Shooting Stars bounce back

Red Star B 1

AFTER some disappointing results due to an under strength team Red Star A were too strong for sister team Star B - even though they were once again short of a thrower.

Ian Redmond went to the board hoping to bring a run of four defeats to an end when throwing against Linda McDowell. Linda (95) was on 35 when Ian took the lead but Linda (97), after a struggle at the double, levelled on two with Ian (95) missing 20.

Leg three saw Linda go into the lead and onto the double first but a determined Ian (120) got back to winning ways with a 48 finish.

Skippy and Colin Crothers were a the oche next game. It was double trouble for Skippy (100) and a 16 finish gave Colin the lead.

Skippy must have had other things on his mind when he was left on 158 as Colin (100) scored the win to level the teams.

Candy Toman finished on 32 to lead Gareth Crothers but the latter (100, 116) was level with a 20 finish. In a close deciding leg Candy (100, 140) took the win.

At the halfway stage the Star were 3-1 in the lead; M Conlon (98) beat Antoinette Barry 2-0.

In game five it was great to see old hand Maurice Orr (100) get a win but he had to fight all the way in leg one to lead Jacqui Wilson (95) who left herself on seven to do.

Maurice (100,99), after getting his nose in front, was now confident and Jacqui failed to make the double.

In the last of the singles ‘A’ captain Alan McKnight, who has been throwing good darts this season, was paired with Margaret Barry. Margaret caught up and was on six when Alan (100, 98, 100) took the lead, but there was no double trouble for Alan (90, 140,100) in leg two and a 80 finish give him his eighth win of the season.

PAIRS - M. Conlon and Alan McKnight beat Kevin Conlon and Colin Crothers 2-1 while Maurice Orr and Skippy made the score 7-1 by beating Linda McDowell and Margaret Barry 2-1

Top of the Town 2

Halfway Aces 6

League challengers Halfway Aces made the journey into town and returned home with maximum points after a victory over Top of the Town.

The visitors took the lead through Ronnie Herdman (3 x 100) who beat Chris Dillon (100,100) 2-0.

Billy Leckey (100) was left on 20 when Nipper Boyce (100) took the lead. Nipper (100) went on to give the Aces a 2-0 lead.

David Weir and Brian Reid (123, 100) were having double trouble before a double one gave Brian the lead. The latter also had a similar second leg, only this time David took advantage to level with tops.

Brian (123, 100, 100), throwing steady darts, was in the lead and a quick finish this time gave him three wins in a row.

Town’s Jason Hamill (100) took the lead in game four over visiting captain Neville Reid (100) but was a long way behind when Neville (95) levelled the legs. In the decider when both throwers were on tops Neville gave his team a 4-0 half time lead.

Steven Weir and Dylan Woosley were called for game five and it was a 17 darter that gave Dylan (95, 140) the lead, but Steven (140, 100) was in better form in leg two and had a lot of chances when in the lead to level before Dylan (95, 100) checked out on 116 with 18 darts.

An 80 finish give David Hanna the lead over Roy Livingston (100) but a 16 finish and a double top gave Roy (96) the win.

PAIRS – Steven Weir and Billy Leckey beat Brian Reid and Brian Graham 2-1 for Town’s opening game and Jason Hamill and Chris Dillon beat Aces’ Dylan Woosley and Ronnie Herdman 2-1.

Young Guns 4

Castle Bar 4

Young Guns slipped up at home to Castle Bar and were lucky to salvage a point after trailing 3-0, leaving them three points off the leaders.

At the butts for game one was Guns captain Gareth Moody and Lee King and Lee (100,100) got stuck on double one letting Gareth down to lead and this time it was Gareth’s (955,105) turn too have double trouble and Lee (100) levelled with double 4

In the deciding leg Gareth didn’t make the double and Lee finished with a quick tops

Game two saw Kenneth Halliday (100) and Cliff Ritchie at the board and in a poor finishing game Cliff (140, 100) took the lead and went on for a 2-0 win.

lead

Michael Kennedy (140) was left on 115 when Greg Harper (100, 100) took the lead and Greg (95, 100) went on for a 60 finish in leg two, giving his team a 3-0 lead.

Castle were a man short and John McKee received a bye.

Richard McKee (99) was showing some of his old form with a maximum score and a double eight finish to lead Paul Ritchie (121), finishing on 72 with 18 darts.

