Exciting fare at Greenhills tournament
THERE was a good turnout of members for the third round in the Greenhills Juvenile Round Robin Singles tournament played over nine ends last Tuesday night.
In the first match Robert McCormack eked out an early lead against Caitlin Floyd but couldn’t avail of all his chances and eventually Caitlin stormed three up after six ends.
Robert hit back to draw level with one end remaining, but he took the wrong option when it really mattered and Caitlin took advantage to snatch victory by one shot.
Tadhg Reilly was three up after two ends against Ciara Floyd and increased his advantage to five after the fifth end. Ciara made a breakthrough in the next end, though, and suddenly the deficit was only two shots.
Ciara had the bit between her teeth and drew level in the next, only to fall two behind again with two ends remaining. That was a real test of her nerve, but Ciara remained calm and her drawing skills proved too good for Tadg as she produced an impressive finish to clinch victory by three shots.
Cain McKenna found himself four down after four ends against Saoirse Allen but recovered in the next end to trail by just one - game on! Saoirse regained control with some superb backhand and forehand shots to the head and her lead was three as they prepared to play the last end.
Cain took the initiative in the last end and levelled the match, but in the extra end Saoirse did enough to see off her unlucky opponent by a couple of shots.
Sophie Thornberry took an early three-shot lead against Leo McDonnell, but by the end of the fifth her advantage was down to one and a wrong decision resulted in Leo squaring the match after six ends, only for him to fall two down once more with two to play.
There was just one between them going into the final end, but the decisive moment came when Sophie fired into a packed head, scattering the bowls and taking the spoils by three shots.
Diarmuid Loughman trailed by three shots early on against Aaron McKenna but hit back impressively to go four up after five ends.
Aaron was feeling the heat but made a real game of it in the latter stages, eventually winning the last end but coming up short by just one shot in what proved to be an entertaining game.
Chloe Dykstra overcame an early deficit to take a one-shot lead after four ends against Noel Mc Donnell. Noel immediately bounced back, though, with a profitable fifth end to go three up before increasing the lead to four.
Chloe didn’t wilt and going into the last end she trailed by just one shot. With the game on a knife-edge both players played great bowls and it was Chloe who ultimately claimed victory.
Congratulations to Leo McDonnell who celebrated his 10th birthday recently.
Times of play for juveniles are Tuesdays from 7 to 8.15pm, seniors Tuesday and Thursday 8.15 to 10.30pm.