CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP

The club championship is to be played on Saturday 22nd November 2008 in Ballybrakes Stadium, Ballymoney starting at 11.00am. The mats are first class but more importantly caterers will be on hand with the choice of purchasing a meal or sandwiches to sustain both players and spectators throughout the day. This is becoming one of the most eagerly awaited competitions in shortmat and ranks just below the best shortmat team competition in the world, the inter-zone. It is a must for any player who wants to watch quality bowls.

Cookstown Challenge for Club Championship Entrants

This tournament is the ultimate competition for clubs as it more or less brings champions of local leagues together into a national competition and could be compared to a champion of champions for clubs. It is open to the full spectrum of clubs ranging from those which has numerous zone players within its ranks to the club whose backbone is the club bowler.

The challenge for all teams is to try and wrestle the trophy away from Cookstown. Last season Cookstown High came out on top while the previous season Cookstown Parochial claimed the title. Each year the standard has improved but more importantly the interest is increasing with the upsets usually top of the discussion agenda. This competition has been played on three occasions with Cookstown Parochial reaching the final each year.

This season the format has been altered slightly to give clubs more games. This has to be a positive step to give the supposed smaller clubs the experience of playing more games at a higher standard rather than one strike and home which comes with knock-out. The more games clubs and players play at a higher level the better the quality should become. Some of the lesser known clubs will be relishing the new format as they will have three opportunities to cause a major shock rather than only a one-off chance All clubs therefore can affect their individual group placings.

All thirty two places have been taken and it would be good for the game if all zones could send at least one club for the experience. There are eight groups of four teams guaranteeing clubs three games each with two points awarded for an overall win and one point for a draw. No individual rink points are awarded with the combined shots of the three rinks taking precedence making it a true team competition and slightly different to most leagues. The eight group winners progress to the quarter-finals which will conclude the days play.

Semi-finals and final will be played on a later date which is another alteration to last season. This will ensure that the players are refreshed for the last two games rather than producing tired bowls. It also means the final has been accredited with the importance and credence a top competition deserves and it will give spectators an opportunity to come and support.

Holders Cookstown High face one of the toughest groups and if they do come thru will be regarded as firm favourites. They face Loughanreagh in their first game who were once regarded as one of the best clubs in the land some years ago. The other group members are Mossley who were the all conquering team in East Antrim last season and All Saints Tullylish who have yet to live up to expectation in this competition. Whoever tops the table will face the winners from Carnagill, Conlig, St Joseph’s [Western zone] and Rosslea. Some of these teams are appearing for the first time so they are somewhat of an unknown quantity with the group wide open and an opportunity to finish the evening with an upset in the quarters.

Limavady R&CC made the final two seasons ago and the semi-final last season so they will start a favourites to emerge from section one with Ballymena Towers likely to be their nearest challengers but both Corduff and St Mary’s Newcastle will want to prove otherwise. Section two is a more open group with no clear-cut favourite but whoever wins will not be expected to progress to the semi-final stage.

There should be a three way fight between Carrickmacross, Spa Golf club and St Anthony’s from Portadown in group five but they will have to be on their guard that they do not underestimate Clontibrett. Group six gives an excellent opportunity for a club to progress to the final game of the day but realistically it is a group than all the top teams would expect to progress from.

Unless there is a major shock Cookstown Parochial should top group seven with three wins. Group eight is not as straight forward with Ballinderry hoping that they can finally win a game in this competition especially as they will have three opportunities to end their duck. If they can string the wins together then their momentum could cause problems for Cookstown Parochial in the quarter-final. However they would be well advised to get a win under their belts and take one game at a time especially as any of the other three sides are capable of putting in a winning performance. The question is who will do it more consistently. It would not be a surprise if shot difference was the deciding factor in more than one of the groups.