Lurgan Ladies triumph at Portadown in latest match
Lurgan 63 (4.5) Portadown 42 (1.5)
The Lurgan Ladies Team were playing away against Portadown. Prior to the match both teams were tied in first place at the top of the NIWBA Senior league and would be vying for top spot.
After the usual preliminaries the bowlers went to their respective rinks and the match started.
On Rink 1 Eileen Robson welcomed Shirley Dew to her first Ladies League Match and play commenced. The first end proved to be a taster of what was to come with the Lurgan Ladies gaining an impressive 6 shots.
By the 5th end the score was Lurgan 12 Portadown 1. Portadown fought back and gained 7 shots over the next 5 ends. The score at the end of the 10th was Lurgan 13 Portadown 8.
However, the Lurgan Ladies took control of the remainder of the match with some impressive bowling and the Portadown team could not break the Lurgan dominance. The final score on this rink was Lurgan 31 Portadown 9
On Rink 2 it took Irene Doone and her team some time to settle into the game and by the 5th end the Portadown team led with a score of Portadown 9 Lurgan 0.
The Lurgan team then started to gain control and the scores were even by the 17that 12 shots each. With only one end to play and all even it was anyone’s game, the bowls were played and on the day it was Portadown’s success gaining just one shot on the final end leaving the score for this rink Lurgan 12 Portadown 13
On Rink 3 Angela Thompson and her team faced a Portadown side who took four out of the first six ends and were leading by 8 shots. However, the Lurgan team gained 6 shots in the next 3 ends and the scores were drawing closer.
By the 13th all was equal, 15 shots each. Everything was still to play for as this closely matched rink stayed focused on the game. Lurgan took 2 shots in the 14th then Portadown took 2 in the 15th, once again all was equal.
Portadown then took 3 shots on the 16th and with only 2 ends remaining Lurgan took 1 shot in the 17th. Going into the final end the score was Portadown 20 Lurgan 18. After the final bowl was thrown Lurgan had gained 2 shots giving a final score of Lurgan 20 Portadown 20 on this close fought rink.
The final overall score was Lurgan 63 Portadown 42 resulting in 4.5 points to Lurgan. Lurgan is currently sitting top of the Ladies Senior League.