Destination of Division Two title hinges upon Portglenone result

BY the time you read this, the destination of the Ballymena and District League Division Two title will have been determined.

The deciding match was due to take place last night (Monday) when title challenging Portglenone Community Centre entertained Services 'A', knowing that a full house of five points would be enough to pip BPFA 'B' to the title.

The very fact that Portglenone were in a position to decide their own destiny following their bye week owed much to Broughshane's defeat at Clough Rangers, in a game where a victory would have given the Knockan Road side an unassailable points total at the top of the league.

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It was anyone's game at the break by which stage both teams had a point on the board, with Andrew Armstrong winning for Clough against Terry McClintock, while BPFA's Noel Graham edged out Jimmy Gregg 9-8.

The balance swung very much in Clough's favour thanks to David Shaw's 17-1 demolition of James Wasson but Joe Campbell defeated Raymond Aitcheson 10-5 to earn what could yet to prove to be a crucial second point for Broughshane, who have now completed all their matches and can only wait on the outcome from last night's game in Portglenone.

Clough, who still have three games to play, still have a mathematical chance of winning the title but it will require a Herculean finish from the villagers.

Elsewhere in Division Two, Harryville Community Centre claimed three points from their game against Enkalon – a result which almost certainly ends the Antrim side's hopes of avoiding finishing bottom of the table.

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Wilson Burgess gave Harryville a good start by beating J Greenaway, but Enkalon led at the break thanks to Chris Murray's 11-6 win over Harold Smyth and Robin Kennedy's 10-6 win over Jimmy Patterson extended the visitors' lead further.

But the wheels came off the cart in spectacular fashion as Stewart Wilson's racked up one of the biggest shots totals of the season – 24 – against Brian Mackle, to claim the point for overall shots total.

West Church 'A' notched a half-century of shots in a comfortable win over Maine.

Maurice Livingstone won five of the last seven ends to defeat Brian Kerr 15-4, while Jim Rainey's rink was too strong for Pat O'Neill.

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Matt O'Neill produced a strong finish to earn Maine's only point against Matt McPeake but Graham Wilson's West Church rink ran out winners against Laurence McQuillan with something to spare.

Maine were in action twice as they played their postponed match against Services 'A' from the previous week, but the outcome was no better as they lost 43-24.

They were ahead at the break after Laurence McQuillan's win over Pauline Wilson more than cancelled out George Beattie's success.

But Services turned up the heat after the break with convincing wins for Mark Shaw and Bill Kitson over Pat O'Neill and Brian Kerr.

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