Struggled for a consolation point

LURGAN seniors struggled to gain only a consolation point against old rivals Portadown in a derby game last Saturday.

However Portadown were content to take six points and stay in the top four of division one of the league.

On rink one for Lurgan skip Alan Roberts, Billy Martin, Bobby Boness and Gareth Bunting found themselves 7-4 behind after nine ends but they surprised the Portadown skip Maurice Whila by taking a slender 8-7 lead.

The Portadown four could only watch as the in-form Lurgan rink clinched high scoring shots in nine of the last 11 ends to seal their team’s only victory with a 30-12 win.

Bobby Ruddell, Peter McGrail, Gordon Bell and Charlie Lindsay on two lost high scoring shots as the Portadown skip built up a well deserved 15-5 lead.

The Lurgan foursome made a spirited fightback to reduce the gap to 15-12 at the three quarter stage and Bobby Ruddell helped his front three colleagues to take a 19-18 lead with just two ends remaining.

They went into the last end level at 19-19 and in an exciting finish it was the Portadown four who gained the match winning single shot for a 20-19 victory.

On three for Lurgan skip Eddie McCourt, Bobby Jones, Wilfie McCullough and John Gilliland lost a five shot in the third end as the Portadown skip Martin Trainor went into a 7-3 lead.

The Lurgan foursome saw their opponents step up the pressure to go 18-9 ahead after 15 ends and although Lurgan replied with five shots in the next two ends the home rink took complete control of the last four ends to finish comfortable 29-14 winners.

Harry Cosgrove, Stephen Poots, Michael Bunting and Ivor Mitchell on four for Lurgan were punished for an inconsistent start to trail 12-2 after eight ends.

The Lurgan four reduced the scoreline to 14-8 but the Portadown skip Richard McMullan went on to complete a worthy 24-12 victory.m3