BOWLS: Ireland win British Isles Team Championship at Bromsgrove

The Irish got their hands on the title for the 26th time, having finished the two-day event with an unbeaten record. And, just for good measure, the Irish also triumphed in the ‘A’ Series, which was staged in tandem with the main event.

It wasn’t such a successful venture in the British individual events. Robin Stubbs skipped his Ballinderry side to victory in the triples, but that was as good a it got. Cecil Dillon agonisingly missed out on the singles. He was pipped to the gold medal by Wales’ Michael John on shot advantage. Allan Johnston, from St Michael’s, Dundrum, had to settle for third place in the pairs discipline, which was won by England’s Ben Render.

David Morrison’s 1st Ahoghill rink had a similar finish in the fours. But the Irish fared much better in the ‘A’ individual competitions, winning the singles, triples and fours.

Martin McNicholl lifted the singles prize while Philip McKeown and Mark Beattie skipped their respective teams to victory in the other two. It could well have been a clean sweep, but Stephen Kennedy had to settle for second place in the pairs.

Meanwhile, Ian McClure booked a place in the semi finals of the AIIB singles with an impressive 21-9 win against Stuart Bennett at Ballymoney.

Results: England 37 Ireland 67 (W Wiggins 10 K Conroy 17; L Toleman 9 C McHugh 17; B Hedhes 8 R Stubbs 15; C Willies 10 M Wilson 15); Wales 49 Scotland 46.

England 43 Wales 48; Ireland 69 Scotland 20 (K Conroy 19 J Broatch 2; C McHugh 18 L Moffet 6; R Stubbs 13 R McNeill 5; M Wilson 19 S McDonald 7) .

Wales 40 Ireland 42 (S Hughes 10 M wilson 7; A Hudson 10 R Stubbs 12; S williams 10 C McHugh 13; L Haddon 10 K Conroy 10);England 55 Scotland 36.

England 39 Ireland 44 (C Willies 8 C McHugh 7; B Hedges 4 K Conroy 15; L Toleman 11 M Wilson 11; R Wiggins 14 R Stubbs 11); Wales 65 Scotland 22.

Scotland 28 Ireland 59 (S McDonald 7 R Stubbs 14; J Broatch 7 M Wilson 13; L Moffat 9 K Conroy 15; R McNeill 5 C McHugh 17); England 47 Wales 37.

England 52 Scotland 37; Wales 34 Ireland 53 (A Hudson 11 M Wilson 13; S Williams 7 R Stubbs 7;L Haddon 7 C McHugh 26; S Hughes 9 K Conroy 7.

Placings: 1 Ireland 12 pts; 2 Wales 6 (+10); 3 England 6 (+6); 4 Scotland 0.

‘A’ Series: England 52 Wales 32; Ireland 88 Scotland 18. England 43 Scotland 26; Ireland 78 Wales 26. England 37 Ireland 40; Scotland 29 Wales 74. England 47 Wales 28; Ireland 68 Scotland 28. England 71 Scotland 27; Wales 31 Ireland 45. England 37 Ireland 49; Wales 54 Scotland 36.

Placings: 1 Ireland 12 pts; 2 England 8; 3 Wales 4; 4 Scotland 0.

o AIIB singles: Last 16: D Smith (BCIBC) 21 A Coleman (CAIBC) 7; B Kane (BCIBC) 13 G McKee (CAIBC) 21; J McCullough (BIBC) 21 R Curran (CAIBC) 4; R Battersby (BIBC) 21 J McGetterick (BIBC) 9; M McPeak (BIBC) 20 S Bennett (BIBC) 21; S Hedley (BIBC) 4; I McClure (BCIBC) 21; S Kirkwood (BIBC) 21 W McCaw (BCIBC) 13; R Barr (BIBC) 11 S Coleman (CAIBC) 21.

Quarter finals: Smith 13 McKee 21; McCullough 21 Battersby 14; Bennett 9 McClure 21; Kirkwood 21 Coleman 18.

Semi finals (to be held on Friday-Sunday, January 20-22 at Belfast Indoor Bowls Club): McKee v McCullough; McClure v Kirkwood.

AIIB Fours: Last 16: G McElroy (BIBC) 7 R Battersby (BIBC) 2; S Coleman (CAIBC) 15 W McCaw (BCIBC) 6; J Baker (CAIBC) 10 C Craig (BIBC) 17; J Martin (BCIBC) 17 A Sloan (BIBC) 15; J Caldwell (CAIBC) 17 P McVeigh (BIBC) 8; S Martin (BIBC) 9 M Merritt (BIBC) 10; A Kyle (CAIBC) 22 G McGlreave (BIBC) 19; B Kane (BCIBC) 21 G Kelly (BCIBC) 7.

Quarter finals: Battersby 12 Coleman 11; Craig 16 Martin 6; Caldwell 4 Merritt 19; Kyle 25 Kane 7.

Semi finals (to be held on Friday-Sunday, January 20-22 at Belfast Indoor Bowls Club): Battersby v Craig; Merritt 19 Kyle 25.