SLIDESHOW: Indoor bowls season concludes with Nelson Cup final

Killymurris Glarryford won the Ballymena & District Churches League’s Nelson Cup competition for the fifth time in six years last week.
Killymurris Glarryford, winner of the Ballymena & District Churches League's Nelson Cup. Picture: Colin Turtle Photography.Killymurris Glarryford, winner of the Ballymena & District Churches League's Nelson Cup. Picture: Colin Turtle Photography.
Killymurris Glarryford, winner of the Ballymena & District Churches League's Nelson Cup. Picture: Colin Turtle Photography.

The Glarryford side had nine shots to spare over Buckna (54-45) in a final watched by around 100 spectators in Second Broughshane Church Hall.

The match started well for Glarryford taking the lead in three of the four rinks and after three ends they had opened up a lead, only for Buckna to find their feet and claw back shots in the latter stages of the first half.

For Buckna the rinks of Sammy Hamill pipped Glarryfords James McWhirter by 2 shots, while Alistair McCullough beat David Dunlop by the same margin, Adrian Hamill and Ivan McMaster shared the spoils while in the other match Stephen Dunlop won by the biggest margin, beating Stephen Alexander by five shots.

Killymurris Glarryford, winner of the Ballymena & District Churches League's Nelson Cup. Picture: Colin Turtle Photography.Killymurris Glarryford, winner of the Ballymena & District Churches League's Nelson Cup. Picture: Colin Turtle Photography.
Killymurris Glarryford, winner of the Ballymena & District Churches League's Nelson Cup. Picture: Colin Turtle Photography.

At the end of the first half, with all four rinks played only a single shot separated the two teams and it was all to play for.

Buckna were determined to get off to a good start in the second half and so it proved as they gained 6 shots on the first end, to move into a five shot lead overall, but this was quckly wiped out in end two as Glarryford pulled back five shots.

On mat one, the next four ends went Glarryford’s way with David Dunlop opening up a 5-3 lead over Adrian Hamill only to lose a four shots in the final end resulting in a two shot win for Buckna.

On mat three Stephen Alexander was determined to make up for his first half defeat against J McWhirter and, helped by a score of five shots in the first end, eventually ran out with a 10-4 victory.

However the other 2 mats both went the way of Glarryford. On mat four Stephen Dunlop was agains Sammy Hamill and after three ends had opened up a solid 6 shot lead, but lost the next 3 ends, but gained a shot in the last end to win by a 7-3 score.

However on mat 2, Ivan McMaster led Buckna’s Alistair McCullough by four shots after four ends only to lose a four in end five thus leaving the score tied with only two ends remaining, but Glarryford surged ahead, gaining a big advantage with a score of six in the penultimate end and followed up with another two to eventually win by eight shots (13-5)

The league’s chosen charities Muckamore Abbey and the George Sloan Centre both received cheques for £550.

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