David and Paul Killinchy kings

David and Paul Killinchy kings

17 January 2018

THE Mid Down Zone bowls finals were played last Friday night in Killinchy. 

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. 

The night belonged to David Anderson, who won both junior titles and the Mid Down pairs while Paul McNamara won the Mid Down singles and was part of the winning triple.

Rose Marie Wylie, Robin Horner, Graham Christie and Peter Christie of Spa Golf Club played team-mates and holders Colin Wilson, Derek McCann, Paul McNamara and Alan Laughlin in the National Fours final. 

In a tight game Peter led 4-0 after four ends. Three ends later Alan had drawn level, but Peter collected two shots on the eighth end to lead 6-4. On the last end Peter trailed the jack into the ditch for a 7-4 victory.  

In the triples final Colin Wilson, Paul McNamara and Alan Laughlin got a quick chance of revenge for the fours defeat when they played team-mates Robin Horner, Graham Christie and Peter Christie. It turned out to be a one-sided affair with Alan’s triple winning 10-1. 

The pairs final was between Nigel Brown and Neil Brown of St Mary’s, Killyleagh and Alec Burgess and David Anderson of Ballygowan Presbyterians.

David opened up a four shot lead after three ends. The St Mary’s pair scored a shot on the fourth end, but the Ballygowan pair took control winning the next four ends to take the title 10-1. 

The singles final was between Spa Golf Club’s Graham Christie and Paul McNamara who were playing each other for the third time in the evening. Paul made the better start leading 6-0 after four ends. Peter then won three of the next four ends to trail 8-5 after eight ends. 

Paul then scored a single on the ninth end to leave him four ahead with only one end to play and the victory was completed when Paul scored a single shot to win 10-5. 

The ladies’ triples final was contested between Daphne Shilliday, Geraldine Morgan and Lorna Stevenson of Teconnaught & Crossgar and Second Saintfield’s Sally McAllister, Renee Mills and Josephine Copes.

Josephine scored three shots on the first end. Lorna opened her account on the second end scoring one shot. The Saintfield triple gained another shot on the third end. 

The Teconnaught & Crossgar triple won three of the next four ends to level the tie at 5-5.

Lorna managed to collect two shots on the eighth end and she secured victory by scoring another two shots on the last end for a 9-5 victory. 

Joan Gamble and Elsie Alexander, of Saintfield BC, played Killinchy’s Beth McIlwrath and Anne McNeilly in the ladies’ pairs final. Elsie quickly got into her stride leading 5-2 after five ends. It was one-way traffic after that with the Saintfield pair reeling off the next four ends for a comfortable 13-2 win. 

In the ladies’ singles final, Mary Brown of Comber BC played Geraldine Morgan of Teconnaught & Crossgar.

Mary settled quickly and led 6-0 after five ends. Geraldine scored a shot on the sixth end, but Mary wrapped up the win, scoring five shots over the next two ends for an unassailable 11-1 lead after eight ends.

The final two ends were played with each player scoring two shots leaving Mary the winner by 13-3.

Jim McClenaghan and Dessie Long, of Ballygowan Presbyterians, played Brian Jess and Alan Telford, of St Patrick’s Golf Club, in the over 55 pairs final.

The scores were level at 2-2 after four ends. Dessie scored two shots on each of the next four ends to lead 10-2 with only two ends to go. The victory was completed when the Ballygowan pair scored one shot on the ninth end. 

In the U-18 singles final David Anderson, of Ballygowan Presbyterians, played Daniel Spratt, from Kilmore Presbyterians.

It was a tight game in the early stages with the scores level at 2-2 after four ends.

David made the decisive break by scoring three shots on the fifth end and then proceeded to win the next three ends, scoring another five shots for a 10-2 lead with two ends to go.

Daniel collected two shots on the ninth end, but it wasn’t enough to prevent David from winning 10-4. In his final year as a junior, David has now won the junior singles four years in a row.

In the U-18 Pairs final David Anderson teamed up with David Maxwell and they had a runaway 13-3 victory over last year’s winners, Adam  Aicken and Ethan Topping, of Ballygowan Presbyterians.

A lovely supper was supplied and served by the committee and a collection was taken up for this year’s charity, which is Air Ambulance for NI. The sum of £235 was collected.