Letterkenny U13s 0 : 60 Clogher Valley

What is it with Tyrone Teams? 

Saturday morning saw another e ncounter between the U-13s and a team from our neighbouring county. The Clogher Valley boys arrived early and had a business-like look about them.

This proved all too true for Letterkenny when after four minutes Jamie Armstrong crossed the line for the first of Clogher Valley’s four first half tries.

A surge up the left-hand side from the kick off almost saw an immediate response from Letterkenny, but a player down just as they reached the line halted the move, and brought them back for a five yard scrum. Clogher Valley regrouped, and the chance was lost.

Clogher Valley pushed play back into Letterkenny half, and from there the pressure was relentless. Dale Hall crashed over for two tries in quick succession, and Jamie Boland added the fourth before the half time whistle.

The interval saw Letterkenny pondering again how to stem a Tyrone tide, but the Clogher Valley boys had found their stride and Morgan Whiteside crossed the line three times in five minutes for a trio of tries, despite some valiant defending. Conor O’Neill, Dermot Dunleavy and PJ putting in some crunch tackles.

Halfway through the half and Hughie finally breached the defence and crossed the Clogher Valley line. However it was not to be, as a disciplined and organised pack kept him on his feet and slowly but surely edged the Letterkenny player back into the twenty-two. Frustration for Letterkenny, but well played Clogher Valley.

Craig Cowen notched up a quick brace of tries, and the game came to a close, with three rapid fire tries from Jamie Boland, Dale Hall and Gary Trotter.

With half-term, flu’s and some awful weather there’s been a bit of a famine of training and match experience in the U-13s, and it looks like we’re falling behind. Back to work Wednesday seven o’clock!