Page 8 - Layout 1

Page 8:Layout 1 09/04/2015 09:48 Page 1

8

PAROCHIAL CLAIM GALWAY BAY HOTEL IRISH TITLE
PAROCHIAL CLAIM GALWAY BAY HOTEL IRISH TITLE
Cookstown Parochial continued their dominance of Galway Bay Hotel Irish Club Champi-
onship with a 5th win at Shaw's Bridge Bowling Centre Belfast. The competition again featured
64 clubs from across Ireland in what is the premier club competition in Irish Short Mat Bowls.
2014 winners St. Mark's Portadown made a surprise first round exit.
Parochial have now won the title on half the occasions the event has been run and
proved themselves to be the outstanding club on the Irish scene. They came through their
qualifying section with a win over Spa Golf Club previous winners on two occasions of the
Plate Competition. In the-finals semi final they defeated Michelin Ballymena by 5 shots thanks
largely to a 12 - 6 win by Damian McIlroy's rink while in the final they had a 26 - 16 win over
Strabane Cricket Club thanks to a 14 - 0 win by Colm McHugh's rink.
The expected clash with local rivals and winners on 2 previous occasions Cookstown
High did not materialise when the High surrendered a 12 shot lead with 4 ends to go against
Strabane in the semi-final. In the plate competition the Marian Club Kilrea claimed their first
success with a win over All Saints Tullylish in the semi-final and a 6 shot win in the final over
Wellington from Enniskillen thanks largely to a convincing win by James Martin's rink.
The success of the Cook-
stown Club was highlighted
when Sky TV Channel 191 did
a 15 minute slot on the club,
media coverage the game has
long required but found difficult
to obtain.
Could we see a British
Isles club championship in the
future, perhaps worth thinking
about as it would give the club
bowler who may never get in-
ternational or national recogni-
Louise Campbell Marketing Manager of the tion an opportunity to play at a
Galway Bay Hotel presents the sponsorship higher level.
cheques to IIBA P.R.O. Seamus Kyne Seamus Kyne