Lurgan Blue through to Thornton Cup Final

It was a week of memorable wins for Veteran’s Team, Lurgan Blue who having won their way through to the semi-final stage of NIVBL Zone B Section 4A Knock-out Cup on Monday week went on to beat Donaghadee by 9 shots in the semi-final of the Thornton Cup to play Banbridge Red in the Final next Friday.

Neil Sloan, Alan Briggs, Sam McCombes and Ronan Cregan played Robert Humpries rink and raced into an 8-1 lead after the opening 3 ends; while the Donaghadee Four gradually bowled their way back into the match to be all square at 10-10 at the midpoint.

The Lurgan Four were temporarily ahead by 13-12 but it was short lived when claimed 3 shots on the 15th end to lead 13-15; a lead that he held for Cregan’s rink to lose by just 15-16.

Lurgan Blue’s second rink, Ivor Mitchell, Richard McClune, Peter Dew and Harry Cosgrove had a convincing 19-11 win facing David Nelson’s Donaghadee rink. Cosgrove’s rink took an early 5-1 lead but Nelson’s rink come back immediately to be only 1 shot adrift after the 5th end.

Regaining control the Lurgan Blue Four claimed a series of double shot wins to be 11-5 ahead after 10 ends. Most of the remaining ends were won by Cosgrove and his men to end 19-11 up which saw the Lurgan side through to the Thornton Cup Final.

A spokesperson of the Lurgan Club congratulated the Blue Team on reaching the Thornton Cup Final and wished them all the very best on behalf of the members; while urging them to bring the Cup home where it has been a number of times.