Bangor too strong for Lurgan

Bangor 90 (5) Lurgan 66 (2)
Bowls.Bowls.
Bowls.

Lurgan Seniors travelled to Ward Park on Saturday in a battle of newly promoted against defending champions and while Lurgan put in a battling performance to win two rink points the superior strength saw Bangor claim the bonus shots on their two winning rinks to claim the match and the three points it awards.

In a tight start to the game it was level after five ends at 16 each, Bangor put on serious pressure in the middle of the game which saw them take a strong lead which Lurgan could not come back from.

On rink 1 R Boness, E Quinn, P McGrail and skip Alan Briggs started well against Bangor skip M Crawford and only trailed by a single shot after five ends. This would be as close as the Lurgan four would get losing the next five ends losing 14 shots in this period, the Lurgan four battled back from this eventually losing by 10 25-15.

On rink 2, I Mitchell, J McCullough, M Bunting and skip H Cosgrove, were level with the Bangor rink skipped by R Hastings before losing 11 shots in four ends to seal the tie in the home rinks favour eventually losing 34-17.

On rink 3, R McCullough, D McCabrey, J Gilliland and skip M Montgomery won a tight game against Bangor skip G Scott by a single shot.

There was nothing to choose between the two rinks all day as the biggest lead held was three shots after Lurgan won the opening three ends, however the game was tied at 16 all going into the last end, and it would be the Lurgan four who got the shot required to win the rink.

On rink 4 R McClune, R Millar, S Poots and skip A Roberts were leading from the start of the game until the end pulling out an early 7-2 lead and surviving a late rally by the Bangor rink skipped by M Shannon, winning 17-15.

Fixtures this weekend see Lurgan A at home to Divis in a NIBA Division 1 match starting 2.00pm. Lurgan B travel the short distance to Dromore to meet their B team in an NIBA Division 5 match; commencing at 2.00pm.

The Mid-Ulster League team get their season off with a home match against Cookstown on Thursday evening at 6.45 pm. That afternoon the ladies are at home to Lisnagarvey in an NIWBA Senior League match at 2.00pm.