Ballymena '˜B' team make it an '˜Ard' afternoon for visitors

Ivan Lynn and Tommy Hill weigh up their options during Saturday's Division 2 League game with Ards at the Old Ballymoney Road. INBT 21-197CS

The home side claimed a big win against the men from County Down, winning by 97 shots to 52.

Billy McCandless, Arnold Kenny, Geoff Padgett and Sammy Allen had quite a tussle against C Robson on rink 1 and with two thirds of the game played the visitors lead by 9 shots to 8. The Ballymena men however were not to be beaten and over the last 7 ends they outscored the Ards rink by 11 shots to 1 to claim a hard fought 19-10 victory.

Mark Pearson, John McFall, Chris Wilson and Roy Torrington were in superb form against J Newell on rink 2. During the first half of the game the home rink picked up 2 counts of 4 and a count of 5 to open up a 15 shot advantage. The Braid men did not take their foot off the gas and they continued to dominate the contest eventually going on to win the game by 37 shots to 11.

Danny McCullough in action for Ballymena B during Saturday's Division 2 League game with Ards at the Old Ballymoney Road. INBT 21-197CS

On rink 3 Jimmy Gage, Nigel McFadden, Tommy Hill and Ivan Lynn were involved in a relatively low scoring game against N Dorman. Nine 2’s and 12 singles were scored during the course of the game but it was the Ballymena men who won most of the ends to claim victory by 20 shots to 10.

On rink 4 Leslie Barr, Stuart McCarthy, Danny McCullough and John Coulter started slowly against B Thompson and with 9 ends played the Braid men trailed by 10 shots. A count of 5 shots on the 10th end appeared to bring the Ballymena rink back in to the game but six ends later the Ards rink were still on top as they lead by 9 shots. Coulters men dug in and 9 shots over the next 3 ends saw them back on level terms with only 2 ends remaining. A single on the penultimate end gave the visitors the lead again but the Braid rink picked up a shot on the final end to claim a share of the spoils with the final score 21-21.

VETERANS

Ballymena Vets were looking for their first league win of the 2016 when Divis travelled to the Old Ballymoney Road green last Monday and it proved to be a good day for the Braid men as they won on both rinks to claim maximum points

Keith Burnett, Willie McNabb, Jim Cameron and Graham Wilson were always in control as they wn 24-10 against T Carleton.

The decisive moments in Andy Hill, Derek Greer, Norman Armstrong and Arnold Kenny’s 21-15 win over J Gallher came when picked up 5 shots on the 10th end followed by 4 shots on the 11th end.