Western have no answer to 'better team'
Editorial Department • Published 8 Dec 2011 13:00
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Stewart Cochrane delivers a bowl during Western's defeat to Mid-Ulster at the weekend.
Mid-Ulster 55 Western 37
Western's interest in this year's All Ireland Inter-zone competition ended in Magherafelt on Saturday after their 18 shot defeat by Mid-Ulster, in a game that the 10 times outright winners of the Boomer Cup never looked like losing.
The Western team had a pleasing first half and were only trailing by three shots after the first three games, but their second half performance failed to produce the goods needed to progress to this year's quarter-finals.
The youth policy of the selectors certainly showed promise for the future, with Jamie Beatty, Gary Brian, Gary McNabb and Stewart Cochrane all putting in excellent performances but unfortunately some of the more experienced bowlers on the team were far from their best on the day.
In the first half, Paul Wilson's rink who were by far Western's most successful, and although up against the experienced international skip Damien McIlroy's rink romped home to a 9 shots to 5 victory, with Paul himself having one of his best zone appearances.
On mat two, Alan Graham's rink were clearly under pressure right from the start and found themselves 8 shots to 2 down after five ends against Mid-Ulster's Mark Wilson to eventually go down by 11 shots to 6.
In the final game of the first half between Western's Jude Morris and Mid-Ulster's S Quinn, it was the home rink that dictated play in the earlier ends to take a 6 shots to 2 lead. In typical Jude Morris determination, his rink came right back into the game to draw level 6 shots each at the end of the ninth end, only to drop a two in the last to lose out by 8 shots to 6.
In the first of the second half games, Western's Karl Bradshaw and his rink found their opposing rink skipped by D Jordon with Liam McHugh in the third position, in brilliant form. The Western rink never really got out of the traps and after dropping a four and a three, this game ended in a 14 shots to 1 deficit for Western.
David Graham's rink, on mat three received an early set back against Mid Ulster's A Paul, when, after only two ends, they found themselves trailing by seven shots without having graced the scoreboard. The third end really brought David's rink back into the game when they chalked up a very important five shots followed by three singles to eventually edge victory by a single shot 11 shots to 10 although the last end was not played as the overall score in the game had gone Mid-Ulster's way.
In the final game Gary Burke's rink were having a nip and tuck affair against Mid-Ulster's international Colm McHugh which was clearly shown by the score at three shots each at the end of sixth end.
Unfortunately for Gary's rink, they dropped two shots in the following two ends with this game as well ending after the ninth end with a further win for the home team by 7 shots to 4.
Although the overall win was perhaps a little flattering for the Mid-Ulster side, the popular opinion by the Western skips was that the better team won on the day
Results.
S Cochrane, N Noble, I McElroy, P Wilson (skip) 9 beat D McElroy (Mid-Ulster) 5
J Beatty, J Breadon, I Armstrong, A Graham (skip) 6 lost to M Wilson (Mid-Ulster) 11
G Brian, R Nixon, G McNabb, J Morris (skip) 6 lost to S Quinn (Mid-Ulster) 8
D Ferguson, N Cox, M McGrade, K Bradshaw (skip) 1 lost to D Jordon (Mid-Ulster) 14
D Gilliland, W Harpur, T Morrison, T Morrison, G Burke (skip) 4 lost to C McHugh (Mid-Ulster) 7
H Gawley, G Ferguson, R Armstrong, D Graham (skip) 11 beat A Paul (Mid-Ulster) 10
This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 08 Dec 11
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