Champions too strong for Portglenone in season opener

The mid-Ulster side carried on from where they had left off last season, running out winners by 65 shots (115-50).

At five ends they had edged ahead by 13 shots on 28-15 but the game was all over bar the shouting with 10 ends played as the Fairhill men raced into a 68-21 lead.

With 15 played it was 86-33 and despite a brief recovery by the visitors – who had newcomers Andrew Millar, Mark Pearson and Jonathan Reid in their ranks - over the closing ends, it was a seven point haul for Cookstown.

Andrew Millar, Frank Jackson, Aaron Foster and Roy Hunter played Tommy Mc Aleavey and although Roy was only a shot down after 5 ends (6-5) a 2,3,1,4 by Tommy put him 16-5 ahead.

A spirited comeback by Roy's rink on the next four ends brought the score to 17-8 but a 2,3,1,2,3 by the home rink again answered by a 3,2,1 gave a final score of 28-15.

Rink 2 saw Tommy Mc Cart, Kieran Adams, Peter McCann and Eamon McCann against Mark Wilson's foursome and a home 4,1,1,2,1 put them 9-0 in front.

A single for Eamon on the sixth end only served to spur on the home rink as they recorded a 4,1,1 to lead 15-1 with nine ends played.

Ends 10 to 16 proved fruitful for the visitors as they scored a 3,1,1,1,1 for the loss of a brace of '2's to make the score 19-8, however an unanswered finish to the game by Mark gave him a comfortable 29-8 win.

Mark Pearson, Stephen Young, Geoff Padgett and Chris Jones got off to a good start against Liam McHugh, leading 3-8 after six ends, however a winning sequence of 10 ends for the loss of a single by Liam gave him a commanding 23-9 lead. The closing ends were fairly even with Liam recording a 28-13 victory.

There was a similar story on rink 4 as Colin Hogg for the Fairhill men took on Mark Jones, Jonathan Reid, Jim Gaul and Keith Padgett.

Keith went 0-3 ahead after two ends but a soul destroying 10 ends saw his rink trail 26-3. An excellent fightback by this mainly youthful rink saw them win seven of the remaining nine ends to reduce the arrears to 16 shots (30-14).

Portglenone's next league fixture is at home to City of Derry this Saturday, May 1.