The Carrick & District Pool League sponsored by SKC Gaming
got the 2023/24 season underway last night.
Trojans 8-6 Rab & Big T's Rockets
The Trojan's hosted Rab and big T's rockets with the trojan's kicking they league off to a flyer with two great wins from Stevie McLaughlin and Aaron Farr on they're a debut then popped up the ever experienced mighty Quinn with what can only be described as a lag from the gods. Zeus himself could not have placed a £5 note behind his white ball and cushion which led to the leagues first break & dish of the season. With the rockets now 3-0 down up stepped Andy Arbuthnot giving Big T's rockets they're first frame on the board. Rab Butler stepped up to the blaze with a great break & dish. This inspired the team to go on and win the next four frame's giving Rab and Big T's Rockets a 6-3 lead. The Trojans never say die attitude, a 5 min team talk and refreshments were the formula that was required. Trojans came out like a team possessed, rolling out a five straight frames. Two from Stuart Kelly x1 Andy Quinn x1 Stephen McClaughlin x1 Stephen Quinn taking the win by 8-6
What a first match of the season really could have went either way.
Bay City Bowlers 5-9 Scorpions
Aaron Reid struck first blow for the home team before Scorpions hit back with 2 on the bounce for Lee McIlreevy and Paul Kerr. Ian McMillan and Glen Colwell put the Bowlers back in front before Chris Carson levelled the scores with a reverse dish. The first half couldn't have been more tight. Ian Riley missed a comfortable black and Paul Kerr punished the error to give the Scorpions a single frame lead going into the second half.
Lee McIlreevy took out a delightful finish and yet again Bowlers hit back with a win for Rab Carson. Chris Carson and Paul Kerr put the Scorpions on the hill before Lee McIlreevy broke and dished to secure the points. Chris Carson got his hat trick in the next frame and Glen Colwell took the final frame with a great finish for his second of the night.
The Bay City Bowlers are not the whipping boys of yesteryear and when they play at home no team will be comfortable taking three points. A great night and a great bunch of lads. Some questionable juke box choices but two out of three ain't bad.
Newly formed Rockets To Be started their campaign with a visit from Whitehead Spartans. The Spartans started strongly, but also enjoyed a certain amount of good fortune to lead 6 -0. The Rockets To Be regrouped and shared the final 8 frames to make the scoreline more reflective of how close the match was. A special mention has to go to both sets of players for their sportsmanship throughout the match. The Spartans helped their opponents during the games with reminders of the rules and the Rockets To Be made a couple of unseen foul calls. The Spartans will no doubt be happier with the result, but their opponents can take a lot of positives from their league debut.
QE2 Cubs 6-8 Colts
Gerard Heaney got the Cubs of to a winning start beating Colts Cpt Harry Warwick with a great finish
The Colt’s raced to a 1-3 lead with wins for Joe Patten, Paul Watters & Aaron Watters.
Cubs hit back with wins for Jack Carson & Joel Quinn to level the score 3-3.
A Watters won the last frame before the break to give the Colt’s a slender 3-4 lead.
G Heaney won his second frame of the night & Young Jude Dalrymple took out a brilliant finish to give the Cubs a 5-4 lead.
Joe Patton won his second game off the night & Aaron Waters completed his hattrick to leapfrog the young Cubs 5-6 Colts Cpt H Warwick put his team on the hill 5-7 to secure a point for his team with 2 frames to play Cubs Zak Sheldon won his frame & earned a bonus for his team 6-7.
In the deciding frame of the night was Cubs Gerard Heaney & Colt’s Joe Patton both going for a hattrick of wins JP Came Out on top & give the Colt’s a well deserved win.
Tigers 4-10 Q Club
The match began in a tight fashion, with Tom McGurk scraping a win over Alan Johnston and Tyler McKee beating Steven Simpson.
1-1 soon became 2-2 with wins for John Fulton and Rorie McAllister. Ciaran O'Toole then put the visitors 3-2 up, only for Johnny Eccles to level at 3-3, with Ian McCalmont unlucky to go in off after potting the black.
The last frame of the first half went to the Q club with Ryan McKillop beating Scott Pettigrew.
The second half was a different story, with Alan Johnston getting revenge over Tom McGurk with a fine clearance, Tyler McKee beating Steven McWhirter and Ryan Scott getting his revenge over John Fulton to leave the score at 7-3 to Qclub.
Further wins for Ryan McKillop and Ciaran O'Toole got the visitors over the winning line to lead 9-3. Steven Simpson restored a little bit of pride for the home team beating Ian McCalmont, before Rorie McAlister completed the victory with a win over Davy Montgomery.
Result 10-4 to the Qclub, with a tight first half of fixtures with each frame could have gone either way, but an impressive second half from the visitors saw them romp to victory.
Railway Blues drew a baptism of fire in their first week in the league. Greenisland Galacticos, last years perennial bridesmaids, were in no mood to be the first upset of the season.
Veteran Paul Harris chipped his white off the table on his second shot to give the visitors some hope. These things happen when you get to his age but he dug in well and used his experience to give the home side the lead with some sublime safety play. New boy Roger Smyth kept the momentum after a scrappy frame and fellow debutante Gee Crawley took out a sublime finish to keep the home side ahead of the game. King of Drumaness Ali Wilson was clinical before last year's POTY runner up Neil McFaul played a magnificent 2 in 1 on the black, only to see the white drop in the middle to give the visitors their first frame.
The next four frames went the way of the home side to guarantee three points before Sammy Duff got another on the board for the visitors.
The Greenisland men took the last three frames to cement a flattering scoreline and a top of the league position.
Railway Blues came out in force tonight with a big squad of players and will, no doubt, be much sharper after this match.
Galacticos, missing Wallace, Rolston, Marcus and McAlister have the potential to be a frightening prospect to all this season.
Veteran Paul Harris chipped his white off the table on his second shot to give the visitors some hope. These things happen when you get to his age but he dug in well and used his experience to give the home side the lead with some sublime safety play. New boy Roger Smyth kept the momentum after a scrappy frame and fellow debutante Gee Crawley took out a sublime finish to keep the home side ahead of the game. King of Drumaness Ali Wilson was clinical before last year's POTY runner up Neil McFaul played a magnificent 2 in 1 on the black, only to see the white drop in the middle to give the visitors their first frame.
The next four frames went the way of the home side to guarantee three points before Sammy Duff got another on the board for the visitors.
The Greenisland men took the last three frames to cement a flattering scoreline and a top of the league position.
Railway Blues came out in force tonight with a big squad of players and will, no doubt, be much sharper after this match.
Galacticos, missing Wallace, Rolston, Marcus and McAlister have the potential to be a frightening prospect to all this season.