Caragh take the majority of the spoils but Baltinglass come away with points in KWWIBA
Kildare West Wicklow Indoor Bowling Association (KWWIBA)
Baltinglass Shock League Favourites
On Tuesday January 31 Caragh, with home advantage, were looked upon as the firm favourites to win all five points on offer in this Division 1 league clash. Baltinglass lying second from the bottom of the table and having to take on the reigning league champions in their own patch was a big ask indeed.
Not alone are Caragh the current champions but are topping the league table at present whereas the Baltinglass side have been struggling in the campaign so far this season. Caragh are in most minds the favourites to retain the title even though there are still plenty of difficult battles ahead.
Baltinglass on the other hand have lost a number of very good players in the last few years for various reasons and are in the process of rebuilding the team.
Epic Game of Bowls
Mat 1: The home side were first to open the scoring but only by one score. On the second end it was the visitors by a score of one. When Caragh pulled ahead on the next couple of ends to put four between the teams it seemed as if they were beginning to dominate the game.
Again the home side stretched their advantage out to three and the pressure was once again on the visitors. The Baltinglass response was immediate, one score on the next end to reduce the margin to two and on the following end a score of two to level the game for the third time.
This was thrilling fare from both sides and a real cracker of a game. When Caragh scored four on the next end one felt this could be the turning point, and were expecting the champions to push on and ease their way to victory.
Baltinglass were far from finished and responded with a similar score on the next end to level the match yet again at twelve score each. The twelfth end a score of one put the visitors ahead for the first time in the match, and they followed up with two more on the thirteenth to give them a lead of three with only two ends to play.
Back came the home side to level the match for the fourth time at fifteen scores apiece.
It was all down now to the last end, and what a thrilling end as both teams threw everything into it to try an secure victory, but it was the visitors that refused to buckle and recorded a score of two to win an absorbing game of bowls.
Final score: Caragh 15 Baltinglass 17.
This was the first time this season we have seen a Baltinglass performance that normally we would expect from them.
Caragh will certainly be shocked and surprised with the result of this one, but credit to all involved for producing an epic game of bowls.
Best for Caragh: John O’Toole and Pat O’Driscoll.
Easy Winners
Mat 2: Caragh started off in flying fashion on this mat. Although after three ends the home side were seven scores to nil we expected Baltinglass to settle into the game and put up a serious challenge to their opponents.
Unfortunately this didn’t materialise try as they may and the home team continued to record score after score to run out very easy winners indeed.
Caragh: Timmy Wright, Dom Kavanagh, Martin Lynch and John Murphy.
Baltinglass: Colin Jackson, Pat Fleming, Joey Fagan and Edward Laurence.
Caragh take the three points while Baltinglass wont complain going home with two.
Recent League Results (home team first)
Div. 1: Prosperous 0 Brownstown 5, Baltinglass 2 Kildare 3, Caragh 3 Baltinglass 2.
Div. 2: Athy 2 Rathangan 3, St. Laurences 2 Ryston 3, Rathangan 3 Coill Dubh 2.
Div. 3: Caragh 4 Allenwood 1.
Ned Byrne Shield (Sec.1): Rathcoffey 5 Allenwood 0, Allen 2 Rathcoffey 3, Balyna 0 Kildare A 5, Kill CBC 5 Clane/Staplestown 0.
Ned Byrne Shield (Sec. 2): Kilcullen 5 Ardclough 0, Donard/Glen A 5 Celbridge 0.