Cup run comes to early end for Ballymena ‘C’ team

Ballymena C entertained Willowfield B in the first round of the Irish Junior Cup last Saturday but eventually bowed out of the competition.
Ballymena C team members Leslie Jackson and John Montgomery discuss tactics during their match with Williowfield C. INBT20-246ACBallymena C team members Leslie Jackson and John Montgomery discuss tactics during their match with Williowfield C. INBT20-246AC
Ballymena C team members Leslie Jackson and John Montgomery discuss tactics during their match with Williowfield C. INBT20-246AC

The game was quite evenly contested however the visitors finished strongly to claim victory by a margin of 10 shots.

Jimmy Shields, Jimmy Gage, William Crawford and John Elliott found the going tough against J Graham on rink 1.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

With 6 ends played the visitors held a 3 shot advantage but the complexion of the game changed over the next 10 ends.

Starting a new end between Ballymena C and Williowfield B. INBT20-247ACStarting a new end between Ballymena C and Williowfield B. INBT20-247AC
Starting a new end between Ballymena C and Williowfield B. INBT20-247AC

During that period, the Braid men could only score 2 singles while the Willowfield rink increased their advantage to 18 shots.

The remainder of the game was more evenly contested but the damage had already been done with the visitors winning the game by 29 shots to 12.

On rink 2 Andy Hill, Robert Mark, Dessie Shaw and Derek Greer started well against M Hedley Snr and with a third of the game completed they led by 13 shots to 1.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The visitors hit back and over the next 5 ends they were able to reduce the arrears to a single shot.

The Ballymena men dug deep and 4 shots over the next 3 ends gave them a 5 shot lead with only 6 ends remaining but the Willowfield rink finished strongly when they outscored Greer’s men by 10 shots to 1 to claim victory by 23 shots to 19.

John Montgomery, Leslie Jackson, Robert McCready and Liam Lyness were second best over the opening ends against W Thompson on rink 3 and after 10 ends they trailed by 10 shots to 6.

The Braid rink however found another gear and a count of 5 shots on the 12th end gave them new hope.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Ballymena men had the better of the remaining ends when they outscored their opponents by 11 shots to 6 to win by 23 shots to 16.

Willie McNabb, Roy Kernohan, Artie McAuley and Alan O’Loan were involved in a strange game against G Childs on rink 4.

The home rink made a confident start and with 5 ends played they lead by 9 shots to 1.

Over the next 5 ends, however, all their good work was undone as the Willowfield men outscored the Ballymena men by 12 shots to 1.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

With 6 ends remaining the visitors lead by 5 shots but the Braid rink were not to be beaten and they won 4 of the remaining ends to claim a hard fought 24-20 victory.

Tonight (Tuesday) Ballymena C entertain Downpatrick and then on Saturday they travel to Falls.

Related topics: