Michelin claim District League title in some style

The Woodside Road side saw off the determined challenge of defending champions BPFA ‘A’ to clinch the championship, ahead of the two sides’ meeting in the League Cup final this Wednesday night.

Broughshane held the title in their grasp for 48 hours after taking five points from their final game at Clough on Monday night.

That meant Michelin had to claim three points from their final game at home to JTI and they held their nerve to take maximum points and secure the crown.

A feature of both Michelin and Broughshane’s games were that, while both challengers claimed all the points, they did so by very narrow margins with both JTI and Clough in dire need of points at the other end of the table.

Broughshane had set the standard with a nine-shot win at Clough, where the biggest winning margin on any of the four rinks was just three shots.

Wins from Alan Cahoon, Andy Morrison, David Morrison and William Morrison sent the Knockan Road side to the top of the table, although they knew their destiny was no longer in their own hands.

Fast forward two nights and Michelin’s bid got off to a nervy start as Grant Robinson’s rink trailed 9-0 to Timothy Rock at the halfway stage. However, the Michelin rink stormed back to win the remaining five ends, including a ‘2’ on the final end to claim a 10-9 win and a crucial point.

After that escape, Michelin could well have been forgiven for thinking it was going to be their night and Wesley Caldwell’s rink edged the home team closer to their three point target with a five-shot win over Billy Lynn.

The title was secured when Matthew Boyd, lying two shots against, delivered a fabulous final bowl to clinch an 11-8 win over Graham Maybin.

Graham Wilson’s rink added the gloss with a three-shot win over Brian Russell.

There was some crumb of consolation for JTI as, despite that defeat, they managed to retain their top-flight status after relegation rivals BIBC could only take one point from their ‘away’ game against club-mates BIBC ‘A’.

That meant JTI and BIBC both finished level on 21 points, with the head-to-head record between the sides favouring JTI thanks to their win when the sides met in January, after their meeting in the first week of the season had ended in a draw.

In yet another close encounter, ‘BI’ could not add to Roy Torrington’s rink win, when even half a point would have kept them in the division.

Andy Bonnar, Andy Duncan and Bryan Magrath led their BIBC ‘A’ rinks to victory but the miraculous collapse of Michelin and BPFA ‘A’ which could have seen the former Social Club team snatch the title failed to materialise.

The other fixture was a ‘dead rubber’ in terms of league business, but Old Bleach warmed up for their League Plate final by beating Golf Club.

Willie Fullerton, William Scott and Mervyn McDonald won for the Randalstown side while the golfers’ lone response came from Johnny Lynn.

Michelin 41 (5), JTI 29 (0): G Robinson 10, T Rock 9; W Caldwell 10, B Lynn 5; M Boyd 11, G Maybin 8; G Wilson 10, B Russell 7.

Clough Rangers 30 (0), BPFA ‘A’ 39 (5): J Gilchrist 7, A Cahoon 9; M Norton 6, A Morrison 9; W Patton 11, D Morrison 12; R Aitcheson 6, W Morrison 9.

BIBC ‘A’ 35 (4), BIBC 30 (1): A Bonnar 10, J Coulter 6; J Gaston 6, R Torrington 9; A Duncan 9, N Robinson 8; B Magrath 10, D Torrington 7.

Old Bleach 36 (4), Golf Club 30 (1): N McNally 6, J Lynn 10; W Fullerton 11, S McGarry 9; W Scott 12, L Barr 6; M McDonald 7, D McCullough 5.

DIVISION TWO

The main focus was on the race for runners-up spot, which was rubber-stamped when second-placed BPFA ‘B’ won at third-placed Services ‘A’

It was one of those unusual games where Services claimed two points, despite only winning on one rink as Bill Kitson’s 16-2 winning margin over Herbie McCullough was more than the total of the three winning Broughshane rinks skipped by Jim Wasson, Noel Graham and David Kernohan.

Champions Portglenone showed no let-up despite the title being in the bag, as they claimed their 13th win from 14 matches at Harryville Community Centre.

Gerry McLarnon and Joe McErlean’s rink wins were enough to see the Bannsiders home by six shots but the real story came with the two points Harryville gained through wins from Harold Smyth and Joe Patterson.

They meant that the Wakehurst side - seemingly doomed to relegation a few weeks ago - somehow escaped the ‘drop’ after Services ‘B’ suffered a ‘whitewash’ defeat at Golf Seniors.

While the golfers were safe in mid-table, they were anxious to keep ticking over ahead of their League Plate final and wins from Campbell Wade, Ivan McMaster, John Nichols and Donald Smyth ensured they would go into the final in good spirits.

One of the biggest surprises of this season has been the struggle of Antrim Indoor Bowling Club and their return to the bottom division was confirmed as they lost at home to Moneyglass, whose winning rinks were skipped by Brendan McCusker, Tommy Magee and Henry Marron.

Darren McCullough’s foursome were Antrim’s only winners.

Harryville Community Centre 34 (2), Portglenone Community Centre 40 (3): H Smyth 16, G McLarnon 10; W Burgess 5, E Cassley 13; S Wilson 2, J McErlean 10; J Patterson 11, J Gaul 7.

Antrim IBC 24 (1), Moneyglass 42 (4): D McCullough 12, S McNeilly 7; A Rainey 2, B McCusker 13; T Evans 4, T Magee 13; R McCullough 6, H Marron 9.

Services ‘A’ 35 (2), BPFA ‘B’ 33 (3): J Stevenson 7, J Wasson 12; B Kitson 16, H McCullough 3; D McNeill 7, N Graham 11; M Shaw 5, D Kernohan 7.

Golf Seniors 47 (5), Services ‘B’ 21 (0): C Wade 9, E Smyth 4; I McMaster 9, J Smith 8; J Nichols 15, R Dickson 3; D Smyth 14, S Smith 6.

DIVISION THREE

All Saints clinched the third division title in style with a full house of points at West Church thanks to wins from Sean Haveron, Anthony Mitchell, Paddy Martin and Eugene McReynolds.

Their task was made easier as second-placed Maine fell to a surprise home defeat at the hands of First Ballymena.

That potentially opens the door for Glenravel who could still pinch runners-up spot if they claim full points from their home game against Round Tower this Thursday, after it was postponed last week.

West Church 20 (0), All Saints 36 (5): J Rainey 5, S Haveron 10; D Aicken 3, A Mitchell 15; T Wilson 7, P Martin 10; M Livingstone 5, E McReynolds 11.

Maine 36 (2), First Ballymena 47 (3): L McQuillan 2, R Woods 22; P Reeves 11, J Lilley 7; J Heffron 14, L McQuitty 8; P O’Neill 9, D McQuitty 10.