Gary Kelly and Simon Colvin

play

Len Graham and Dessie Hamilton

 

 

NATIONAL PAIRS  

 

 

 

Preliminary Rd

 

 

 

 

G.Allen

Douglas CC

v

T.McCauley

Gortahork

D.J.Wilson

All Saints

v

T.McNamee

Roslea

R.Hunter

Markethill pRes

v

G.McCabe

Redeemer

P.Rooney

St.Mary's

v

G.Conroy

Beragh

M.Wilson

Cookstown High

v

J.Graham

Glenburn Meth

B.Maloney

Highfield

v

G.McGee

Cairnshill

S.Rea

Kilroot

v

D.McRandal

Larne B & TC

T.Crawford

Cliftonville

v

M.Sproule

St.Mary's

H.Foley

ICIC YMA

v

B.Adair

Castleblaney Pres

D.McCarron

Bishop Street

v

S.Faulkner

Skyrne

J.Emerson

Moy Parish

v

D.McCurdy

Armoy Pres

A.Duncan

2nd Donegore

v

P.McCarthy

Wilton

J.McKay

Limavady C&RC

v

J.Wilson

All Saint's

N.Haire

Hillsborough

v

P.Bell

St.Brigid's

G.Kelly

Ballybrakes

v

C.Crowley

Watergrasshill

 

It is normal to expect surprises and dramatic endings in the shortmat game and the pairs lived up to expectation. Previous winners DJ Wilson & J Wilson [2006] entered separate pairs this season and both qualified from West Down zone. However they had different outcomes in their first matches. DJ gained a full house of four on the first end and looked to have control of the game as he lead by four after six ends. Then T McNamee staged a comeback winning the last four ends and the game. Meanwhile J Wilson had an intriguing tie against J McKay. While they did not play each other on the mat the two recently played for their respective zone against each other in the final of the inter-zone competition with J McKay’s zone coming out as victors. This only added to the interest of this tie. The West Down pair went into a 7-1 lead and while the deficit was reduced by three shots J Wilson was restricting his opponents to one shot for any end they won ensuring that the early lead was sufficient for victory. G McCabe and G Conroy both got off to excellent starts conceding only two and one ends respectively to set up an eagerly awaited encounter in the next round. Wily J Graham showed that experience can still conquer the exuberance of youth as he comfortably defeated M Wilson. John has long been the most consistent bowler from East Belfast and would rate as one of their best ever players. Another game showing the importance of keeping the game close was S Rea against D McRandal. It was close with only one shot in favour of the Larne duo but with young Chelsea consistent at lead [one of the youngest players in the pairs] her dad was able to skip the pair to a win claiming the last three ends. Emerson and McCurdy had a topsy turvy game. McCurdy won the first two ends trailed by five shots with three ends to go. Winning all three of these ends was imperative in McCurdy’s victory.

 

Last 32

T.McCauley

Gortahork

v

T.McNamee

Roslea

G.McCabe

Redeemer

v

G.Conroy

Beragh

J.Graham

Glenburn Meth

 

AN Other

 

S.Rea

Kilroot

v

M.Sproule

St.Mary's

B.Adair

Castleblaney Pres

v

D.McCarron

Bishop Street

D.McCurdy

Armoy Pres

v

A.Duncan

2nd Donegore

J.Wilson

All Saint's

v

N.Haire

Hillsborough

G.Kelly

Ballybrakes

v

P.Walsh

Glenties

J.Campbell

Ballyquinn

v

P.McKenna

Roslea

R.Nixon

Derryvullen

v

J.McMahon

Carrickmacross

K.Morrison

Ballinderry

v

R.Robinson

Downpatrick CC

A.Paul

Cookstown High

v

W.McCaw

Ballybrakes

I.Hobson

Dungannon Indoor

v

P.Canning

Conlig

K.McNeill

Ballinteer

v

A.Sproule

Castlederg Meth

A.Buchanan

Raphoe

v

D.Hamilton

Dromore NS

I.Armstrong

Wellington

v

M.Trainor

St.Anthony's

 

The final three ends also proved decisive in some of the games in the round of thirty two and none more so than in the match between T McCauley and T McNamee. McNamee took a narrow two shot lead with a three on the seventh end but that was the end of the scoring for the pair as McCauley won the last three ends and the game. J Campbell and his partner also won the last three ends to progress after trailing by a shot after seven ends. I Hobson was four down after seven ends yet in winning the last three ends the pairing accumulated enough shots to take the win against P Canning. Conroy and McCabe lived up to expectation. McCabe pairing took an early lead with a three on the third end but then Conroy hit back to win the next four ends to lead by four. Winning one further end secured his passage to the last sixteen. M Sproule had a narrow squeak as he won his match on the final end after the two sides were level after nine ends. The last end was also the decider between McCurdy and Duncan with the later claiming a double on the last end to win. McCarron, Wilson, Hamilton and Morrison had comfortable wins. Alan Paul who has qualified for the singles final could not make it a double as he lost the last four ends and the match to W McCaw. The final two games were close encounters going down to the tenth end. Kenny McNeill held his nerve to win the last end despite losing two consecutive doubles on the eighth and ninth ends to bring his opponent back into the game. Armstrong scored a three on the first end against Trainor and held the lead for the first five ends. He then lost the lead dropping a four. He then hit the front again but Trainor hit back for a second time winning ends nine and ten to claim a last gasp one shot win.

