Lurgan B 67 (2), Rathfriland 69 (5)

Lurgan B are having their best season performance in a number of years having won nine matches so far along with a draw at home to Divis while still holding on to 5th place in Division 3.

Last Friday they faced a strong Rathfriland team in a rearranged league match and were hoping for a home win to move up into 4th place but that was denied when they lost by a meagre 2 shots in another dramatic finish.

On Rink 1 Eamonn Quinn and his men were 12-9 ahead after the 8th end but triple shot wins on the next 2 ends by Jonny Niblock’s rink but the visitors ahead by 12-15. Quinn’s rink tried their best to get back into their game but with the Rathfriland rink taking most of the remaining ends the Lurgan B rink went down 17-22.

Eamonn Quinn, Lurgan skip, checking the score across the rinks during the match against Rathfriland.

placeholder image — Eamonn Quinn, Lurgan skip, checking the score across the rinks during the match against Rathfriland.

Mike Parr, skip on Rink 2, was ably supported all the way by his trio. Striding into a 10-4 lead after 5 ends they kept the pressure on Jimmy Dobbin’s to extend their lead to 14-6 at the midpoint. By 14 ends they were ahead 17-8 and with a 4-shot win on the next end a great win was in sight, that being proved with an excellent 22-11 victory.

Unfortunately, Billy Strain and his colleagues on Rink 3 were under Herbie Malcomson’s rink cosh all evening to lose 8-22 but their 2-shot win on the 17th end helped considerably in an effort to achieve an overall match win.

On Rink 4 John Gilliland and his trio battled hard facing David Blakely’s rink. By the 11th end the Lurgan B rink was 11-7 ahead and boldly resisted the Blakely challenge to win their game 20-14.

The home side fought all the way during a most entertaining match that was on a knife edge throughout with only 2 to 4 shots separating them and Rathfriland until the penultimate end when the pressure grew on Lurgan B for that illusive win.

Luke Donaldson, Lurgan third, in determined form leaving the head after Lurgan B winning the shot.

Rathfriland won the end across the rinks by 5 shots to 1 for them to lead by 5 shots going in the 18th. The atmosphere was electric with the spectators on the edge of their seats still hoping for a Lurgan B victory on the night like what they did away to Annalong.

Mike Parr’s rink, experiencing another superb evening’s bowling, taking a shot to win their last end along with Billy Strain’s snatching two to leave Lurgan B just 3 shots short of victory.

Last off the green was John Gilliland’s rink. Needing to take the end by 3 shots the pressure was on. The tension was too much for the front end who succumbed with their bowls finishing a distance away from the jack but there was still a possibility for Gilliland to trail the jack towards them and achieve an incredible 1 shot overall win.

Gilliland’s first bowl just skimmed the jack but his last one touched it and trailed it slightly in the direction of the home bowls but sadly just not enough to achieve a one shot win.

Next Saturday Lurgan B are to home to league leaders Dromore having already beaten them away earlier in the season and are hoping for another win.