Broughshane close in on league title after win over BIBC

Antrim IBC's Pete Hanratty had an audience as he bowled against Services 'A'. INBT 11-822H

Having seen off title rivals Michelin last week, the Knockan Road side managed to overcome the potentially tricky hurdle of a trip to BIBC.

And they did it in some style - collecting all five points from an 18-shot success at the Old Ballymoney Road clubrooms.

From the moment that Alan Cahoon’s rink took five shots from the opening end of their match against Stephen Shields, it all clicked into place for the Broughshane side, who also had a second point in the bag by the interval, thanks to David Morrison’s rink.

Mark Shaw helped his Services 'A' rink to a convincing win against Antrim IBC. INBT 11-823H

A single on the last end for David Morrison assured Broughshane of a match-winning third point and Ivan Craig’s rink completed a full house by defeating Roy Torrington.

Michelin did all they could do by taking full points against Knockout Cup finalists Golf Club but they know that the defence of their time is long since out of their own hands.

Wins from Wesley Caldwell and Grant Robinson - thanks to a single on the final end - had Michelin in the ascendancy at the break and they added to their tally in the second half thanks to wins from Graham Wilson and Matt Boyd.

In the other first division game, Old Bleach proved too strong for JTI, who will finish the season bottom of the top division.

Neil Booth, Alan Scott, Jonathan Millar and Mervyn McDonald all led their Bleach rinks to victory as they claimed all five points.

DIVISION TWO

Portglenone Community Centre have one hand on the Division Two trophy after they completed their league programme with an emphatic 45-shot win over Glenravel.

Having brought forward their last game of the season to last week, Portglenone have finished their schedule and have a virtually unassailable lead over their challengers.

Portglenone, who still have the League Cup final to come, showed they are still fully focused with an impressive win over the Martinstown side.

The Bannsiders were in particularly belligerent form in the first half, after which they had already amassed a staggering 44-9 lead thanks to wins from Joe McErlean and Joe Moore, whose 26-5 win over Martin O’Neill is one of the biggest rink totals of the season.

The second half was a more modest affair in comparison but Portglenone still managed to claim both points on offer through Kevin O’Kane and Roy Hunter.

BPFA ‘B’ also racked up a big shots total - 58 of them - but they had to settle for just four points against First Ballymena.

Jim Wasson and Herbie McCullough’s first half rink wins had Broughshane in the driving seat at the interval and although Jimmy Shields’ rink claimed a point for the League Plate finalists, BPFA ‘B’ wrapped up the overall victory thanks to a win for Noel Graham’s quartet.

Services ‘A’s full points win over Antrim IBC was notable for the first maximum count of eight shots on an end in the league this season.

It came from Mark Shaw’s rink in the second end of their meeting with Irene McCullough and it paved the way for a 22-6 success for the Trostan Avenue side.

It was also the key game in the match Services’ other three rink wins produced a combined winning total of four shots - those wins coming from Bill Kitson, Pauline Wilson and Declan McLaughlin.

Golf Seniors remain in the promotion race after taking three-and-a-half points from a trip to Harryville Community Centre.

Ivan McMaster and Donald Smyth’s rink’s won for the golfers, while David Wilkinson’s rink were successful for Harryville,

The meeting between Joe Patterson and John Nichols finished in an 8-8 tie as the rinks split the other points.

DIVISION THREE

Moneyglass wrapped up the third division crown in style by taking all five points from their trip to West Church.

‘MG’ have been the stand-out team in their third tier this season and they proved too strong for the church sides after wins for the rinks skipped by Sean Kerr, Sean McNeilly, Henry Marron and Tommy Magee.

In the only other Division Three game, Services ‘B’ claimed four points from a home game against Eaton Park after wins from the Trostan Avenue rinks guided by John Sayers, Stuart Smith and Eric Smyth.

Noel Crabbe’s rink grabbed Eaton Park’s only point of the night by beating Greta Coulter.