International Friendship Games win for Irish team at Ballybrakes

A welcome dinner was held on Friday 1st November in the stadium for the players and the special guests included the Deputy Mayor’s of Ballymoney and Coleraine.

Play commenced on the Saturday morning after a short opening ceremony by Mayor Mr John Finlay from Ballymoney Council.

The games are held on a round robin basis of six ends with four games being held on the Saturday and two games on the Sunday with the winner and runner up in the round robin games playing off for the title.

Three teams finished on ten points Wales ‘A’, Ireland ‘A’ and Ireland ‘B’ with Ireland ‘B’ losing out on the playoff by just one shot.

The final was a re-match of last year’s final between the winners Wales ‘A’ John Hague, John Jenkins, Alun Jones and Archie Phillips and the runners up Ireland ‘A’ Brian Hughes, Morris Smyth, Tommy Smith and Willie McCaw, who are all members of the Ballybrakes Club.

The final was played over eight ends and the Irish boys got off to a great start leading 5-0 after three ends with the Welsh side picking up the shot on the fourth end, only for the Irish to take the shot on the fifth end and then the Welsh winning the sixth end with one shot.

With two ends to go the scores were 6 – 2 in Ireland’s favour and a further two shots in the seventh end for the Irish put the title chances out of Wales’s reach and the Irish claimed the final shot on the last end to win the title 9 – 2.

This was the first International tournament to be held by the Ballybrakes Club which was a huge success.

Meanwhile, Gary Kelly and Donna McCloy both from the Ballybrakes Club have been selected to go to Hong Kong along with Sile Garvey and James Talbot to participate in the Hong Kong Classic from 9th – 17th November.

This is a invitational tournament with players competing in the singles and men’s and ladies pairs.

Congratulations to the Ballybrakes Ladies team on winning the Inter Club title by 17 shots.