Double top for Amanda and Nathan

AMANDA Carser and Nathan Haire were double winners at the finals of the Lisburn Zone Championships in Priesthill Methodist Church Hall on Tuesday night.

Along with Nathan’s brother, Nick, they had won the mixed rinks but lost the mixed triples before the crunch decider - the mixed pairs final. Amanda and Nathan made it a double with a 9-4 victory over Nick and Beth Wilson, Soldierstown.

The night started with the rinks and it was a good final with Muriel McCandless, Karen Ellison, Jim Johnston and John Mackey leading 5-1 at the fourth, but Amanda, along with Geraldine Tallon, Nathan and Nick came back with two, four, two and though Mackey lifted a single he was still 9-6 down.

But the excitement increased when Mackey was lying six at the last end and looked certain to snatch victory before Nick produced a great drawing bowl - probably the bowl of the night - to cut the lift to two, which gave his rink a one shot win.

In the singles Ballinderry’s Michael Beattie was 3-1 ahead after four ends, but Nigel Hamilton, Hillsborough Social, lifted three, one to lead 5-3 before Beattie won the last four ends and included a three to win by four shots. A deserved success for the young bowler.

On the other mat a four at the fourth gave Muriel McCandless, John Mackey and Cecil Dillon a 7-3 lead and though Amanda Carser, Nathan and Nick Haire came back Dillon always had the edge to win by three shots.

The pairs saw Amanda Carser and Nathan Haire start with a three but Beth Wilson and Nick Haire pulled back to 4-4 before Nathan won the last four ends to record a comfortable five shots win.

Most people agreed that if there was to be a player of the finals then it was Amanda Carser, who showed consistency throughout the evening.

The open pairs final between two Ballinderry teams, Gordon and Raymond Stubbs and Paul Reid and Eddie Marsden had to be called off due Eddie Marsden’s family bereavement.

Afterwards, Zone Convenor, Tom Haire, thanked Roy Kennedy Fuels for their sponsorship as well as thanking all those who had helped in anyway. Roy Kennedy then presented the awards. Tom Haire added that the introduction of mixed competitions had been a success and had brought more female entrants than ever before.

DETAILS: mixed rinks: Muriel McCandless, Karen Ellison, Jim Johnston, John Mackey 8, Amanda Carser, Geraldine Tallon, Nathan and Nick Haire 9.

Singles: Nigel Hamilton 5, Michael Beattie 9; mixed triples: Muriel McCandless, John Mackey, Cecil Dillon 9, Amanda Carser, Nathan and Nick Haire 6.

Mixed pairs: Beth Wilson, Nick Haire 4, Amanda Carser, Nathan Haire 9.