Glencloy 'double' joy

With a total of 33 doubles entries it was always hard to pick a winner in this competition, but in the end up it was the Glencloy team of Morgan and Mellon who battled through the competition to defeat team mates James Atcheson and Paul Abram.

The big surprise of the night however was the early exit of many of the favourites none more so than the Lurig team Declan Birt and Paddy McAteer who were knocked out in the preliminary round by Abram and Atcheson.

Focus then moved to the fist round were a another number of big names bit the dust.

Tam Hamill & Damien Black were knocked out by last year's finalists of Tony O'Neill and Seamus Clarke. McAuley's team of David Magill and John McAllister were narrowly defeated by Lurig's Gareth Shannon and Fergal McAteer.

Another surprise exit from the competition was the Carnlough team of Joe Abram and Sean Davidson who were defeated by another Carnlough team of Andy Bird and Mary Joe McCourt.

Others to reach the second round included, Michael Abram/Ryan Mitchell, Brendan Byrne/Rory Bonnes, Frankie Brammeld/Hans Kuijten and Connor McNeill/Jamie Abram.

The surprise result of the second round was undoubtedly the exit of Frankie Brammeld and Hans Kuijten who were narrowly defeated by Abram and Atcheson to see them make the quarter finals.

Other results of the round seen John McKillop and Connor Reid defeat Tony O'Neill & Seamus Clarke and Paul Bates and Connor McCollum defeat Donal O'Boyle and Barry Hamill. The BUSC team of Jimmy Knowles and Seamus Scullion also made it to the quarter final with a win over Brendan Byrne and Rory Bonnes.

Getting to the business end of the competition the quarter finals saw Carnlough teams were heavily represented with no fewer than five of the eight quarter finalists.

Atcheson/Abram defeated McKillop/Reid, Thomas Crawley and Terry Gillan also booked a place in the semi's with a win over Connor McNeill and Jame Abram respectively. The other two ties of the round saw James Mellon and Pete Morgan defeat their clubmates Paul Bates and Connor McCollum 2-1, this was followed by Michael Abram and Ryan Mitchell who had a 2-0 win over Jimmy Knowles and Seamus Scullion.

In the semi-finals the Glencloy team of James Atcheson and Paul Abram had a comfortable 3-0 victory over Thomas Crawley and Terry Gillan. The second semi final was a tighter affair with Micheal Abram and Ryan Mitchell putting up a good fight before being narrowly defeated by Peter Morgan and James Mellon in a 3-2 score line.

The final however was a straight forward affair for Morgan and Mellon with the pair running out eventual 3-0 winners and be crowned champions.

RESULTS

Preliminary round: J Atcheson/P Abram 2, D Birt/P McAteer 0.

Round one: J Atcheson/P Abram 2; H McNally/D Crossan 0; J Liddie/B McLarnon 0; F Brammeld/ H Kuijten 2; P Bloomer/N Percy 0, J McKillop/C Reid 2; T Hamill/D Black 1, S Clarke T O'Neill 2; G Shannon, F McAteer 2, D Magill, J McAllister 1; E Darragh/ C Ried 1, C McNeill/ J Abram 2; J Abram/S Davidson 0, A Bird MJ McCourt 2; J Glennon/MJ O'Boyle 0, T Gillan/T Crawley 2; S Rowan/ M Curran 0; B Birt/M Birt 2; J Mellon/ P Morgan 2, S Morgan/W Magill; A Abram/J McLaughlin 1; B Hamill /D O'Boyle 2; P Bates/ C Mc Collum 2, K little/ C Walsh 2; L Cooper/P Duffin 0, S Scullion/J Knowles 2; B Fleck/A Graham 1, B Byrne/R Bonnes 2; N Hamill /D McNeill 0; R Campbell/H Barr 2; J larkin/ P Scullion 0, R Mitchell/ M Abram 2.

