B team chasing league honours

58TH OLD BOYS 46(0)

LURGAN B team continue their relentless pursuit of league honours.

Last Tuesday evening they played 58th Old Boys in a re-arranged division six league game and were totally in command throughout the match.

They won by a huge margin of 69 shots to reclaim runner-up position and to narrow the gap between them and leaders Warrenpoint who could only muster a consolation point against Castle B in their weekend match.

The Lurgan side were ahead at all stages having a lead of eight shots after five ends which they extended to 20 shots after ten and 32 after fifteen. During the remaining ends they amassed a further outstanding 47 shots to totally demolish the visitors.

On rink one Gordon Bell skipped well throughout and led his team, comprising Wilfie McCullough, Charlie Maguire and Vincent Devlin, to outclass B. Johnston’s 58th rink.

After the 10th end Bell’s rink had gone into the lead at 10-3. They relaxed slightly to allow the visitors to win the next three ends and lead by a shot. However Bell inspired his rink to regain control. They renewed their confidence and produced a tremendous display of bowling to which Johnston’s rink had no answer from the 13th end onwards. Over the remaining ends Bell’s rink collected an amazing 23 shots and won their game 33-12.

Sam Neill (skip), Derek Henderson, Rodney McCarthy and Melvyn Hamilton were on rink two and faced a determined 58th rink skipped by H. Muise.

During the earlier ends Neill’s rink were troubled by the visitors and found it hard to settle and were trailing 7-3 after four ends. However they took a tighter grip of their game and recovered to all square at 9-9 after eleven ends.

Neill urged his rink to perform better so that they won the next four ends and were in a commanding lead of 18-9 after the 14th end. Having dropped a triple shot on the next end they recovered from then on, responding with a four shot win on the next end and taking seven brilliant shots during the final three ends to win 30-13.

On rink three were seasoned bowler Bobby Jones (skip), Dan Dempsey, Jeffrey McCullough and Ronnie McCullough. They were on top of their game throughout and gave the visitors rink, skipped by A. Crawford, virtually no hope of winning at any stage. The opposition could only win one end and collect a shot against the bowling onslaught from Jones’ rink who led 10-1 after the ninth end.

The visitors were fortunate to take double and single shots at the 10th and 14th ends but had no answer to the sustained home attack who won all the remaining ends, with the exception of the 15th end when they unexpectedly dropped five shots. Having collected 12 shots Jones’ rink won well by 25-9.

David Millar (skip), Dick McClune, Declan McCabrey and Gerry Stewart played a three man 58th rink skipped by young J. Moore. Losing just two ends Millar’s rink was well in the lead by 11-4 at the halfway point.

Having dropped just a shot on the 11th they went further ahead by collecting four shot and double shot wins on the next two ends to extend their lead to 15-4. The visitors made a slight comeback but Millar’s rink was always in front and had maintained the gap at eight shots by the 15th end.

Over the remaining ends Millar’s rink were always in control and finished well by taking an excellent five shot win off the last end to take the rink score to 27-16 in their favour.

Lurgan B produced an exhilarating and exciting bowling performance which was possibly one of their best in years. Their amazing 69 shot win is one from which they gain much confidence in their pursuit of league honours this season.