Two wins, one defeat for Ballymena '˜B' team in busy week

Ballymena B had a very busy week with no fewer than three matches in both league and cup competitions, winning two and losing one.
Umbrellas were at the ready during Ballymena 'B' team's match against Shaftesbury in midweek.Umbrellas were at the ready during Ballymena 'B' team's match against Shaftesbury in midweek.
Umbrellas were at the ready during Ballymena 'B' team's match against Shaftesbury in midweek.

On Tuesday night they had a good win in the NIPGL Division 2 against Shaftesbury and they followed this up with another victory in the NIPGL Cup against Ards on Thursday night.

Ballymena B (104) Shaftesbury (59)

Mark Pearson, John McFall, David Torrington and Roy Torrington lost a count of 3 shots on the first end against J Hinds but they picked up 14 shots over the next 5 ends to lead by 11 and 8 ends later they had increased their advantage to 17 shots. Two counts of 3 shots and a count of 6 shots over the closing end saw the visitors close the gap but the Ballymena rink had done all the hard work to win 28-19.

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Jimmy Gage, Nigel McFadden, Tommy Hill and Ivan Lynn were in great form against B Hunter, who did win 7 ends scoring 6 singles and a 2. The Braid men on the other hand picked up a count of 4 shots on the first end and three counts of 5 shots helped them claim an emphatic 35-8 victory.

Only 12 shots were scored over the opening 11 ends in the game between Leslie Barr, Arnold Kenny, Jackie Robinson and Sammy Allen and the visiting rink skipped by P Smyth and at this stage Shaftesbury led 7-5. The visitors then picked up a count of 5 shots but the Braid men replied with 3 consecutive singles to trail by 4 shots with 6 ends left to play. That was a good as it got for the Braid rink as the visitors found another gear and they more than doubled their score over the remaining ends to win 27-8.

Stewart McCarthy, Rod Coleman, Chris Wilson and John Coulter were in superb form against F Simpson on rink 4. The Ballymena men won the first 6 ends to lead by 13 shots and their pace didn’t slacken as they won 33-5.

Ballymena B (73) Ards (61)

Stewart McCarthy, Alan Smyth, Chris Wilson and John Coulter found themselves 6 shots down after 5 ends against B Thompson however 4 shots on the 6th end got the Braid men up and running. From then on the visitors held the upper hand and 2 counts of 3 shots on the 12th and 16th ends gave them victory by 17 shots to 13.

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Leslie Barr, Arnold Kenny, Jackie Robinson and Sammy Allen had the better of the opening ends against N Dorman. It was all square with 15 ends played but the Ballymena men put in a strong finish to win the game by 20 shots to 15.

John McFall, Joe McKeown, David Torrington and Roy Torrington conceded 3 shots on the first end against C Robson but that would be the one and only time that they would lead this game. The visitors picked up a count of 4 shots on the 2nd end and two more counts of 4 shots on the 10th and 21st ends saw them claim a well deserved 21-13 victory.

Jimmy Gage, Leslie Barr, Tommy Hill and Ivan Lynn took on G McKee and with 7 ends played the scores were level at 6-6. The visitors could only win 1 of the next 7 ends to trail by 16 shots to 9 and even though they had slightly the better of the remaining ends it was the Ards rink who claimed victory by 20 shots 15.

SATURDAY

Ballymena ‘B’s hopes of making it three victories in a week ended in disappointemnt last Saturday when they lost 79-72 at Forthriver in the NIPGL Division 2.

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Jimmy Gage, Nigel McFadden, Tommy Hill and Ivan Lynn did not make the best of starts and with 5 ends played the home rink led by 9 shots to 0. A count of 5 shots on the next end got the Ballymena men up and running and a count of 7 shots on the 13th end propelled the visitors in to the lead and they were able to keep their noses in front until the end with the final score 23-19.

John McFall, Joe McKeown, David Torrington and Roy Torrington found shots hard to come by against G McClenaghan and at the half way stage the score board read 11-4 in favour of the home rink. Eight shots between the 16th and 18th ends saw Torrington’s men take the lead for the first time however the home rink won the remaining ends to snatch a 20-16 win.

Billy McCandless, Arnold Kenny, Jackie Robinson and Sammy Allen had a close game against C Donnelly, during which the lead changed hands several times and it was no surprise that the game finished level at 21-21.

Derek Greer, Rod Coleman, Danny McCullough and John Coulter started well against T Nixon and after 5 ends they led 7-3. The complexion changed over the next 7 ends as the visitors were unable to score while Forthriver picked up 12 shots and the home rink finished strongly to win 29-12.

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