INDOOR BOWLS

Kildare West Wicklow Indoor Bowling Association (KWWIBA) Kilcullen Breathe Easy After Hectic Battle

- This Division 5 clash between Kilcullen and Hollywood was not a game for the faint hearted - either for spectators or players.

With both teams in the mix of the relegation zone it had all the ingredients of producing a very lively affair.

The prospect of the five points for either team would ease them a considerable distance from the dreaded drop zone.

Kilcullen with home advantage would be feeling reasonably confident of reversing the result they suffered at the hands of this opposition in Hollywood in December.

The form of both teams in recent games has improved considerably thereby predicting a massive effort by all concerned to hold on to their division 3 status.

- On Mat 1 The Kilcullen team were always holding a slight edge from the start, but only just, as there was only a few scores separating the sides at any given time.

Around the halfway stage of the game the home side hit a purple patch for a few ends to widen the gap to eight.

Hollywood reduced it back to six on the next end, but the home team counteracted it by two of their own on the next end.

With three quarters of the game played Kilcullen looked like they would push on and see out the game and win with a considerable margin to spare, but the visitors were far from finished as they piled on the pressure and made the situation very uncomfortable for their opponents in those last ends, and were certainly unlucky not to have got a couple of more scores in this period.

The hosts will be happy they survived the onslaught as it finished on a scoreline of 17/12.

Kilcullen: Pat Allen, Liam Sherry, Mary Phelan and Bernie Dunne.

Hollywood: Maura Byrne, Olive Houlihan, Padraic Metcalfe and Tony Hogan.

- What a fantastic game of bowls we witnessed on mat 2. It was impossible to separate these teams.

With both sides on top of their game it was always going to go down to the wire as the teams were level at four scores apiece on the fifth end.

The home team were from thereon always holding the lead by a score or two up until and including the ninth end.

However, Hollywood rectified that matter on the tenth end by taking the lead for the first time but only by a score of one. They followed that up by scoring two on the next end to lead by three on a score of 11/8.

Within two ends Kilcullen had levelled up matters to bring the sides level for the second time.

The home team once again with a score of one were back in the lead, so now it was down to the last end to decide the outcome.

The visitors were not to be outdone and they duly levelled the game at the death to finish the game on a score of 12/12.

This was a fitting conclusion as no team deserved to lose, with four points going to Kilcullen they can now breathe easy after such a hectic battle.

Hollywood had to settle for one point but that point gained could still be very valuable in a league where small margins can make a difference.

Kilcullen: Dina Dillon, Betty Barker, Mary Murphy and Mary Sherry.

Hollywood: Carmel Tutty, Seamus Doyle, Kevin Byrne and Peter Byrne.

It would be unfair to single out any players from either mat as they all put in solid performances to make this a

Slight Edge Fitting Conclusion

Balyna 5, Kill 0; Ardclough 2, Celbridge 3; Rathcoffey 5, Kilcullen 0. Allenwood 5, Clane/Staplestown 0; Abbey Bowls 5, Allenwood 0.

Division 5: