Another setback in the league for B team

Lurgan B 75 (2 pts)

Lurgan B suffered another setback in their hunt for league honours when they fell short by just four shots away to Lagan Valley.

Will McCullough, skip on Rink 1 with Mel Hamilton, Bobby Livingstone and Vincent Devlin had a tough run against Billy Hobson’s home rink. They were all square at 3-3 after five ends but were four shots down at 8-4 at the halfway stage. Hobson’s rink dominated the second with a series of one and two shot end wins to go 16-6 ahead after 17 ends.

McCullough urged his men to finish strong and so they did; especially with a valuable 3-shot win on the 19th end.

There was a dramatic finish on the rink when Hamilton’s bowl beat Lagan Valley’s two lying bowls to draw within six inches of the jack in the ditch. McCullough’s rink was lying shot but even doing his best to bring at least one of Lurgan B’s bowls in for a second vital shot he just skimmed the bowls with no change and a 17-11 loss.

Skipping on Rink 2, Charlie Maguire with Brian Brown, Milne Jones and Bobby Jones had a 22-18 win and did well from being 12-5 adrift at the midpoint. The home rink took control in the second half to take 13 essential shots off the next 8 ends to storm into a 19-12 lead after the 18th end. They added another 3 shots on 20th to bring the Lurgan B within an ace of getting five valuable league points from the match. Maguire’s rink was lying shot on the last end to at least tie the match but Lurgan B’s shot bowl was taken out by P Gaffney’s match-winning second bowl.

Derek Henderson, skip on Rink 3, with Neil Sloan, Gerry Stewart and Albert Houston came from 9-4 down after 7 ends against Jeff Fawcus’ rink to lead 14-9 after 12 ends; but dropping 8 shots over the next two ends for the lead to change hands at 17-14 after 14 ends. Lurgan rallied to win superbly by 28-18 and a vital league point.

Rodney McCarthy, skipping on Rink 4, with Tom Connolly, Gordon Whitehead and Stewart Martin had a difficult afternoon against Jim Kinkead’s rink. McCarthy’s rink made a confident enough start and was all square at 6-6 all after 5 ends but unfortunately with the exception of three end wins Kinkead’s rink won all the rest to defeat McCarthy’s rink 26-14.