Ballymena bowlers claim titles in Irish championship finals

The Ballymena rink who won the Irish Bowling Association rinks title at Coleraine at the weekend.

Donna McCloy was the first Ballymena player in action when she played Rosie Brown (LBLI) on Saturday morning in the semi final of the Singles.

Brown made the better start and McCloy was always playing catch up and unfortunately for the Ballymena lady she was eventually beaten 21-12.

There was better new in the afternoon when McCloy joined up with Sile Garvey, Sarah Jane Curran and Jennifer Dowds in the semi finals of the Fours against Bridie Dobbin (NIWBA). The Braid ladies were in fine form and they were just too good for the NIWBA rink and they went on to record an emphatic 26-7 victory.

The final of the Fours took place on Sunday afternoon and standing in the way of an Irish title was the NIWPGL rink skipped by Alicia Weir. Unfortunately for the Ballymena ladies it was the NIWPGL rink who shaded the final 20-11 to claim the title.

There was better news in the final of the under 25 Pairs where Erin Smith along with Courtney Meneely (Ewarts) took on T Miller/A McKee (Lurgan). In a low scoring affair Smith/Meneely were always in control and counts of 3 and 4 during the game was enough to ensure a 14-10 victory.

In the men’s equivalent, the finals of the Irish Bowling Association Championships took place at Coleraine Bowling Club last weekend and Ballymena were well represented in two of the disciplines.

In the semi-final of the triples Steven Shields, Graham Wilson and Andrew Morrison led by a shot at the halfway stage against R Maher (St James Gate, BLI). Six ends later the scores were level but the BLI triple won the remaining ends to claim their place in the final.

In the semi final of the Senior Fours, J R Nicholl, Rod Coleman, Jimmy Hodges and Roy Torrington have been drawn against P Smyth (Leinster, BLI) and as the game progressed the Ballymena men gradually pulled away to win 21-17 to book their place in the final on Saturday afternoon against I Gallaher (NIBA).

The NIBA rink scored a single on the first end but 9 shots over the next 3 ends but the Braid men were in control. Nine shots was the Ballymena advantage with 8 ends completed but Torrington’s men effectively won the game with a count of 6 shots on the next end to lead by 15 shots. There was no way back for the NIBA rink as the Ballymena men claimed an emphatic victory.