Leading Ladies

The inter-zone championships have arrived once again with the hopes and expectations of many zones at their height. There are varying aims for the differing zones, some will be expecting to challenge for the title while others will be seeking their first win for a few years but all will be giving their best to gain the ‘success’ that is relevant to them.

As usual one of the best team competitions in any format of bowls commences with the ladies leading the way. Current champions Western have a bye through to the next round but their management will be watching all the first round scores to see if there are any new challengers capable of lifting the crown.

Western will be installed as favourites buit that label has been a poisoned chalice for the last few ladies chalpions like West Down and Oriel who went out in the first round the year they tried to defend the title, Western will be determined to defend their trophy with far more enthusiasm.

First out of the hat and giving them a home draw for as long as they remain in the main competition or the shield is South Belfast who entertain the ladies from North Eastern Zone. This could be the last year that the ladies from south of the city have their own identity as talks are ongoing regarding a potential merger with East Belfast Zone. They have put in some battling displays of late but did not have the ammunition to put in a charge to the later stages of either competition. Their visitors showed a degree of improvement last season and will wish to build on the improving team spirit. South Belfast will need to be at their best if they are to cause the first upset of the competition.

North Belfast also play host but they will have a considerably more difficult task as they take on the formidable challenge of Armagh who should be contesting this title. Like other zones North Belfast will be enthusiastic but do not have the depth of talent as in past campaigns and they will have achieved a degree of success if they can hold their opponents to a close game in the first half and if they can come away with a rink win it will have been a relative success. Armagh do have strength in depth and their main adversary will be their own complacency.

Oriel ladies hit top form in 2007 and deservedly won the championship but their success was short lived as they flattered to deceive and could not maintain that kind of form last season. If they can reclaim the battling qualities and comradeship of their title winning year then they could again rise from the ashes and challenge for the title. Donegal will be their first hurdle and a very capable one. The ladies from Donegal can at times catch teams unawares and produce excellent one off performances. Their problem is consistency but can be at their most dangerous when the least is expected of them. They are an endearing crowd that can lull opponents into a false sense of security before producing the knock out punches if the opportunity arises in the final ends of a close encounter.

Foyle ladies have been more successful at winning games than their men in recent years however their best days seem to be behind them although they have a very good chance to get back to winning ways away from home to North Down. The homesters do not have the squad to go all the way but they do have a fair sprinkling of talent that can lift the others and produce creditable displays and therefore potential wins. No team relishes the trip to Cork whose ladies have improved considerably since their introduction to this competition however they will have to find prime form if they are to overcome South Tyrone who when they have their full compliment available should be producing better results.

Mid Antrim will not be looking forward to playing their neighbours and old adversaries East Antrim even on home mats. The home side showed good spirit in winning their first game last season but then nose dived against East Antrim in the second game. The visitors have missed their best chance of lifting the title being beaten in the last two finals and although they will have to rebuild they should be too strong for their hosts.  The last two games of the opening round should be close and will be intriguing.  Recent winners West Down are at home to Mid Tyrone but since they scaled the heights have fallen heavily then picked themselves up with a good win last year before losing a game they expected to win. Meanwhile compared to the yo yoing of West Down their visitors Mid Tyrone improved considerably last season and have narrowed the gap on the top teams, it is a matter of whether or not they continue on the up with self belief one of their problems in the past. The signs were encouraging for Northern ladies last season as they strung together some fine wins and at the same time gave some unaccustomed players the opportunity to play at this level. If they repeat the level of performance that they reached last season then they could pose a threat to rivals and yet again title contenders North West. North West are very capable but they often show a fragile side when only one or two of the main players are missing and can crumble with nerves in a close game. Their appetite for success will have been rekindled by winning the shield last year and that success may have repaired the brittle part of their character.