Garvey B upset the odds to reach NIBA Junior Cup final

Garvey B have reached the final of the NIBA Junior Cup following a ten shots win over Balmoral B in the semi-final at Wedderburn Park.

Garvey have won the Cup on six occasions, the last one when they beat Lurgan B in 2008. They lost to Bangor B in 2002, beat them in 2000 and lost again to Bangor in 1998.

Garvey are no strangers to these finals, but they will have a tough task in the decider, likely to be Whitehead B, who are expected to beat Rathfriland B in the other semi-final on 26 June.

Whitehead B play in Division Two, two sections above Garvey, but Garvey will gain confidence having beaten Balmoral B, who are also in Division Two.

The semi-final was a tight contest with the nine shots win by Ken Armstrong’s boys probably the deciding feature. He had led throughout.

Bobby Carroll had a tough contest before grabbing victory by a shot in the end.

Jim Chapman was mostly just behind before losing by five shots, but Denis Rankin came through in the closing ends to win by the same margin - five shots.

B. McMullan, D. Porter, J. Nelson, K. Armstrong 23, A. Nixon 14; J. Reilly, I. Kane, B. Lemon, B. Carroll 21, J. Kane 20; A. Smyth, G. Martin, P. Lavery, J. Chapman 15, W. Casement 20; K. Johnston, M. Adamson, I. McIntyre, D. Rankin 20, G. Downey 15.