Bowls: Cookstown have mixed fortunes against Ballymoney

Ballymoney and Cookstown have yet to taste league defeat this season and with the two big guns coming head to head something had to give.

Cookstown started the game brightly, though Ballymoney kept close to the cookies and after 12 ends played the overall shots were 34-34. Mark Wilsons rink were leading the charge for the cookies with his rink playing some superb bowls.

Liam McHugh’s Cookstown rink where also in fine form against Irish international Gary Kelly.

Though as these Cookstown rinks where enjoying success the Cookie rinks of Colin Hogg and Damien McElroy where struggling to find their usual consistent form of recent weeks.

With 16 ends played Ballymoney had raced into a 51-40 shot lead and looked in course to seal victory in this top of the table clash.

Cookstown as always kept battling hard and they where rewarded and the score came back level 51-51. With 3 ends remaining for all rinks, Cookstown raced home to seal a brilliant and satisfying victory over their big rivals.

Piggot Cup semi-final

Cookstown 68 Ballymoney 83

Ballymoney where the visitors for the second time in a week, looking to gain revenge for the league defeat earlier in the week.

The Cookies knew that Ballymoney would be hungry for revenge and they signalled their intent early in the match, and after 8 ends overall raced into a 20 shot lead.

Cookstown struggled to get going in this match and even though they pulled the shot deficit back to 10 shots never could get close enough to ever threatened a good Ballymoney side who raced home to a comfortable victory.

Cookstown’s match away to Civil Service in the Irish Cup fell foul to the weather with a new date to be arranged.

The Cookstown Club where deeply saddened by the news of the death of Stanley Smith, father of esteemed member Glenn Smith. All at the club send their deepest sympathy to Glenn and the wider family circle on their sad loss.