Ladies claim a zone semi place

They earned themselves a place in the last four by defeating Cork Ladies by 14 shots last weekend.

The game, played in Richhill in front of a capacity crowd, was competitive and exciting from the start.

On mat one Daphne Marshall, Anne Crozier, Ann Patton and Hilary Agnew played Maggie Foley’s rink. Daphne’s ladies went into an eight-shot lead at the fourth end, Cork replied with a two and a single but Armagh finished the game stronger to win 11-4.

On mat two for Armagh were Elizabeth Smyth, Eleanor Hunter, Linda Milligan and Rachel Cassells.

This was a good close game and at eight ends the score was 6-6. Elizabeth’s four picked up a great three in the ninth end for a good 9-7 win.

On mat three May Cassells, Michelle Wright, Marlene Hobson and Diane Agnew struggled for the first six ends, trailing 6-1.

The turning point in the game was in the eighth end when Armagh scored a brilliant five and a single in the ninth to win by one shot, 8-7.

At the interval the score was: Armagh 28, Cork 18.

On mat four Flo McNally, Agnes Crozier, Sandra Whittle and Lesley Strain stormed into a 10 shot lead at three ends with scores of four and two threes.

But their opponents managed to pull back to 11-9. They scored two singles in the last two ends to draw the game at 11 shots each.

On mat five Pauline Beattie, Sheelagh Garvey, Sophie Minish and Sandra White raced into a nine shot lead at five ends but the Cork ladies moved up a gear, scoring three twos. However Armagh scored two singles to win 13-8.

On mat six Catherine McMillen, Samantha Corrigan, Eileen McDonald and Irene Doone played another close game with Cork holding the advantage 6-1 at a late stage. Armagh scored well howver to steal the game 8-7.

Armagh now face a challenge from West Down in the semi-final to be played in St. Matthew’s, Richhill, on Saturday, January 21, at 2pm.