagh. It was back-slapping all round when referee Shane Toolan blew the final whistle.
The full Armagh team was Andrew Morton, Eoin Campbell, John Fletcher, Jack Gilpin, Andrew Pogue, Matthew Allen, Connor Simms, Jonny Clarke, Trevor Girvan, Andrew Knipe, Adam Magowan, Jeffrey Dougan, Dan Reynolds, Scott Armstrong and Andrew Brady. This team will certainly give Carrickfergus Thirds a run for their money next week.