Page 31 - Summer 2019

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LADIES INTER ZONE 31
LADIES INTER ZONE
This year’s ladies inter zone final featured Donegal and West Down. Donegal had been
the more successful in recent years, winning in 2012 and 2015 as well as losing a final while
West Down’s only success was back in 2006. While West Down came through the tougher half
including a first round win over Armagh the most successful ladies team in recent years.

Winners West Down

It was Donegal who made the better start and taking mats 1 and 2 into consideration it looked
as if they might run away with the game as R Crawford built up an 8 – 1 lead over A Cannaway
after 6 ends and M Brogan had a 12 – 5 lead also after 6 ends. Fortunately for West Down B
Hanratty held a 10 – 2 lead over K Duggan after 6 ends leaving Donegal 22 – 16 ahead. From
then on it was West Down who made most ground with A Cannaway pulling back to 10 – 6
down, C Wilson pulling back to 16 – 10 down and B Hannaway pulling away to a 17 – 5 win.
This gave West Down a 33 – 31 interval lead.
Donegal again made the better start picking up 6 on the first ends to take a 4-shot lead.
By the 3rd end it was 6 shots with V Patterson 6 – 0 up against B Conlon, P Friel 6 – 2 up against
P Martin and A Polin keeping West Down in the game with a 6 – 2 lead over R McDonnell. As
in the first half, West Down began to stage a comeback. Donegal picked up only 8 shots in the
last 8 ends while West Down picked up 17. Patterson and Conlon drew 8 – 8 and Friel picked
up 1 in the last end to beat Martin 8 – 7. Going into the last end Donegal’s McDonnell needed
a 3 to put the game into an extra end. With 2 bowls to play Donegal ditched the jack to give
Polin a 10 – 7 win and give West Down the trophy after a 12-year wait. It was an excellent final
with the lead regularly changing and the game in doubt right to the very end.

Finalists Donegal