NO SHOCKS IN LEAGUE

With the Bullseye A v Railway Arms match postponed, the rest of the top three all registered comfortable victories. The Bullseye B and Mary Pats were the other victors in a week which saw a lot of one sided contests.

Blackthorn 1–11 Forge A - The defending champions showed no mercy towards second from bottom Blackthorn with this comfrtoable victory. Chris Wade got the ball folling as he controlled the first frame, before two good finishes from Paul Baird and Darren Boyd made it 3-0 in no time. Forge skipper Willie Eakin made it four soon after before Ady Toner sealed a first session whitewash with a break and finish. Harry Stirling had a chance to put the first frame on the board for the home side, but missed a tough last yellow, allowing Eakin to take his second.

It was a similar story in the next as Karl Doherty missed his last yellow, allowing Darren Boyd to make it 7-0. Chris Wade had a more routine victory before Darryl Stirling also missed his last ball, allowing Baird to make it two from two. However, the home side finally got the frame they deserved as Justin Mairs won a scrappy frame against Toner. Wade made It three from three with a clinical finish against Davy Adams, before the veteran Baird sealed the victory with a hard fought win over Doherty. Paul Baird 3/3; Chris Wade 3/3

Floyds 11–2 Bullseye Old Boys - The visitors may have expected to put up a better fight having come into this game on a good run of form. John O’Donnell had got them off to a great start as he beat Ricky McMullan in the opener. However, the home side took control after this as wins for Darryl Watt, Scott Clark, Adam Watt and Alan McBride put them 4-1 in front.

McMullan finally got one on the board as he beat former singles champion Wesley Douglas, before old boys captain Keith Hunter finally got a second for his team. However, normal service was soon resumed as Darryl Watt, Clark and McBride took the next three to make it 8-2 at the halfway stage. It didn’t take long for the win to be confirmed as McBride and Clark both picked up their third wins of the night, McMullan also getting his second. Scott Clark 3/3; Alan McBride 3/3

Roost Bar 1–11 Sperrin - There was little doubt that the match between the unbeaten league leaders and the pointless bottom side would be a very one sided contest. However, the Roost were dreaming of a shock result after the first frame as Clive Robertson recorded a great win against Paul O’Connor. DD Campbell had a good chance to make it 2-0 but missed a red to the middle to leave Neville Smyth an easy finish.

The leaders showed no mercy after this as wins for Raymond Stockman and Allen Tosh, combined with a walkover for Billy Moore made it 4-1. With O’Connor rested for the next session, Smyth, Stockman, Moore and Tosh all got their second victories. Skipper Lee Caulfield also got his first of the evening to make it a clean sweep in the second session. O’Connor did get the chance to redeem himself in the next session as he beat Roost’s debutant Gary Hunter. Billy Moore got the better of Roost captain Campbell to seal a comfortable win. Billy Moore 3/3

Mary Pats 11–6 Social Club - A welcome win for the home side against a struggling Social Club outfit. John Sweeney beat Leigh Sloan in a very tight opener before Andy Hutchinson levelled in a similar contest against David Shirlow. Gary Kennedy produced a great finish to put the Macosquin men in front, but the visitors came straight back with a win for John McIlreavy, after opponent Davy Rosborough fouled. Mary Pats captain Martin McNeill ensured a first session lead for his team with a very good finish.

Shirlow levelled the match once again with an excellent finish, but the home side creeped ahead again through Hutchinson. They increased their lead as Kennedy produced another top drawer performance. Sweeney got the better of Sloan once again in what was a forgettable affair. McNeill played the captain’s role again with an excellent 8-ball finish to give his side a two frame lead going into session three. The home side stepped up a gear after this as a third win for Hutchinson was closely followed by Sloan finally getting the better of Sweeney at the third attempt.

McNeill took his third shorthly after, but he was overshadowed by another awesome finish from Kennedy. John McIlreavy kept the match alive as he beat a luckless Rosborough. Willie McMullan also ensured the match would keep going as he scraped by the challenge of Hutchinson. However, it was the Mary Pats captain McNeill who, once again, made the difference, as he wrapped up victory. Martin McNeill 4/4; Gary Kennedy 3/3

Forge Bar 2–11 Bullseye B - This match looked a lot tighter on paper but the home side failed to get into the game. Kenny Watton, Chris McColgan, Drew Hutchinson and Stephen Warwick got the visitors off to a great start, racing into a 4-0 lead. The big transfer of the week has saw Johnny Stirling join the Forge Bar from the Blackthorn, but Stirling could not pick up a win on his debut, as Stephen Biggart secured a first session whitewash.

Hutchinson and McColgan picked up their second wins of the night, before the home side finally got off the mark at the eighth attempt through Conor Kneeland. Kenny Watton took the next, but Dean Reilly managed to add a second for the Forge, leaving it at 8-2. Watton and McColgan were both able to take their third wins of the night, alongside Biggart who got his second and this was enough to secure a surprisingly comfortable win. Kenny Watton 3/3; Chris McColgan 3/3

Bullseye A vs Railway Arms (Postponed)

This week’s fixtures: Bullseye Old Boys vs Railway Arms; Forge A vs Floyds Bar; Sperrin vs Blackthorn; Social Club vs Roost Bar; Mary Pats vs Bullseye B; Bullseye A vs Forge Bar.