Men make winning start to Inter-Zone glory bid

The unavailability of Andy Duncan forced the selectors to make some late changes to the team with Alan Cahoon taking over the skipping duties.

On mat 1 John Graham, Tommy Lithco, Matthew Boyd and Garfield Lithco drew the rink skipped by Stevie Wilson. A tight game ensued with the rinks exchanging singles right up to the 7th end. At that stage the Mid Antrim rink held a slender one shot lead.

The pattern changed on the 8th end when the home rink capitalised on well built position to register a 5. The visitors replied with counts of 3 and 1 resulting in a 9-7 win for the home rink.

Mat 2 saw James Gaston, James McWhirter, Bryan Magrath and Wesley Caldwell in opposition to Erin Montgomery.

Singles were exchanged on the opening two ends. The visitors struck with a 4 on the 3rd end to move 5-1 ahead. This served only to stiffen the resolve of the home rink who hit back with counts of 2,1 and 1, to level the scores at 5-5 after 6 ends. Singles were again exchanged leaving the score line 6-6 after 8 ends.

The decisive blow was struck in the 9th end when James McWhirter superbly ditched the jack for a count of 2. A single on the final end secured a 9 - 6 win for the home rink.

Mat 3 saw an inspired performance from Davy Elliot, David Duncan, Alastair McCullough and Andrew Morrison in opposition to Billy Johnston. Consistent drawing to the jack saw the locals build a 5-0 advantage after 3 ends. The visitors single on the 4th end only stemmed the tide temporarily. On the 5th Morrison played a precise conversion shot on his forehand to remove two East Antrim bowls for a count of 4. The next 3 ends yielded counts of 3,1,and 3 to leave the locals in complete control 16 - 2 ahead. They ran out convincing 17-4 winners.

Mat 4 paired Martin Craig, David McCullough, Mark McCullough and David Morrison with Stephen McKinley. Singles were exchange on the opening two ends. The home rink them powered their way through the next seven ends outplaying their opponents in registering counts of 5, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2 and 2 to lead 14-1. A consolation 1 on the final end resulted in an emphatic 14-2 victory for the Morrison rink.

A feature of the game on mat 5 was the powerful driving bowls delivered regularly by visiting skip John O’Kane coupled with some good fortune. The home rink of Brian Russell, Richard Rodgers, Graham Wilson and Alan Cahoon opened with a count of 3. Thereafter they consistently built good position with Brian Russell in particular playing very well at lead. However the strikes delivered by O’Kane returned 1, 1, and 2 for the visitors to lead 4-3 after 4 ends. The home rink were rewarded with a count of 5 on the 5th end to move 8-4 ahead. Thereafter the pattern resumed with the visitors scoring 2,1,1 and 1 to move 9-8 ahead. The home side lay 2 shots for the game on the final end but again O’Kane drove at the head deflecting a toucher into the ditch to secure 2nd shot leaving the final score 9-9. This was the least the home rink deserved from a game which they could easily have won.

The final game on mat 6 saw Darren McCullough, Michael McMaster, Ivan Craig and William Morrison take on Eddie Crawford’s rink. The early stages went with the home rink who built up a 7-2 lead at the half way stage. However, counts of 2,2,and 3 put the visitors ahead 9-8 going into the last end by which time the hosts had secured overall victory. A count of 4 on the last end of a game which saw both rinks win 5 ends each gave the visitors their only rink win 13-8.

Overall this was a solid performance from the Mid Antrim team, something they will need to repeat in the next round when they face one of the competition favourites, Mid Ulster. The game is scheduled for Killymurris Glarryford on November 23.

LADIES

Meanwhile, it’s the turn of Mid-Antrim’s ladies to begin their competitive season this Saturday, November 2.

There’s a sense of deja vu for the local ladies as they meet Mid-Ulster at Killymurris Glarryford - the same opponents as at the same stage last year!

The unavailability of Helen Maybin and Jennifer Wilson is a blow but it has also given an opportunity to others such as the talented Megan Wilson and Joyce Greene, who will skip for the first time against the nine-times McIlroy Cup champions.

The Mid-Antrim panel is:

Rink one: L Turtle (BPFA), E McNeill (St Mary’s Glenravel), A Agnew (St Patrick’s Ballymena), M Wilson (Michelin).

Rink two: Y Rock (Cullybackey Methodist), A Rainey (Antrim IBC), J Lithco (Muckamore CC), R Morrison (First Ahoghill).

Rink three: P Peacock (Cullybackey Methodist), M Graham (Craigs), E Ferguson (BPFA), A Bacon (Ballymena Methodist).

Rink four: I McCullough (Antrim IBC), R Hayes (Clough Pres), Y Hall (Second Donegore), J Greene (Second Donegore).

Rink five: M Millar (Craigs), P Fleming (Craigs), S Lynn (Cuningham Memorial), H Lynn (Cuningham Memorial).

Rink six: M Turtle (Second Broughshane), K McKelvey (Second Broughshane), S Smith (Services), W Adair (Second Donegore).

SYMPATHY

All concerned within Mid-Antrim Zone were shocked and saddened to hear of the sudden death of Mrs Betty McKnight, wife of Irvine and mother of Zone player Yvonne Hall.

Betty was a long-standing member of Second Donegore and represented Mid-Antrim on many occasions. The Zone extends its sincere condolences to Betty’s family circle.