Super win as Lurgan see off rivals Portadown

The Lurgan ladies team had a super win away to local rivals, Portadown in their league match last Thursday afternoon. Lurgan was down 5 shots after 5 ends but clawed shots back to be only one adrift at the midpoint. The second half was all Lurgan who collected another 32 shots to eventually win the derby match by 22.

Angela Thompson, skip, on Rink 1, ably supported by Gloria White, Molly McBarron and Beth Wilson was 5–2 down after 5 ends but was only 2 shots behind after 9 ends. The game seemed to be going the home rink’s way with the score standing at 11-8, but Thompson urged her rink on to a strong finish. They responded well by taking 9 shots off the last 3 ends, which included a 6-shot on the last, to win 17-11.

On Rink 2 were Iris Anderson, skip, Geraldine Tallon, Dot McCoy and Gwen Hayes. They bowled brilliantly, winning 6 of the first 8 ends, including a great run from the fifth to the eighth end when they collected 11 shots to lead 14 – 2 after the eighth end. Anderson’s rink kept up the momentum and won five of the remaining ends to get a good point and win 21 – 11.

Winifred Kirkwood, skip, Molly Ward, K McGrail and Edith Hobson had a fight on their ends against a Portadown rink that included young U25 international, Terri Millar, who thwarted the Lurgan rink throughout their game with good close bowling. Having won the first 2 ends by single shots the Lurgan rink faced stern opposition to trail 8-2 after 6 ends and 12–4 after 10. However Kirkwood rallied her Lurgan rink and the second half favoured the visitors who won six of the remaining ends to draw the rink at 14–14.

Genny Little, skip, Nora Johnston, Irene Cunningham and Gwen Hayes were on Rink 4. Facing a determined Portadown rink they were unfortunate to lose all but one of the first 6 ends and were 8–1, but they fought back to win the next 8 ends and collect 14 shots to lead 15-8 after 14 ends. The home rink took single shots off the next two ends to narrow the visitors’ lead to 15–10. However they continued to defy the Portadown rink and won 18–12 to make it another excellent win for Lurgan.