Page 26 - Summer 2019

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Irish National Championships
Irish National Championships
This year’s national, ladies, junior and over 55’s produced the usual mix of close, exciting games
and those where the final was somewhat one sided. The national rinks was as is usually the
case a tight and keenly fought affair. Both rinks have been highly successful at every level in re-
cent years with the Morrison rink from 1st Ahoghill returning to a second successful final. Andrew
Leckey’s rink made the better start but were held to 6 – 6 after 6 ends. The Leckey rink from St
Mark’s picked up a decisive 3 on the 7th end to lead 10 – 8 going into the last end but with only
one shot conceded Leckey held on to win 10 – 9.
The national triples was also a keenly contested game going to the last bowl. The triple
skipped by Karl Bradshaw took command at the start to lead 7 – 4 after 6 ends. By the 10th end
the McCabe triple had drawn level at 8 – 8. The 11th end proved decisive with McCabe picking
up a 3 to lead 11 – 9 going into the last end. Bradshaw had a slim opportunity to pick up 2 for a
tie end but just failed to give the Oriel triple a 12 – 9 win.
The national pairs also went to the last end. Cecil Dillon and Terry Mulholland took an early
4 – 2 lead after 6 ends. Witherspoon and Todd from All Saint’s Larne picked up a 3 to lead 5 –
4. After 12 ends Dillon led 10 – 8 but Witherspoon levelled in the 13th end. 2 singles on the last
2 ends saw the St Mark’s pair of Dillon and Mulholland home.
In the national singles the first 7 ends were decided by 1 shot with Andrew Steele leading
5 – 2. Mark Hamilton picked up a 3 to level at 5 – 5. Hamilton then picked up 4 shots to lead 9
– 5 only for Steele to respond with 4 shots on the 11th & 12th ends. Hamilton picked up 2 on the
13th but Steele responded on the 14th to level at 11 – 11. The game was decided on the last
bowl when Hamilton from Cootehill just failed to squeeze Greenbank’s Steele out to the final
score 12 – 11.
The ladies singles final was perhaps the most keenly watched. It features Pauline Beattie
from St Mark’s, winner of numerous triples, pairs and singles titles against Sophie McIntyre from
Magilligan one of the youngest to each the national ladies final. 3 years ago, Sophie’s mother
played Pauline in the ladies final and got off to a very poor start only to recover and lose out
narrowly. This time Sophie got off to a similar poor start losing 2 fours to be 9 – 0 down after 3
ends and facing the prospect of a very short and heavy defeat. Gradually she got over her nerves
winning 6 successive ends including a 3 on the 8th end to be 9 – 8 down after 9 ends. Pauline
stretched the lead to 12 – 8 after 11. By the 13th it was still 13 – 9. Sophie picked up 2 on the
14th and just missed out by a measure on the 15th for a 3 and a tremendous win. The 2 she got
resulted in a 13 – 13 tie and an extra end. With Sophie lying 2, Pauline reached the head to lie
3 with one bowl to come. Unfortunately for Sophie it fell just inside the dead area to give a re-
lieved Pauline another title.
The ladies pairs final was never in doubt with Glendermott’s Lynn Hamilton and Nicola Brit-
ton losing only 3 of the 15 ends against Clogh’s Esther Forster and Margaret Nelson. The Glen-
dermott pair dominated from first bowl in winning 16 – 4 after 13 ends. The Ladies triples was
also a one sided affair with the Largy triple of Rachel Cochrane, Doreen Cochrane and June
McVeigh winning the first 10 ends to lead 11 – 0 against Pauline Curry’s triple from New Row
finding the occasion difficult and while they picked up 3 on the last 2 ends to had no effect with
the Largy triple winning 11 – 3. Rachel was last year’s ladies singles winner.
The over 55’s did not really come to life until the 9th end with the Loughenreagh pair, Alas-
tair & Trevor Steele having the better against St Mary’s Tommy Johnston & Maura Lagan. The
Steele’s led 9 – 3 after 9 ends but Johnston picked up 5 on the next 3 ends to close to 9 – 8.
Steele moved into a 3 shot lead going into the final end and conceded a shot to win 11 – 9.