 

Last 16

T.McCauley

6

v

12

G.Conroy

J.Graham

1

v

11

M.Sproule

D.McCarron

5

v

11

A.Duncan

J.Wilson

4

v

9

G.Kelly

J.Campbell

8

v

7

R.Nixon

K.Morrison

10

v

3

W.McCaw

I.Hobson

3

v

9

K.McNeill

D.Hamilton

13

v

5

M.Trainor

 

McCauley lead after five ends but then lost the remaining ends to loose the game to the Conroy brothers. J Graham won the first end but that was all that M Sproule would allow. The Wilson/Kelly shoot out was closer than the score suggest with only one shot separating the pairing after eight ends. Kelly then took a brace on each of the next two ends to progress to the quarter-finals. J Campbell had a dramatic win over R Nixon scoring a rare full house on the last end to win by a shot. Duncan, Morrison and McNeill had relatively straightforward passages into the last eight. Another mighty match was expected when D Hamilton played M Trainor. The Armagh pairing had a 5-4 lead at the halfway stage but then the wheels came off as they lost three consecutive threes and the match.

 

Quarter-Finals

 

 

 

 

G.Conroy

5

v

8

M.Sproule

A.Duncan

4

v

9

G.Kelly

J.Campbell

12

v

2

K.Morrison

K.McNeill

8

v

11

D.Hamilton

 

 

 

 

 

Semi-Final

 

 

 

 

M.Sproule

7

v

9

G.Kelly

J.Campbell

6

v

10

D.Hamilton

 
© 2007 Renegade Bowls------------------------------------------------------------------------------Christ Jesus gave his life as a ransom for all. 1 Tim 2 6
BowlsNI 

Be bowled over by the refreshing delivery

Road through the qualifiers.

Simon and Gary were the last tie out of the hat for the preliminary round. their opponents did not turn up so they got a bye.

They were then due to play in the round of 32 against a pairing who went straight into the round of 32, again Simon & Gary's opponents did not turn up.

This put the pairing from Ballybrakes at a disadvantage as their  opposition in the last sixteen had already played and won two games.

They did not let the wait nor lack of playing time affect them as they J Wilson over the last two ends. This was no mean feat as J Wilson won this title as a skip in 2006. There was little in the game, 3-3 after five ends and 4-5 after eight ends in favour of Simon & Gary. They got over the finish line in front winning the last two ends.

In the quarter final the pair faced the Duncan cousins [David & Andrew] from 2nd Donegore. They opened with w three in the first end and stretched their lead to 7-1 after five ends. The Duncan duo then hit back taking three consecutive singles. They lay shot in the penultimate end but although tight Gary took off the lying bowl to secure the win and a place in the semi-finals.

Their next opponents were A Corrigan and M Sproule and after eight ends the scores were level at five shots each. Sproule then took control with a brace in the ninth end but with the last bowl of the regulation ten ends Gary took off their opponents bowl that lay second shot and kept his own bowl on for two shots and a tie end.

Sproule put the jack long for the tie end and A Corrigan ran at it and clipped the side ditching both the jack and his bowl but they were a yard apart. Simon drew two shots with both their opponents drawing short. With his final bowl M Sproule had to draw shot but was heavy and the Ballybrakes pair more akin to stadium bowls had completed a remarkable achievement by reaching the final of the national pairs at shortmat.

Route to the Final

Len & Dessie were drew straight into the round of 32 missing the preliminary round. First up they played A Buchanan from Raphoe and started by losing the first end. They then won the next five ends to take control of the game and completed the win by claiming the shot on the last two ends ensuring their passage to the last 16.

In this round they faced a familiar foe in the guise of M Trainor and although they trailed 4-5 after five ends they then piled the pressure on and won the next three ends picking up a three on each occasion to put the tie out of reach of their opponents.

Kenny McNeill was the next hurdle they faced and by the half way stage it was proving a formidable hurdle as the Dromore pair trailed 4-6. The turning point of the game came in the eighth end when Len & Dessie scored a full house to lead by two. A double on the ninth end put them in command and provided they drew close bowls they would make it very difficult for Kenny to score the required four to take the game into a tie end. The North West duo won the end but were restricted to a single.

In the semi-final Len & Dessie faced another pair from the North West Zone this time skipped by J Campbell. the eighth end again proved the decisive end. J Campbell had edged ahead 6-5 after seven ends then Dessie scored a three to take the initiative. A single in the ninth end piled the pressure on their opponents and despite a close head and a valiant attempt to trail the jack for three J Campbell just cut away and although they did not show it the subdued Dromore duo were elated to reach the final.

It will be Len's first appearance in a national final and what better person could be by his side and backing him up than Dessie. Len will be under pressure as Dessie has made him aware that he needs the pairs title for the full collection having already won the singles in 1991, triples in 1979 & 1988 and the fours [possibly 1980, 1984, 1990 & 1999].