Ballymoney off to a flier

The Toon picked up five points with each team having two winning rinks.

In the battle of the internationals Gary Kelly overcame Victor Dallas by 15 shots and Alan Paul beat Basil Kennedy by 22 shots to put the visitors well in control at the break.

Richard McDermott hit back for the hosts after the break with a six shot win over Willie McCaw. Mervyn McKeeman also won his game over Nicky McCaw, but it was only by a single shot so Ballymoney secured the win.

Brookgreen grabbed a good three shot win on the road at City of Derry, picking up five points in the process.David Gaile beat Jim Campbell by nine shots and Ian Ross put another five on their total with victory over John Louden.

For the hosts Malcolm Thompson beat Maurice McCullagh by eight and Lorenzo Graham held on to seal a three shot win over Brian Lindsay.

Portrush got their season off to a dream start with a 15-shot home win over Dunluce. The home side won three of the four rinks with former Cookstown stalwart Jackie Smyth getting them off and running with a 12-shot win over Barry Kane.

Gary McCloy saw off Brian Smyth by 10 and Kevin O'Neill held on to beat Uel McKeeman by two.

Rodney Kane salvaged a point for the visitors with a nine shot win over Ian McClure.

Cookstown were in sizzling form as they picked up all seven points at home to Portglenone in their opener as they romped to a 65-shot win.

Colin Hogg beat Keith Padgett by 16, Mark Wilson saw off Eamon McCann by 21 shots, Liam McHugh grabbed a 15 shot win over Chris Jones and Tom McAleavey wrapped things up as he beat R Hunter by 13.

Ballymoney B kick off with a win

BALLYMONEY B picked up a 10 shot win over Brooke Park in the opening round of fixtures in the Progressive Building Society Division One.

The home side grabbed six points winning on three of the four rinks.

J Martin beat Jimmy Cuthbert by 10 shots and Archie Scott saw off Ken McConomy by three to put the hosts in control at the break.

Tommy Smith beat Michael Fahy by nine in the second half before Jimmy Hagan pulled a point back for the visitors with a 12-shot win ove K Carson.

Ballycastle also picked up six points as they beat Cookstown B by 34-shots on their travels.

P Mitchell picked up the home side's solitary point as he beat J Hunter by three shots. But that was as good as it got for Cookstown as Bertie White beat Don Mitchell by nine, N McNeill saw off G Smith by 21 shots and J McCormick beat S Quinn by seven.

Limavady made a terrific start to the new campaign as they picked up all seven points following their 45-shot win over Magherafelt.

Sam Corscadden beat W Greer by seven shots, Wilfie Moore edged out J Martin by four, Gerald Lowry recorded an excellent 15-shot win over A Bates and Keith Lowry wrapped things up with a superb 19-shot win over W Greer.

In Division Two Coleraine B got off to a great start as they beat Fairhill by 22 shots to pick up six points.

Willie Calvin had a good battle with A Spratt before winning by one shot and Jack Logan held on to beat S Kells by four to keep them in front at the break.

Jonathon Elder added another 18 to their total with an excellent win over N Barnes before Norman Hutchinson pulled a point back for the visitors with a one shot win over Robert Madden.

Culrathain also made an impressive start as they picked up all seven points following their 25-shot win over Riada.

Robert Campbell put them in front with a three shot win over John Milliken and Hugh Connor beat Anthony Quigg by five in the first half.

R Stephens eased past J McMaster by 16 shots before David Calvin edged out S Smyth by a single shot.

Results:

Provincial Bowling Association, Progressive Building Society Senior Division: Portrush 88 (6) Dunluce 73 (1), Coleraine 57 (1) Ballymoney 87 (5), Cookstown 115 (7), Portglenone 50 (0), City of Derry 79 (2) Brookgreen 82 (5).

PBA Division One: Cookstown B 60 (1) Ballycastle 94 (6), Ballymoney B 83 (6) Brooke Park 73 (1), Limavady 89 (7) Magherafelt 44 (0).

PBA Division Two: Coleraine B 82(6) v Fairhill 60 (1); Portrush B 79 (6) v Kilrea 70 (1); Limavady B 61 (5) v Brookgreen B 57 (2); Castlerock 67 (1) v City of Derry B 70 (6).

PBA Division Three: Dunluce B 84 (5) v Portstewart 73 (2); Riada 50 (0) v Culrathain 75 (7); Ballycastle B 56 (2) v Dungiven 70 (5); Lisnagelvin 51 (2) v Letterkenny 75 (5).

Fixtures:

Thursday 29 April

NIPBA Fours Round 1 - M. McKeeman CR v J. Reid PG; E. McCann PG v P. McElmoyle DG; R. Hunter PG v N. McNeill BC; A. Scott BM v I. McAleese DL; A. Paul BM v N. Hutchinson FH; R. McBride BM v M. Thompson CoD; A. Foster PG v V. Dallas CR.

Friday 30 April

Progressive Sutherland Cup Round 1 - Fairhill v City of Derry B; Ballymoney B v Brooke Park; Portrush B v Magherafelt; Kilrea v Limavady B; Coleraine B v Ballycastle.

Saturday 1 May

Progressive Senior League - Ballymoney v Portrush; Brookgreen v Cookstown; Dunluce v Coleraine; Portglenone v City of Derry.

Monday 3 May

NIPBA Singles Round 1 (A) - J. Martin BM v A. McIntyre DL; T. McAleavey CT v R. Kirkpatrick BG; J. McElmoyle DG v D. Smyth PR; G. McCloy PR v J. Dallas CR; Al. Walker BM v B. Moffatt PR; C. Wylie LV v B. Kennedy CR; J. Hutchinson CK v W. Moore LV; C. Jones PG v N. Glasgow CT; J. Calvin CR v T. Allen CT; S. Jeffers CT v A. Kennedy DL; F. Wilson CoD v T. Lithco PR; R. Kane DL v H. Sweeney BG; D. Taggart DL v T. Steele BG; M. McCullagh BG v S. Colvin DL; H. Elliott DL v K. Padgett PG; R. Steven CR v B. McAlary BM; M. White LK v B. Lindsay BG; S. Black DL v A. Corscadden LV; B. O'Kane LK v M. Leake DG; D. O'Kane LK v T. Smith BM; A. Paul BM v T. Mullan DL; J. Camac CR v B. Kane DL; P. Cassidy PG v D. Gaille BG; J. Shields PR v A. Tennant BM; P. Sampson FH v R. Madden CR; D. Kincaid CoD v A. Irwin CR; G. Scott PR v R. Kincaid CoD; L. Jacob LK v M. Thompson CoD; A. Thompson DG v M. Mason CR; W. McCaw BM v J. Quinn LK; G. Bawl DG v B.Begley PR.

Tuesday 4 May

Progressive Division 1 League - Cookstown B v Ballymoney B; Ballycastle v Magherafelt; Brooke Park v Limavady.

Wednesday 5 May

Progressive Division 2 League - Fairhill v Brookgreen B; Coleraine B v Kilrea; Portrush B v Castlerock; City of Derry B v Limavady B.

Progressive Division 3 League - Letterkenny v Riada; Dunluce B v Culrathain; Dungiven v Portstewart; Lisnagelvin v Ballycastle B.