TOON PAIR SEAL BRITISH TITLE

Ireland managed to salvage some silverware from the British Isles Individual Championship Finals at a sun-drenched Beach House Park in Worthing, thanks to the duo who won a last gasp extra end victory against Guersney to secure the Pairs title.

They go into the history books as only the eighth Irish champions of the Tom Yeoman Trophy.

First played for in 1959, the victory bridges a 25 year gap since a Ballymoney duo last won the trophy.

Coleraine won the title in 1964, ’66 and ’67, Banbridge in 1977, the Falls club in 1979 and in 1985 Hugh Dunlop and Ken Hogg of Ballymoney were winners.

In 2006 Barry Browne and Martin McHugh of Whitehead scooped the trophy.

Kelly and Hughes booked their place in the title decider when they enjoyed a comfortable 26-13 semi-final win over Martin Evans and David Axon from Wales, leading all the way from the opening exchanges, but the final encounter against Guernsey was a different matter altogether.

The Guernsey duo played a sound game but time and time again Kelly broke their hearts - turning heads, cutting counts or killing ends with an repertoire of stunning conversion shots to keep the Irish pair in the title hunt which culminated with two singles and a double over the last three ends to square the match at 15 all and give them a lifeline of an extra end decider which they grabbed with both hands to land the title with a tense 16-15 victory.

Kelly will spearhead Ireland’s Commonwealth Games campaign in Delhi in the singles berth.

Overall it was a disappointing Home International campaign for defending champions Ireland, winning only one of their three matches and wrapping up in the wooden spoon position.