Balyna keep promotion bid on track with victory over Caragh in KWWIBA

Kildare West Wicklow Indoor Bowling Association (KWWIBA)

Balyna with home advantage against Caragh in this Division 3 contest were hoping to secure all five points, for by doing so they would keep their ambitions of promotion to Division 2 on track.

While Caragh’s ambition would be to collect some point to try and keep them around mid-table or thereabouts.

Too Little Too Late

Mat 1: Although Caragh started off well to record the first score of the game, it was the one and only time they were in front. From the second end onwards it was a gradual takeover by the home team. The visitors time and time again failed to record any scores, thus causing no threat to a rampant Balyna side. It was only on the last few ends that the visitors started to come to grips with the mat and to make any inroads to the Balyna lead. Unfortunately it was too little too late to make any real difference to the eventual outcome.

Balyna: Phil Holton, Paul Hillen, Christy Colgan and Tommy Grifferty.

Still on Course

Mat 2: The home side from the start of this mat were intent on exerting as much pressure on their opponents as possible as they surged ahead from the start. It didn’t bode well for the visitors when Balyna cantered into a nine to nil lead after only four ends. But great credit to Caragh, who on the next three ends fought back to narrow the gap to three. Once again Balyna took control to move five clear, but the Caragh team came back to reduce the margin to three scores once again.

At this stage we were moving into the last quarter of the match, and from thereon to the finish the home side widened the gap and did not give the visitors any more chances for another comeback.

With the five points from this game it still leaves Balyna on course for promotion. But with one more game to go against their close rivals Rathcoffey, they will still need to collect another couple of points to ensure that ambition. Having home advantage should certainly give them a slight edge to accomplish that.

While Caragh’s loss will probably drop them into a dangerous dogfight to try and avoid relegation.

Balyna: Gary Stynes, Pauline Holton, Noel Moore and Johnny McCabe.

Caragh: Nora Tierney, Peter Hunt, Collette Cronin and John Doyle.

Best for Balyna were Gary Stynes, Noel Moore, Phil Holton and Christy Colgan, while the top performers for Caragh were  Nora Tierney, Collette Cronin, Sadie Kavanagh and Breff O’Rourke.

Elsewhere, Kill journeyed to Hollywood to take on the home side in this difficult Division 2 match hoping to garner some points that would give them some chance in their next and final game to avoid relegation to Div.3

Mat A: This contest exceeded all expectations by providing a real classic game of bowls. Hollywood already assured of promotion with one more game still to play were most definitely the firm favourites against a Kill side whose form to date has been very sporadic.

Such was the display by the visitors that is hard to believe that they are propping up the league table. This turned out to be a real ding-dong battle, with each side producing an exhibition of great bowling.

Kill started off well and were holding a slight lead up to the sixth end, where Hollywood brought it to level terms. On the next couple of ends the home team had taken a lead of three and one felt this might be the turning phase of the game. But Kill were far from finished and on the tenth end had the sides level again on a score of 11 all. The visitors forged ahead again by two. On the twelfth end Hollywood narrow the gap to one, and then pushed themselves ahead by one on the next end.

Second last end, level for the third time. Final end was a real cliffhanger, with both sides throughout the end trading shot for shot. This mat was decided on the very last bowl with the Hollywood skip Padraig Metcalfe pushing them over the line by one score. This was heartbreak for a Kill side that deserved at least a draw after such a fantastic game.

Hollywood: Carmel Tutty, Gerardine Malone, Tom Burke and Padraig Metcalfe.

Kill: Theresa Durnin, Angela Brown, Des Beatty and Gary McAuliffe

Mat B: Except for a score on the first end for Kill they were never in the hunt thereafter.

Hollywood completely took control and swept to a very easy victory. Sadly for the visitors they never hit their true form on the night.

With Kill losing all points in this game their last remaining game will have no bearing on the table and they will find themselves in Division 3 next season.

Hollywood: Kevin Daly, Brid Burke, Tommy Richardson, Tomás Richardson and sub Joe Metcalfe.

Kill: Elizabeth McGarr, Veronica Sheridan, Tom Quigley and Pat Mulcahy.

Recent league results (home team first)

Div. 1: Allen 3 Kildangan 2

Div. 2: Rathangan 5 Castlemitchell 0, Athy 2 Ryston 3, Prosperous 5 Kill 0

Div. 3: Hollywood 3 Straffan 2, Caragh 0 Ballymore 5

Ned Byrne Shield: Ardclough 5 Celbridge 0