Bowls: Disappointment for Cookstown's Colm as the elusive '˜grand slam' slips from his grasp

In the final he played West Down’s Cecil Dillon also contesting his first national final.

Colm’s defeat by 13-8 was the result of his opponent playing well and taking his chances especially with running bowls and Colm having poor luck when on three ends his bowl straightened when he could easily have picked up at least two fours.

Colm came back from 5 shots down to trail 10-8 on what was to prove to be a crucial end.

Lying shot he delivered his bowl to get a count of three but the bowl held and when it settles his opponent lay two and drew a third.

It was a disappointing end to a game that he was probably expected by many people to win - and perhaps on another day it would have worked out better for him.

ZONE FINALS

The finals of the zone competitions will be held this week in Maghera Pres.

In the pairs E Wright meets V Brown.

In the mixed pairs D McStravock meets S Davidson.

In the triples it is C McHugh against D McElroy.

In the rinks C McHugh plays V Brown or D McStravock, while Tommy Johnston and D McStravock contest the singles.

AWARDS NIGHT

Presentation night will be in the Greenvale Hotel, Cookstown on Saturday night at 8pm when league prizes, national vouchers and zone vouchers will be presented.