SKC Gaming NI are jostling for higher league positions
With an odd number of teams in the league, this year one team has no match each week. This week is was the turn of the league leaders, Titans.
Second placed Scorpions welcomed Q Club to the Times Bar, hoping to go back to the top of the league.
Jason Vorhees was first on the scoresheet, capitalising after Lee McIlreevy snookered himself on the black. Davy Blair levelled before Ian McCalmont put the Q Club back in front. Darren Whiteside was hoping to level with a break and dish but went in off a finely cut last ball and Joel Quinn took full advantage with a tidy finish. Aaron Leslie ripped out a nice reverse dish for Scorpions before Marty Kane and Kyzler Todd stretched the lead for the Q Club. 2-5 at the interval. In a cagey eighth frame, Darren Whiteside took the win after fortunately leaving his opponent snookered on the black then finishing in his next visit. Jason Vorhees ripped out a well-controlled reverse dish. Paul Kerr expertly broke and dished in the next. Ian McCalmont held his nerve and put the Q Club on the hill at 4-7. Davy Blair took out a nice finish to keep Scorpions’ hopes of a draw alive. Michael Wilson snookered himself on the last ball and Jason Vorhees mopped up for the 3 points. At 5-8, Scorpions were hoping to salvage a bonus point but Kyzler Todd was having none of it and took the final frame of the evening. Final score Scorpions 5 Q Club 9. MVP Jason Vorhees on 3/3, Ian McCalmont and Davy Blair 2/2. This win brings the Q Club up to 2nd position in the league.
The defending champions, Galacticos rolled into Whitehead to take on the Trojans. They got off to a great start. In the first 15 minutes of the match, they had taken a 4 frame lead with a reverse dish, break and dish, and two more swift frames The first half finished 2 - 5 to the Galacticos. In the second half, the Galacticos showed their true class winning 6 out of 7 frames. To take the win 3- 11 to begin their slow and steady rise back up the table from 8th to 5th.
Bay City Bowlers faced Colts in Greenisland Working Men's Social Club. The Colts got off to a great start with wins for John McClean, Glen Burns and Joe Patton.
The away side battled back to close the gap before the half time interval with wins for Jim Millar, Aaron Reid and Benny Booysen. A winning streak disrupted by Colt Aaron Waters making the half time score 4-3 in favour of the Colts. Burns took the 8th frame. Bowler Reid won the longest and most tactical frame. Watters secured the next with a precision pinpoint position finish. Joe Patton, it must be said, used every ounce of his experience to win the next. Aaron Watters to give himself an impressive 3/3 whilst securing victory for his team. Chris McCurry increased the score line while potting his penultimate colour from a full ball snooker with perfect black ball position. Colt Joe Patton took the last frame making his evening a perfect 3 from 3 and the final score a 10 - 4 victory for the Colts and leapfrogging their opponents into 11th position in the league.
Railway Blues welcomed the 13th placed Pink Ladies to Mcconnells in Doagh. Blues started strong with wins from Neil McFaul, Stewart, Duff and McIlroy. The ladies pulled back a frame with a good finish from Singleton. Blues won the last two frames of the first session via Laughlin and Kerr. On a side note, the Pink Ladies won all 7 lags in the first session, credit where it's due.
The second session was much more even with three wins for the Pink Ladies from Furgrove-Crawley, Graham and McIlroy, but the Blues got over the line eventually with wins for Stewart, McFaul, Laughlin and McI lroy, moving them up to 8th position in the league. Final score Blues 10 Ladies 4
Whiteabbey Royal British Legion welcomed the Times Tigers in the league. Andrew Arbuthnot kick-started the match with a break and finish. The legion men were inspired and ran out the first half 7-0 with wins for Mark Porter, Lewis Chapman, Rab Butler, Kevin Mullen, John Rainey and Darren McFarland. Tigers regrouped at the interval and got themselves back in the match with wins for Scott Pettigrew, Steven McWhirter, Steven Simpson and John Fulton. Rab Butler mercilessly stopped the Tigers to secure the 3 points. Rab Brown won the next game for the Tigers before Darren McFarlane wrapped it up for the legion. Darren McFarlane and Rab Butler won 2/2. Final score 9/5 to the Legion, who move from 6th to 3rd position in the league.
5th placed Grange took on 3rd placed Carrick Golf Club. The Ballyclare men raced into a 2-0 lead thanks to Jim Gilchrist and Robin Blair only for Raymond Hagan and Graeme Arthur to tie it up for the golf club Pool Team.
Unfortunately that was as good as it got for the golfers with the visitors rattling off the next three frames to lead 5-2 at the break (Jim Gilchrist, Stephen Herron and Robin Blair).
Raymond Hagan won his second frame of the night to narrow the gap but the Grange won the last six for a thoroughly deserved 11-3 victory. There were hat tricks for Jim Gilchrist, Robin Blair and Stephen Herron as the visitors proved too strong on the night. This win amazingly moved the Ballyclare men from 5th place to the top of the table. In only five weeks, we have had four league leaders. It is going to be an exciting season.
