Lurgan’s second string through to Junior Cup Final

Lurgan has reached the NIBA Junior Cup for the second time in four years and are hoping not to be the bridesmaid again when they challenge top of Division 3, Rathriland for the Championship Title back at The Grove, Belfast on Wednesday, July 16.

Last Wednesday evening they played Castleton at The Grove for a place in this year’s Junior Cup Final and were victorious by 13 shots in a tightly fought contest.

Peter Dew’s rink made a cautious start on a tricky bowling source and were 1-8 down after 4 ends but they finally got the run of the green to win 13 out of the remaining 16 ends while restricting the Castleton rink to just 3 shots. Dew’s rink finished well to win 11-19 with a brilliant spell of bowling the Lurgan B lead, Shirley Dew who frustrated the opposition throughout.

On Rink 2 Stanley Watson and his fellow bowlers won narrowly by 18-19 having overcome two 7-shot end losses. Losing 18-15 after 14 ends Watson got his rink up and going to take 4 shots off the last 3 ends to win his match against Alan Milne, skip and Castleton Captain.

Luke Donaldson and his rink started in an attacking style to win the first end and shoot into a 6-shot lead and then amassed a 1-16 lead after the 7th. Evans and his colleagues settled down in a determined fashion to dictate the rest of the game and restrict the visitors to just 2 shots but fell short to leave Donaldson’s rink marginally winners by 15-18.

On Rink 3 it was very give and take between Stewart Martin’s rink and the opposition skipped by Graham Miles for the sides to be even at 5-5 after 7 ends. With Martin’s rink dropping 4 and 2 shots on the next 2 ends Miles’ rink went ahead 11-5.

The visitors made sure that was short-lived by winning the next 5 ends while collecting 9 shots to lead 11-14 after 14 ends. They looked to be coasting to a good win but Miles’ home rink took single shots off 3 of the last 4 ends to leave Martin’s winning narrowly by 14-15.

A Club spokesperson said: "Rathfriland are a tough side to beat and are having a great season to date at the top of Division 3 but Cup matches are a different kettle of fish; so I’m very hopeful that we’ll do the biz to bring the Junior Cup home for the first time since 1994; having been runners-up on a couple of occasions.”