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IRISH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Delayed by seven months owing to the foot and mouth crisis, The Golden Charter Irish National Championships were finally completed at the Dungannon Leisure centre. A great day’s bowling lead to some hard fought and excellent matches, with the trophies being presented by Mrs Phyllis McDermott, wife of the IIBA President Ronnie McDermott.

McCANN SNATCHES THE SINGLES
The only time Eamon McCann (St John’s Bosco Bellaghey), got in front of Barry Mooney (St Mary’s Ahogill), was on the last and final end. Mooney opened up with a 5 - 0 lead after two ends, by six ends his lead had been cut to 6 - 3. On the eighth end McCann levelled at seven across a two on the ninth end got him back to 9 across. Mooney then held a two shot lead with two ends to go but a single and a pair gave McCann a narrow victory and with it a place in the British Isles Championships.

PAIRS TITLE FOR O’BRIEN & CONWAY
The Dungannon RBL mother and daughter duo of Ida & Carol Eldon started brightly with four shots in the first two ends but John O’Brien & Liam Conway of Loup struck back with six shots in four ends and then after conceeding a single took another seven shots in three ends for a 13 - 6 victory with and end still to play.

PORTADOWN TRIO IN SUDDEN DEATH FINISH
Portadown’s Gary Culbert, Cyril Leckey & Tony Bell (St. Marks) had a humdinger of a match with Omagh’s Adrian McFarland, Neville Hagan & Rodney Cunningham (Mayne). The Omagh trio took first blood with three shots in two ends. By the fifth end the match was four across and this set the pattern for the match. Going into the last end the Omagh team held a slender one shot lead but a single to the Portadown threesome levelled the match and forced it into a sudden death finish. The Portadown trio held their nerve and took a vital single to take the triples championship.

MID ANTRIM QUARTET WIN THE FOURS
David Cupples, David Steele, Adrian Davidson & Keith Adams (Bucknall Pres.) lost the first end to Martin McAleese, Kenneth Shirley, David Walker & Robert Nicoll (Liscolman) and also a three on the fourth end but they soon took charge of the match and a two - five- two knockout punch took them into a commanding 14 - 4 lead. Four shots in two ends for the Liscolman foursome raised a ray of hope but the needed a six on the last end to force the match into a sudden death finish but a single to the Mid Antrim team sealed a convincing victory.

MAGENNIS DOUBLES UP IN JUNIOR SINGLES
Not content with a victory last year Brendan Magennis (Clonibret) successfully defended his Junior title, beating Daniel Crerand (St. Column Portstewart) by 14 - 11. Crerand worked hard to prevent Magennis from doubling up on his titles and took a three on the thirteenth end to level the match at eleven shots apiece. However, Magennis was not to be denied and finished the match off with a two and a single.

McCUSKY & McIVOR ARE LADIES PAIRS CHAMPIONS
Patsy McCusker & Mary McIvor ran away with the opening ends and lead 7 - 1 after the fifth. At this point Marie Tracey & Mary Mullin fought back with six shots in four ends to be just 7 - 8 down. an exchange of singles left the match delicately poised going into the last end. Tracey & Mullin needed a single to force a sudden death finish or a two to take the title but McCusker & McIvor held their nerve to take a single and the ladies pairs title.

St MARKS LADIES FOURSOME REPEAT 1999 SUCCESS
Lynda Lyttle, Irene Gordon, May & Pauline Cassells (St Marks Portadown) sought to repeat their 1999 win and were facing Lily Montgomery, Margaret Hartin, Sarah McCandless & Eileen McLernon from Dunluce Parish. However, the former champions were determined to repeat their success and ten shots in six ends gave them a commanding 11 - 2 lead with just two ends to play. The St Marks foursome then closed the match down and conceded just two singles to win by 11 - 4.

PATSY McCUSKER RETAINS HER LADIES SINGLES
In a confident mood after her pairs triumph, Patsy McCusker opened up with five shots in the opening two ends and after conceeding a two she took complete charge of the match. No matter what Leck’s Cissie Gould tried McCusker had the answer and eventually took an unassailable 17 - 5 lead and with it her second title with two ends still to play.

Wesley Johnston
IIBA Competition Secretary