Round two: J Atcheson /P Abram 2, F Brammeld/H Kuijten 1; J McKillop/C Reid 2, S Clarke/T O'Neill 1; G Shannon/F McAteer 0; C McNeill/ J Abram 2; MJ McCourt/A Bird 0, T Gillan/ T Crawley 2; B Birt/M Birt 1, P Morgan/J Mellon 2; B Hamill/D O'Boyle 0, P Bates/ C McCollum 2; S Scullio /J Knowles 2, B Byrne/R Bonnes 0; R Campbell/H Barr 0, R Mitchell/M Abram 2.

Quarter-finals: J Atcheson/P Abram 2, J McKillop/C Ried 0; C McNeill/J Abram 0, T Gillan/T Crawley 2; P Morgan/J Mellon 2, P Bates/C McCollum 1; S Scullion/J Knowles 0, R Mitchell/ M Abram 2.

Semi-final: J Atcheson/P Abram 3, T Gillan/T Crawley 0; P Morgan/J Mellon 3, R Mitchell/M Abram 2.

Final: Atcheson/Abram 0; Morgan/James Mellon 3.

GUINNESS CUP

The Guinness cup was also played this week with Randalstown Veterans taking home their fist silverware of the season with a relatively comfortable path to victory.

The draw for the first round threw up a number of interesting ties. The all Halfway House meeting of Halfway A and Halfway B, saw Halfway B yet again defeat their stalemates in the cup competition in a 3-0 score line, BUSC and Glencloy Inn running out winners in a similar score line. In the match of the round McAuleys and Lurig A battled out with McAuleys claiming a 3-1 win. Other winners to make the next round included Lurig B, Greenhills and Randalstown Veterans.

In the quarter finals came the surprise result of the night where McAuleys eventually surrendered their unbeaten run in all competitions with a magnificent performance by Halfway B who defeated the Carnlough team in a 3-0 win. Randalstown Vetrans and Glencloy Inn had a similar victory to join Greenhills in the semi finals.

The semi-finals saw Halfway B's interest in the competition end with the Veterans defeating the young Halfway side 3-1. Glencloy Inn ran out winners in a similar score line to set a final meeting between Glencloy Inn and Randalstown Veterans.

The final in the end was an easy victory for the Randalstown Veterans and wins in the final by Frankie Brammeld, Jason Beggs and Colin Anderson saw the veterans take home the cup.

Round one: Halfway B 3, Halfway A 0; Heffrons 0, BUSC 3; Greenhills 3, Glencloy Elite 0; Social Chronics 0, Glencloy Inn 3; Saffron 1, Lurig B 3; McAuleys 3, Lurig A 1; Randalstown Veterans 3, Black Bull 1.

Quarter-finals: Halfway B 3, McAuleys 0; Randalstown Veterans 3, BUSC 0; Glencloy Inn 3, Lurig B 0; Greenhills Bye.

Semi-finals: Randalstown Veterans 3, Halfway B 1; Glencloy Inn 3, Greenhills 1.

Final: Randalstown Veterans 3, Glencloy Inn 0.

DUFFERS CUP

The Duffers Cup was also contested on the same night with Lurig A the eventual winners of this competition, defeating Halfway A, Glencloy Elite and Black Bull on their way to victory.

Black Bull had to overcome Saffron and near neighbours Heffrons to reach the final.

The final saw lurig take the cup home with a 3-1 victory, with wins for the Birts - Declan, Michael and Brendan.

Quarter-finals: Lurig A 3, Halfway A 0; Social Chronics 2, Glencloy Elite 3; Black Bull 3, Saffron 0; Heffrons Bye.

Semi-finals: Lurig A 3, Glencloy Elite 0; Heffrons 0, Black Bull 3.

Final: Lurig A 3, Black Bull 1; D Birt 2, R Hamilton 1; M Birt 2, N Percy 0; P McAteer 1, T Robb 2; B Birt 2, P Bloomer 0.

FIXTURES

This week sees the leagues three-a-side competition which will be held in BUSC with all players asked to be at the club for 7.45pm sharp as the draw will take place at 8pm. Players not present at this time will not be entered into the draw.