Bowling News - March 2025
With the Summer season approaching, Sunday morning coaching sessions were restarted in Bray for novice bowlers. Mark Hughes, Eamonn Kennedy, Will McKeon and Marge O'Leary were on hand to pass on their expertise.
Isobel-Ruby Nolan (Blackrock) and Amy Carruth (Crumlin) were members of the Senior Ireland Ladies squad at the British Isles Indoor Series in Llanelli. England won the trophy while Ireland notched up a win against Wales.
Good news in the Winter Vets (Thursdays) – Bray D won Division 3 South while Bray A were runners-up in Division 1 South. In Division 2 South Bray C finished third while Bray B came in fifth. As with the Winter League there would be play-offs to choose overall vets champions. In a quarter-final held in Failte Park, Bray A defeated Bray D who took to the green two players short. (Any subs used in a knock-out match had to have played at least two matches for the team in the league phase.) Bray A then faced a semi-final against Greenhills in Greenhills. Bray complained about the home advantage that this gave their opposition but were told it was too late to change the venue. No surprise then when The Seasiders lost the match. In the final Greenhills again enjoyed home advantage against their opponents, Dun Laoghaire, but it was the visitors who prevailed in this inaugural Winter Vets cup.
In the Winter League (Saturdays), Division1 South had been won by Dun Laoghaire with Bray A runners-up. Division 2 South was won by Blackrock with Bray B coming fourth. Division 3 South was won by another Blackrock team with Bray C finishing in third place. Unlike the previous year, there would be playoffs to select overall champions. In their quarter-final match Bray A made the short hop to Shankill where they managed to defeat Blackrock A in a close match. At the semi-final in Greenhills they had a more comfortable victory against Meath to set up a meeting in the final with Dun Laoghaire. In this match Chris Fenton's rink did the business but the other two Bray rinks went down leaving the folk from The Borough holding the trophy.
It had been a great run for Bray and, as Chris said, "Silver is nothing to be ashamed of". In addition the campaign had provided valuable experience for some of the club's up-and-coming bowlers.
Dun Laoghaire had won the first winter double – Winter League and Vets - a fantastic achievement. And many of the same players had participated for them in both competitions.
The Winter Champion-of-champions was won by Ricky Byrne of Meath who beat North Kildare's Sean Tracey in the final.
Patrick Brosnan, Bray BC.
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