Last unbeaten District League record goes as Portglenone suffer defeat

Portglenone Community had been the last team to taste defeat - but that ended where they were surprisingly beaten by Services ‘B’.

For the Bannsiders, the one shot between the teams at the end was a bitter pill to swallow after their exit from the League Cup by the same slender margin against All Saints the previous week.

Portglenone’s unbeaten record was hanging by a thread at the interval by which stage wins from the rinks skipped by Greta Coulter and Eric Smyth had given Services a commanding 10-shot advantage.

The Ports made a good fist of overturning that deficit but despite wins from Eamon Cassley and Joe McErlean, they came up just short.

BPFA ‘B’, who had started the week just behind Portglenone, were unable to take advantage of the Ports’ slip - in fact, they actually lost more ground after they could only take one point from their trip to Moneyglass.

The home side were seven shots to the good at the break after first half wins from Brendan McCusker and Sean McNeilly and they added to their advantage with a further win from Henry Marron’s rink.

Joe Campbell’s rink certainly played its part for Broughshane with a win over Tommy Magee but they were unable to influence the outcome of the point for overall shots total.

The best wishes of everyone associated with the league go to Broughshane stalwart Paddy Johnston who was taken to hospital after falling ill during the match.

In the other Division Two game, Antrim IBC claimed a much-needed win at the bottom of the table as they overcame Services ‘A’.

Both sides won two rinks apiece but while Services’ wins from Bill Kitson and Joe Stevenson were relatively close affairs, Antrim’s winning rinks - skipped by Robert McCullough and Tom Evans - each had 10 shots to spare.

Services ‘B’ 37 (3), Portglenone CC 36 (2): G Coulter 12, J Gaul 7; E Smyth 13, G McLarnon 8; R Dickson 7, E Cassley 11; S Smith 5, J McErlean 10.

Antrim IBC 40 (3), Service ‘A’ 26 (2): I McCullough 6, B Kitson 11; R McCullough 12, D McNeill 2; T Evans 15, M Shaw 5; D McCullough 7, J Stevenson 8.

Moneyglass 45 (4), BPFA ‘B’ 39 (1): B McCusker 10, H McCullough 6; S Mcneilly 11, D Kernohan 8; H Marron 14, H Henry 8; T Magee 10, J Campbell 17.

Postponed: Golf Seniors v Harryville CC.

DIVISION ONE

Michelin recorded their third successive 5-0 win to extend their lead at the top of Division One.

Their latest conquest was a crushing 38-shot win over Golf Club, who could only manage 14 shots on the night.

A feature of the match was strong Michelin finishes over the closing ends after close contests in the early stages and Wesley Caldwell, Grant Robinson and Graham Wilson’s rinks all scored 14 shots in their wins.

Michelin’s ‘full house’ was completed by Matthew Boyd who inflicted a first defeat of the season on Johnny Lynn.

BIBC ‘A’ are still firmly on Michelin’s coat-tails after taking four points from defending champions BPFA ‘A’.

Broughshane led by two shots at the break with Alan Cahoon’s win cancelling out a win for BIBC ‘A’ in-form rink skipped by James Gaston.

The two games after the break both went the way of the home side, however, with wins for David Elliott and Bryan Magrath.

BIBC claimed their first league win of the season at Clough Rangers, thanks largely to Nigel Robinson’s rink’s 11-shot win over William Patton, while Roy Torrington also won for Bowling Club. Clough’s reply came from Andy Armstrong and Raymond Aitcheson.

In the other top-flight game Old Bleach and JTI could not be separated in a 31-31 stalemate. The Bleach points came from Willie Fullerton and Mervyn McDonald, while Brian Russell and Billy Lynn claimed the points for JTI.

Clough Rangers 33 (2), BIBC 39 (3): J Gilchrist 7, R Torrington 9; A Armstrong 13, J Coulter 9; W Patton 4, N Robinson 15; R Aitcheson 9, D Torrington 6.

Michelin 52 (5), Golf Club 14 (0): W Caldwell 14, S McGarry 3; G Robinson 14, D McCullough 3; G Wilson 14, J Jamieson 4; M Boyd 10, J Lynn 4.

BIBC ‘A’ 39 (4), BPFA ‘A’ 32 (1): J Gaston 13, A Morrison 8; A Bonnar 4, A Cahoon 11; D Elliott 11, W Morrison 8; B Magrath 11, D Morrison 5.

Old Bleach 31 (2.5), JTI 31 (2.5): W Fullerton 7, T Rock 6; A Booth 4, B Russell 10; A Chesney 8, B Lynn 10; M McDonald 12, T Agnew 5.

DIVISION THREE

Just two points separate the top five teams in Division Three after last week’s results.

Leaders Maine were beaten at home by All Saints, whose wins came from Sean Haveron, Eugene McReynolds and a last-end success for Paddy Martin.

Laurence McQuillan provided the Randalstown side’s sole response.

However, Maine have still one-and-a-half points of a lead at the top after second-placed West Church slipped up at home to First Ballymena.

Lyle McQuitty, Matt McPeake and Roland Woods skipped winning rinks to keep ‘First’ very much in the promotion hunt.

The only crumb of consolation for West Church was that Tommy Wilson’s 14-shot win over David McQuitty helped his side claim a second point, for the overall shots total.

Glenravel join West Church on 14.5 points after they proved too strong for Eaton Park.

The rinks skipped by Martin McKillop, Vera Bryson and John McKeegan all had something to spare in their wins, while Gary Shaw prevented Eaton Park from being on the wrong end of a ‘whitewash’.

West Church 35 (2), First Ballymena 33 (3): V Mahon 9, L McQuitty 11; T Wilson 18, D McQuitty 4; J Rainey 5, M McPeake 11; M Livingstone 3, R Woods 7.

Maine 29 (1), All Saints 38 (4): P Reeves 7, S Haveron 12; L McQuillan 7, T Dillon 5; J Heffron 7, E Mcreynolds 12; P Kerr 8, P Martin 9.

Glenravel 40 (4), Eaton Park 23 (1): M McKillop 16, J Carruthers 3; V Bryson 10, B Hill 5; J McKeegan 12, G Reid 6; M McAuley 2, G Shaw 9.