No way through for Valley’s skipper, Stephen Baxter
Clogher Valley captain Stephen Baxter admitted his ‘relief’ at the final whistle in the Towns Cup Final on Easter Monday.
Clogher edged out Donaghadee 15-7 in a close fought encounter having to overcome a scare early in the second half through a Dee try.
“I think we were a bit slow out of the blocks, it was our 35th game of the season and the boys were tired and jaded, explained Stephen. “Last weekend we were down in Kanturk with a patched up side and it took a lot out of us.”
“They came at us and threw everything at us. They were really up for the game as underdogs and really put us under pressure. In the first half we were below par, we just weren’t physical enough, we weren’t strong enough in defence and they were getting through us.”
Despite the sluggish opening Valley took at 3-0 lead into the interval and upped their performance in the second half. The league champions though were to find themselves behind after a Dee try and were to lose influential lineout operators David Sharkey and Eugene McKenna to injury.
“We lost them both to shoulder injuries which was a blow. Sharkey is a big player for us in whatever game we play and is the lineout talisman.
“Credit to the boys though and the replacements who came on, who turned it around.”
Despite losing the two players it was from a lineout and resulting maul that Valley’s first try came, through none other than the captain himself.
“I don’t score as many as I would like, but to get one there with the occasion was very pleasing and very special. From then on we were back in the game and started to control it better, we played the game in the right areas of the pitch, we kicked the corners and started to set up our driving maul. We started to play the way we know we can, but Donaghadee came back at us again. At that time though we were fronting up in defence and were displaying the defence that won us the league.
“We then got over the line with another driving maul with Andy Breen and I think that was the final nail in the coffin for Donaghadee.”
The Towns Cup win, Valley’s third in four years was met with widespread celebrations at the final whistle, recognition for another remarkable season at the Qualifying One club.
“We just edged it on the day. It means an awful lot to all of us, you can never discard a Towns Cup Final. At the final whistle it was just relief and after the disappointment of the week before in Kanturk when we felt we had a chance it was great to win the cup for the supporters. We’re a family, a lot of the guys have played together through school and it means a lot to the club; the players, coaches, myself and of course the supporters.
“The supporters have followed us through thick and thin and at the end of the day the boys put their bodies on the line for them. Without the support we wouldn’t have days like that.”