Paul (100) got to his finish next in the leg but it was Richard who brought a losing run to an end, giving Guns their second win.

In the last of the singles the Guns were level. David Wilton (100, 100), with a 20 finish, left Shane Haffey (121) on 41 but Shane hit poor form and David (100) made it 2-0 with a 66 finish.

PAIRS – John McKee and David Wilton (100/100) beat Cliff Ritchie (100) and Paul Ritchie (100) 2-0 to give the Guns the lead for the first time, but back came the Castle as Greg Harper (100, 138/135, 100) and Lee King took a 2-1 win to share the spoils.

McGrath’s 2

Park Inn 6

Park Inn were visitors to McGrath’s and maintain their league challenge with a 6-2 victory.

McGrath’s took the lead, Marty McQuaid (100) finishing on 48 left Clare Thornbury on 139, but Clare (133) - who was in the lead in the next leg - could have levelled before Marty made it 2-0.

Home thrower Freddie Steele was no match for Gareth Chambers (100, 98) who took the lead with 32 and a 36 finish next leg made it 2-0.

After being left behind in leg one John Mooney levelled the legs when Lindsay McFadden (134/125) was left on 10 and in a close deciding leg, when John was on 20, a double four gave Lindsay (100, 100, 121) the win and the Park the lead.

McGrath’s Tom Black levelled the teams at 2-2 going into the break. Tom finished on 40 after steady darts against Fiona McQuiggan (96) and a 54 finish next leg made it 2-0.

Ronnie Malcomson and Noel Gates were paired after the break. With Ronnie (100) on 40 a double five gave Noel (140, 97, 95) the lead but Ronnie was well off the double next leg when a 46 finish gave Noel (96, 137) his 10th win of the season.

In the last of the singles games the Park were in a 4-2 lead. Nigel Kerr (100) had a 20 finish against Chris Malcomson who was on 42 but a loss of form in leg two saw Chris fall well behind and Nigel (99) finished on 40.

PAIRS – Tom Black and Ronnie Malcomson lost 2-1 to Lindsay McFadden and Nigel Kerr while Park’s Noel Gates and Gareth Chambers proved to strong for M McQuaid and John Mooney winning 2-0.

Halfway House 6

Higgins 2

Halfway House played host to Higgins and at the halfway stage it was 2-2, but the overall strength of the home team gave them the advantage.

They ran out 6-2 winners and remain five points behind the leaders.

Jim Brown (135) got the home team off to a winning start against Billy Bell with a double 16 and a double two gave him a 2-0 win.

Willie Herdman took the lead over Gary Gracey but Gary came back with a tops finish to level. Even a 180 couldn’t save Willie as Gary went on to record his win.

Alan Cochrane and Midge Highlands were paired in game three. Alan (125) took the lead but Midge was up for the challenge and tops levelled the legs.

Both throwers were in top scoring form, Alan with 100, 140, 98 and 118 but as Bristow says ‘scores for show and doubles for doe’ and it was Midge (140, 100, 139) who came out on top.

Tony McKinstry (121) had a double four to lead Eamon Savage and a 66 finish from Tony (100) levelled the teams at 2-2.

Tom Alderdice (97, 105) regained the Halfway lead with an easy win over Desmond Weir (123) and Derek Reid (125) after a tough first leg against Damien Savage was in better form. Scores of 140, 100 and an 82 finish left Damien on 199.

PAIRS – Jim Brown and Derek Reid struggled to beat Eamon Savage and Gary Gracey (100, 100) 2-1 and after losing the first leg to Higgins’ Damien Savage and Midge Hylands, Tony McKinstry (95) and Alan Cochrane (100, 100/95) beat the latter 2-1.

Fixtures for Thursday January 28: Kevin’s v Higgins, Red Star v Young Guns, Park Inn v Halfway Aces, Castle Bar v Top of the Town Halfway House v McGrath’s. Red Star B – bye.

180 Club – Nigel Peden and Neville Reid (Aces) have two; Noel Gates, Paul Dillon, Derek Reid, Jason Hamill, James Kelly, Roy Livingston, Paul Toman, Colin Crothers, Brian Reid, Midge Hylands, Paul Ritchie, Gareth Moody Willie Herdman and Richard McKee are all on one. Remember only league single games count.