Slick McNamara is treble winner

Slick McNamara is treble winner

20 January 2016

THE Mid Down Zone finals were held last Friday night with IIBA chairman Harold Massey in attendance

Eight clubs were represented in the finals with the winners going on to represent Mid Down Zone at Shaw’s Bridge in the Irish finals in March.

Kirsty Burns, Erick Kennedy, Paddy Burns and David Boal of Seaforde YFC played Colin Wilson, Don McNamara, Paul McNamara and Alan Laughlin of Spa Golf Club in the National Fours final.

Alan collected one shot on the opening end, but David replied with a count of five shots on the next end. Alan then scored two shots on ends three and four to level the score. 

David then collected four shots on the next end to lead 9-5 after five ends. The turning point of the game came in the next end. 

The Seaforde rink held two shots, but Alan managed to remove the two bowls and collect two shots himself. The Spa rink collected two single shots on ends seven and eight to tie the score once again.

In a tense last end David narrowly failed to draw the shot with his last bowl and victory went to the Spa Golf Club four.  

In the National Triples final Kirsty Burns, Paddy Burns and David Boal had a swift chance for revenge as they played Colin Wilson, Paul 

McNamara and Alan Laughlin in what proved to be another exciting match. 

Alan opened up with three shots on the first end, but David immediately replied with two shots on the second end.

After five ends the scored were level at 4-4. Alan scored two shots on the next end, but David fought back to level the score going into the last end. 

It was the Seaforde triple who held shot, but Alan played a controlled weight to remove the Seaforde bowl and win the game. It was tough luck on the Seaforde triple to have played so well in both finals and yet not manage to win.

The National Pairs final was between Paul Fitzgerald and Jacqui Henderson of Ballygowan Presbyterians and Graham and Peter Christie of Spa Golf Club. 

It was a tight opening three ends with the Spa pair leading 2-1. However, the next three ends proved to be crucial as Peter scored three shots on the fifth end, two shots on the sixth end and one shot on the seventh end to open up a 8-1 advantage after six ends.

Jacqui lifted two shots on the next end, but it was a case of too little too late as two ends later the game was over as Graham and Peter held an unassailable 9-4 lead.

By virtue of winning their respective sections both pairs have qualified for the Irish finals in Shaw’s Bridge.

The singles final was between Spa Golf Club’s Paul McNamara, who was playing his third final of the evening and Graham Christie. 

After sharing the first two ends, Graham forged ahead scoring three shots on the third end. Paul replied by winning the next three ends to lead 5-4. Going into the last end the score was 6-6.

Paul held the shot and Graham’s last bowl was a fraction tight and Paul won 7-6.

This is third year in a row that Paul has won the Mid Down singles having beaten Peter Christie in 2014 and Derek McCann last year.

Both Paul and Graham have qualified for the Irish finals in Shaw’s Bridge having won their respective sections. 

The Ladies Triples final was contested between Mae Kelly, Marie Geddis and Albina Black of Killinchy and Ballygowan Presbyterians’ Anne Stevenson, Myra Burgess and Elizabeth McKinley. 

Albina opened up a three shot lead after two ends, but Elizabeth took the next three ends to lead 4-3.

The lead changed hands again when Albina collected two shots to lead 5-4.

The next two ends proved crucial as Elizabeth scored two shots on the seventh end and three shots on the eighth end. 

This gave Elizabeth a four shot cushion going into the last end. Albina managed to score  shots, but it wasn’t enough as Elizabeth won 9-7.

Joan Gamble and Elsie Alexander of Saintfield BC played Teconnaught & Crossgar’s Daphne Shilliday and Lorna Stevenson in the Ladies Pairs final. 

It was a low scoring game throughout. Daphne and Lorna opened up a 5-1 lead after five ends, but Joan and Elsie fought back in the second half of the game. 

The last end saw the Saintfield pair trail by one shot, but two good lead bowls by Joan set up the foundation for Elsie to collect two shots for a 7-6 victory. 

In the Ladies Singles final, Elizabeth McKinley of Ballygowan Presbyterians played Anne McNeilly of Killinchy.  

This was a topsy-turvy game with Anne leading 6-0 after two ends. Four ends later Elizabeth moved into a 10-6 lead. The game was not over yet as Anne won the next three ends to take an 11-10 lead into the last end. 

Elizabeth capitalised on a loose opening bowl from Anne to take command of the end and score two shots to win 12-11 to retain the title.

Jim McClenaghan and Dessie Long of Ballygowan Presbyterians played Hedley Quayle and Robin Horner of First Presbyterians, Comber, in the Over 55 Pairs final. 

This was a highly entertaining match. Dessie won the opening end scoring two shots, but after six ends Robin had turned the game around to lead 8-5.

The next three ends saw Dessie collect a single shot on each of the ends to tie the score. 

In a tense last end Dessie, with the shot against him, just drifted past the head leaving Hedley and Robin winners by 9-8.

Adam Aicken and David Anderson of Ballygowan Presbyterians had already qualified in the U-18 Pairs. 

In the U-18 Singles final David Anderson of Ballygowan Presbyterians played Christopher McClurg of Edengrove. 

David got the weight of the mat right away and opened up a 9-0 lead after five ends. Try as he might, Christopher was unable to close the gap and David went on to win the Junior Singles for the second year in a row.

A lovely supper was supplied and served by the committee and a collection was taken up for this year’s charity which is Friends of the Cancer Unit, Belfast City Hospital. The sum of £190 was raised.