Their opposition in the final was the experienced duo of Bertie Elliott and Jude Morris, who although playing exceptional bowls had to be content with second place on this occasion.

    The annual tournament which was held in the Archdale Hall in Ballinamallard attracted over 130 pairs from various parts of the province and beyond. The Magheracross Bowling Club at the conclusion of this year’s tournament generously donated £900 to two charities, £800 to Erne Hospital Maternity Scanner Fund and £100 to Action Cancer.

    On the finals’ night 16 pairs returned to ‘battle it out’ for some of the coveted prizes on display and the results of the first round games were as follows (skips named only):

    T. McNamee 8 G. Burke 5 S. Hall 8 M. Mulligan 7 G. Thompson 2 B. Hassard 8 R. Lucy 0 J. McVitty 8 E. McKenna 3 B. Stubbs 11 R. Graham 10 J. McCaffrey 4 N. Russell 4 J. Morris 7 B. Lynch 4 T. Vance 10

    QUARTER-FINALS Hall defeated McNamee 11 shots to 2 McVitty defeated Hassard 9 shots to 4 Stubbs defeated Graham 11 shots to 4 Morris defeated Vance 11 shots to 1

    In the first of the semifinals between Stanley Hall, Newtownbutler and John McVitty, Wellington it was the Wellington pair who showed the way ahead. Opening the scoring with an important 3 shots in the first end, followed by a two in the second. But back came Stanley Hall accompanied by Leslie Annon and at the end of the fifth end the game was all square 5 shots each.

    With Dessie Carson leading superbly for McVitty both players managed to pick up three single shots in the remaining three ends to book their place in the final 8 shots to 5.

    In the other semifinal between Basil Stubbs and Charlie Armstrong from Christchurch Bowling Club and Jude Morris accompanied by Bertie Elliott it was a similar story with the score locked at 5 shots each after the sixth end, after Morris had chalked up a three in the sixth to bring them back into the game. Morris and Elliott continued their way into the final when they secured two single shots in the last two ends to win 7 shots to 5. In what turned out to be a spectacular final, which was very much appreciated by the large number of spectators present, it was ‘nip and tuck’ from the start, neither pair giving anything away.

    Such was the closeness throughout that on no less than three occasions the game was all square.

    Going into the last end McVitty and Carson were 1 shot up, 7 shots to 6 and at the end of play Morris and Elliott lay one shot and requested a measure for second to win the game. After measuring on several occasions the umpire decided both bowls were equal distance from the Jack and one shot awarded to Morris to tie the game. In the final end McVitty and Carson sealed the Magheracross title with two shots to win 9 shots to 7.