Trojans back from the edge and in with a shout

Results:

Scorpions 6-8 Rockers

Pirates 6-8 Spartans

Teddy Bears 5-9 Castle

Alpha 3-11 Monkstown

MSC Trojans 9-5 Eastway

Whitehead Trojans 9-5 Valkyries

Barbarians 7-7 Greenisland

Pirates 6-8 Spartans: After losing out to Scorpions in a nailbiting cup semi the previous night, Spartans looked to have all but blown their title hopes too when they trailed Roy McMurtry’s Pirates by 6-5 and looked down and out in frame 12.

But when he unexpectedly got back to the table, an absolute wonder shot from recently crowned Larne League Individual Champion Kenny English brought them back to 6-6 with 2 to play.

Ellis Martin, as he has done so many times this season, rose to the occasion to edge the visitors ahead at 7-6 and all of a sudden Spartan tails were up. In the 14th and final frame Stephen McWhirter and Alan Corrigan couldn’t separate their lags and it was the former who just edged the relag.

And how important that lag proved to be as McWhirter broke the balls and proceeded to run them out to send manager Tommy Maguire wild with delight.

But a big mention must go yet again to Ed McDowell, whose patience and know how seaw him bag another hat-trick to drag the visitors back level in this match three times.

Scorers for the away side were E.McDowell (3/3), K.English (2/2), E.Martin (1/3), S.McWhirter (1/2) and R.Hawkins (1/1). For Pirates it was S.Carson (3/3), C.Carson (2/3) and P.McCaffrey (1/3)

Barbarians 7-7 Greenisland: Barbarians will feel a bit flat after leading 7-3 with 4 to play and only finishing the match with a point.

It had all looked so good for Michael Lowrys team as they led 4-3 at the interval before taking the first 3 of the 2nd session to go 7-3. But Greenisland are improving and they rallied to take 4 in a row to take a deserved point in this derby affair in the Greenisland WMC.

Scoring for the Barbars were G.Harrington (2/3), H.Regan (2/3), M.Lowry (2/3) and M.Porter (1/3). For Greenisland it was N.McCandless (2/2), D.Baird (2/3), W.Morrison (1/3), G.Burns (1/3), and team captain H.Warwick (1/3)

Whitehead Trojans 9-5 Valkyries: The hosts drew level on points with the Teddy Bears in the league table after this derby win over stablemates The Valkyries.

J.McIlroy got the Valkyries off to a good start but the evergreen S.Hamilton levelled at 1-1. The next 2 were shared A.Galloway for the visitors and G.McCormick for the hosts.

Trojans took the next 2 through G.Fee and A.Matthews before L.Ruddock won the final frame of the first session for Valkyries. Hamilton got his 2nd of the night next but a brace from A.Galloway and L.Ruddock drew the away side level at 5-5. But that was Valkyries final frames of the match as Fee and McCormick with their 2nds,

Hamilton with his hat trick and G.Jones, reeled of the final 4 for Trojans to seal a 9-5 win and 3 welcome points.