‘The Club Has A Huge Focus On The Community’ – Clogher Valley’s Armstrong

Clogher Valley were crowned Kukri Ulster Rugby Championship Division 1 champions just over two years ago. They went on to win the Energia All-Ireland League Division 2C title last season, and are close to contesting the promotion/relegation play-offs in their debut Division 2B campaign.

Adding to their success in Ulster and that Division 2C triumph, the County Tyrone club also recorded back-to-back Energia All-Ireland Men’s Junior Cup wins, defeating Ballyclare in 2022 and Enniskillen in 2023 respectively.

The man who has lifted the silverware during this historic spell is Armstrong. He has been playing at the Cran since the age of 11, apart from a move in 2015 to Dungannon with whom he spent three years at All-Ireland League level.

He quipped that his six-year stint as Clogher Valley’s captain is starting to age him, while praising his team-mates and head coach Stephen Bothwell as he reflected on his time at the club and with the current senior team.

“I started playing for Clogher Valley’s Under-14 team when I was eleven, as mini rugby didn’t start until a couple of years after I got involved,” he told IrishRugby.ie.

“As far as family influence, my dad was never really interested in rugby. The school that he went to was into different sports, but my uncle played at a decent level, and my cousin, who is two years older than me, was playing for the youth section when I joined.

“I stayed with Clogher Valley until 2015 when I left and went to Dungannon to play at a higher level, but then returned to Clogher Valley in 2018 and have stayed since.

“This is my sixth season as captain. Never did I think that when I took it on I would still be in the role today – it’s really starting to make me feel old now!

“It’s a fairly easy group of lads to be captain of, to be honest. I’m far from a great motivator but the lads in this group give it their all every time they take to the pitch, so it’s easy that way.

“Personally for me, performance is everything so I just always try my best and will lead by example. I’m very grateful, as are the boys, to have a fantastic team of coaches and a great manager that keeps us on our toes.”

One of the newcomers to the Energia All-Ireland League, Clogher Valley have more than adapted to the step up from junior rugby, winning 15 of their 18 matches last season on course to lifting the Division 2C title.

Moving up another tier, Bothwell’s men have won 10 of their 14 games to sit third in the table at present, putting them in the mix for promotion out of a very competitive Division 2B.

Armstrong admits that beating Ballymena to bring the curtain down on their 2023/24 run as Ulster Senior Shield winners gave them the belief they could compete with any team going into the new season.

“It was an interesting one, consistency was the biggest thing. The top three or four teams in (Ulster) Junior 1 could compete at (Division) 2C in the AIL no bother, but there were no games that we were going into and knew we were going to win.

“I think it’s been a great step up to 2B. We really have worked hard to put on a good performance in every game to get the result that we wanted, and the four-try bonus points just aren’t as easy to pick up.

“I wouldn’t say that we really set a goal at the start of the season, but I know a lot of players, including myself, had in their minds that we wanted a place in the top four and a crack at the play-offs.

“Coming into a new league not having played a lot of the teams meant it’s really hard to know where you’ll end up.

“I think beating Ballymena in the final of the Senior Shield gave us the most belief going into this season as they are a 2A side. We know as a team if we are anywhere near our best, we can compete with most teams.”

Clogher Valley are very much a country club, and were only founded 35 years ago by former pupils of Fivemiletown College. The club has grown from strength to strength, climbing the Ulster rugby ladder before their rise to senior status in 2023.

The club is a beating heart of the local community and has a real core focus on the small community of Fivemiletown in County Tyrone.

Crowds well into the hundreds have attended Valley’s home games, and when they make long journeys across the provinces for their All-Ireland League fixtures, their vocal supporters are to be seen far and wide.

That consistent level of support always gives Armstrong and his team-mates a lift, and the community spirit stemming from volunteers helping out, and local businesses providing sponsorship, has also been key to the club’s on-field success.

“It’s massive. The club has a huge focus on the community, and volunteers are very much a part of that. I’d definitely say that we are up there with the most supporters for a team in the All-Ireland League,” said the 30-year-old centre.

“The support that travels with us across Ireland is brilliant but it’s incredible at a home match. We had over 550 supporters at the Dungannon game a couple of weeks ago.

It means so much to myself, the boys, and the coaching team to see so many people standing along the sidelines because they make so much noise and it creates a great atmosphere.

“The crowds always hang about after which is nice, like they’ll be there to shake your hand when you’re walking off the pitch, and kids will be running over to give you a high five.

“Just like other rural sports clubs, it can be hard to keep a club going with the cost of everything but we get great support from local businesses through sponsorship.”

While the majority of teams had a break from All-Ireland League action last weekend, Clogher Valley played their rescheduled clash with Rainey, which they won 17-5 after a closely-fought opening half.

That now puts Valley five points clear of fourth-placed Rainey, and seven ahead of Galwegians in fifth spot. They have a seven-point gap to make up on Dungannon, who are currently second in the standings and occupy that home play-off semi-final berth.

With only four rounds remaining, Clogher Valley are on the road this Saturday with a tricky contest awaiting them against UL Bohemian. Bothwell’s side won the first meeting back in October, 44-12, but are expeciting a much closer encounter in this rematch.

Home fixtures with ‘Wegians and Malone will see out their regular season, along with a penultimate round trip to current leaders Wanderers. To finish in the top four would clearly mean a huge amount to this ambitious Armstrong-led squad.

“Last weekend was a typical Ulster derby, very physical with a lot on the line as Rainey were only one point behind us going into the game,” he explained.

“We gave away a very soft try early in the game to give them the lead but after that, I felt we had full control of the game and just chipped away with three points every time that we got the chance. Getting the win and leaving them with zero points was huge for us.

“It’s another big game away to UL Bohemian this week. They have only been beaten once this season on their home patch, so we already know that it’s going to be far from easy to get a result down there.

“There are still four or five teams competing for those third and fourth play-off spots, so it’s definitely a game by game approach. With four games left, if we can get a result on Saturday, it will leave us that bit closer to securing a spot in the play-offs.

“It would mean a lot to this group of players. To make the play-offs in our first season at this level would be a great achievement and shows the hard work put in by the lads.

“The thought of possibly having the likes of Dungannon and Rainey in the play-offs would be something we would all relish. Who doesn’t like an Ulster derby?”.

Keep up to date with all the latest news in our dedicated website hub at www.irishrugby.ie/energiaail, and follow #EnergiaAIL on social media channels.