Quarter-Final Report:

The tie of the night saw Stephen and John McMahon face off against Kevin Conroy and Billy Taaffe. With 3 ends to go the Carrick pair looked comfortable winners with a 9-4 lead. Suddenly Kevin sprung to life picking up a count of 4 and 3 back to back to lead 11-9 going into the last end. Things were again to turn on their head with Stephen picking up 3 shots to claim victory. Michael Hand run of extra end victories came to an end, losing to Thomas and Niall Martin with the last bowl. Emma and Shane looked unstoppable against the much fancied John Murnaghan and Paddy Hanlon. Emma, who only started playing, again this season, reminded everyone why, most thought she would be the best woman in Ireland one day. Conor and Philip continued last year’s form beating Bernie and Pat Cunningham. Tom Rushe and Sean Daly sprang another massive surprise in this round, beating the McCabe’s. The battle of the young pretenders Niall Hand and Calum Cummiskey saw Calum winning with an end to spare.

 

Semi-Final (Last Game of the Day) Report:

Shane and Emma couldn’t continue their earlier form losing to Tom Rushe and Sean Daly. They had some chances but couldn’t capitalise and Tom was now through in both Pairs (the Over 55's and Open Pairs). Here they will face their South Armagh counterpart’s of Seamus McPharland and Gerard McKeown who destroyed Oliver Donaldson. With many expecting Gerry McCabe, Paddy Hanlon or Fra Dillon through in this section, it shows that anything is possible in bowls and hopefully it will prove to everyone that there are no forgone conclusions.

Stephen and John McMahon had one of them games, against the holders Conner and Philip, in which everything they went for came off. The jack was in the ditch most ends with either 1 or 2 touchers on top of it. The Mackin’s had no answer and the Carrick Pair reached the final. Here they with face another father and son in Paul and Patsy Duff who had a comfortable victory over Thomas and Niall Martin