Two games were played last Friday with Lurgan Blue going through to the semi-final stage of the NIVBL Thornton Cup and Lurgan Red winning a close match at Newcastle in League Section 4.

The Lurgan Blue Thornton Cup Team represented by Alan Briggs, Sam McCombes, Nigel Hamilton and Ronan Cregan won 8-21 against John McLoughlin having led right from the start to dominate the whole match through to their excellent win.

While the Lurgan Red Team travelled to meet Newcastle Shimna and played in one of their best performances of the season to win 32-36 in what was a match played with great spirit and friendliness by both sides on one of the most picturesque greens with the Mournes in the backdrop.

Peter Harrison, Mel Hamilton, Neil Allen and Stewart Martin faced Peter Keag’s home rink and held the lead for most of the match but with Martin’s rink leading 15-13 after 15 ends the rink game suddenly turned in favour of the Newcastle Four when the visitors were lying 5 shots and coasting to win only to be denied brilliantly by Keag taking the Lurgan lying bowl out to lie 5 shots on the 16th and then go on to win 20-16.

Stewart Martin and Neil Allen watching Peter Harrison's bowl approaching the jack during Newcastle Mourne v Lurgan Red

placeholder image — Stewart Martin and Neil Allen watching Peter Harrison's bowl approaching the jack during Newcastle Mourne v Lurgan Red

On the adjacent rink Dessie Simpson, Alan Grieve, John Murtagh and Wilfie McCullough had the edge on Robert Cole’s home four. At the halfway stage the Lurgan Red side led 8-14 but the Newcastle Four crept back to reduce the deficit to 12-14 with single shot wins over the next 5 ends. However the Lurgan Red Four finished well to claim 6 shots over the remaining ends and run out worthy winners by 16-20 to secure the overall win and 6 points to Newcastle Mourne’s 4.