Saturday, June 12
PORTGLENONE entertained last year’s league champions at their Gortgole Road venue on Saturday afternoon and it was the visitors who made an early impact on the match taking a 11-21 lead after 5 ends. However, determined not to en
dure a repeat of the opening game of the season when the Fairhill men took all 7 points at a canter,the home side outscored the visitors by 15 shots on ends 6-10 to go in front with a 35-30 scoreline. The balance swung back in favour of Cookstown as with 15 played the match score was 56-57 and with 18 completed the sides were deadlocked on 69-69. An exciting conclusion to the contest saw the home team secure the overall score for an excellent 84-76 win.
On rink 1 Andrew Millar, Jonathan Reid, Aaron Foster and Roy Hunter were drawn against Mark Wilson and an enthralling contest ensued. The scores were level on 5-5 after 4 ends, 9-9 with 11 played and 11-11 after 13 ends. A single for Roy on the 14th was followed by the loss of a demoralising 5 on the next. A further 2 singles by Roy's quartet and a 2 for Mark on the 18th left the home rink trailing by 4 shots and in a determined finish Roy recorded a 2,1,1 for a well deserved 18-18 draw.
Portglenone's match winning performance came on rink 2 when Stephen Young, Tommy Mc Cart, Frank Jackson and Kieran Adams had a 12 shot victory over Tommy Mc Aleavey. Tommy kicked off with a single on the first end but 9 unanswered ends gave the home rink a 11-1 advantage with 10 played. A 4 for the visitors on the 11th reduced the arrears but it was responded to by a 4,1,2 for an 18-5 score with 15 played. End 16 saw the visitors pick up a 3 but again it was more than matched with a 5 for the home rink on the 16th.The next 4 ends saw a good response by Tommy's rink as they recorded a 4,2,2,1 sequence to leave the score at 23-17 with 20 ends played. A dramatic last end with 3 of the 4 rinks on the green finishing at almost the same time and only a couple of shots in the overall score, a 6 by Kieran's rink guaranteed the overall score with a 29-17 victory.
Geoff Padgett, Patsy Boorman, Peter Mc Cann and Eamon Mc Cann played Liam Mc Hugh on rink 3 and it was Liam who was quickest into his stride opening with a 1,2,2,2 for an early advantage. A brace of singles for Eamon followed by a 2 for Liam made it 2-9 after7 ends. A home 3 and an away 4 before a 2,1,1,4 for the home rink brought the scores level on 13-13 with 13 played. The visitors restored their lead with a 3,2 but a 2,1,1,1 by Eamon again levelled the score at 18-18 after 19 ends. It was the Cookstown foursome who took the rink point with a brace of singles on the last two ends.
Rink 4 saw Mark Pearson, Mark Jones, Chris Jones and Keith Padgett take on Phillip Wallace and again it was the visiting rink who took the early iniative leading 0-6 after and 4 ends. Keith was back on terms at 7-7 with 9 played and a 3,3 put him 13-7 clear.
