Doubles Championship games down to the wire
THERE was a good turnout of members for the start of the Greenhills Doubles Championship, played over nine ends last Tuesday night.
In the first match Ciara Floyd and Aaron McKenna took on Diarmuid Loghman who played with four bowls in the absence of his partner, and Ciara and Aaron took full advantage of Diarmuid’s poor start by going three up, only for Diarmuid to rally in the fourth end to restore parity.
It was nip and tuck over the next few ends as Diarmuid eked out a two-shot lead with one end to play, and he held on to win by the minimum as Ciara and Aaron’s efforts came up just short.
The next match up was Tadg Reilly and Saoirse Allen against Caitlin Floyd and Leo McDonnell and it was Tadg and Saoirse who stormed into a five-shot lead after four ends.
However, Caitlin and Leo hit back impressively and by the conclusion of the seventh end it was they who had edged one shot in front.
Tadg and Saoirse steadied the ship and got back on track by taking the penultimate end to go one up, but in a hardfought decider Caitlin and Leo got crucial touchers on the jack to scrape through to the next round.
The last match of the night was a ding-dong affair as Chloe Dykstra - playing on her own in the absence of her partner - took on Cian McKenna and Noel McDonnell.
This match was still level after four ends, but at that stage Cian and Noel went into overdrive and after six ends they led by four shots.
Chloe showed nerves of steel, though, as she fired two superb shots into the head to reduce the deficit to one with two ends remaining.
Cian and Noel picked up one shot from the penultimate end, but it wasn’t enough as Chloe’s persistence paid off and she secured victory by three shots.
On the Oriel Zone League scene Greenhills played Lordship away and got four valuable points to hold their own at the top of Division 2.
The Charity Singles Tournament will be starting shortly and players who intend taking part in the competition are asked to put their name forward on the noticeboard.
Times of play for juniors are Tuesdays 7 to 8.15pm, seniors Tuesday 8.15 to 10.30pm and Thursday 8 to 10.30pm.
Fixtures
Friday February 8th
Fosters Premier Div: Lantern Bar v Sally Inn; Thatch A v Mariner; Boyne Valley v Carranstown A; Matthews v Greyhound. Fosters Div 1: Carranstown B v Hill Bar; Grennans v Maguires A; Pheasant v Cottage Inn; Thatch C v Morning Star A. Fosters Div 2: Alverno v Foxs; Nolans v Morning Star; Fair Green Bar v Sally Inn B; Lynchs v B/W Thatch. Fosters Div 3: Mariner B v Barney Macs; Maguires B v Thatch B; Watters v Thatch D; Coast Tvn v Admirals. Premier Division Division 1 Division 2 Division 3