Beaten Greenhills team face relegation dogfight
GREENHILLS are finding life tough in Division 1 and last week they were forced to play second fiddle again as their hosts Louth performed a clean sweep.
In the first trips match Greenhills made a positive start, taking a three-shot lead after three ends, but Paul Duff’s team kept their composure and clawed their way back into the game, eventually taking a two-shot lead after seven ends.
Greenhills skip Claire Woods’ team exerted a lot of pressure on the hosts and briefly regained the lead, but Louth responded immediately to go three up with two ends remaining.
Woods rallied the troops and the gap was down to the minimum playing the last end, but former Irish player Duff demonstrated his quality and class when it really mattered, playing two splendid backhand draw shots to the jack to secure victory in fine style by five shots against the Greenhills team of Val Maguire, Jimmy Flood and Claire Woods.
In the second match the hosts managed to take the first three ends on the trot to go four up, with Greenhills under considerable pressure, but the visitors won the next three ends to open up a three-shot lead.
Andrew Meehan’s Louth team were rattled but won the next two ends on the spin to wipe the slate clean.
In the following end skip Jack Howell put his hand up to indicate he was firing into the head, and as it was surrounded by bowls it was a successful move as Greenhills secured three shots to take the lead with two ends remaining.
The game ebbed and flowed in the last two ends, with both skips playing some lovely shots to the head, but it was Louth who produced a moment of magic to clinch victory by four shots against the Greenhills trio of Alan Thornberry, Anna Farrell and Jack Howell.
In the final trips match of the night the teams could not be separated after five ends, but the game then turned in Louth’s favour and after eight ends Colm Minock’s team led by four, playing superb bowls.
The hosts were in no mood to let the game slip away, and going into the final end they had extended their advantage to six.
The Greenhills team of Andy MacGrane, Tom Devin and skip Eugene McKenna needed six shots just to draw and it was a big ask. They attacked the head at every opportunity but to no avail, winning the end but coming up short by four shots as the hosts won the eight points on offer on the night.
Greenhills chairman Val Maguire said the 11 points gained from six league games to date was not good enough, but added that in some of the games the club were very close to taking some points but didn’t get the rub of the green. Going into the second half of the season he expressed the hope that the team would win sufficient points to stay in the division.
The charity singles tournament will be starting shortly and anyone wishing to travel to the Louth Open Doubles - from February 19th to 23rd - is asked to put their name forward on the club noticeboard.
Times of play this week: Juveniles - Tuesday 7 to 8.15pm; Seniors - Tuesday and Thursday 8 to 10.30pm.