Green Heights team beat Castle Inn B team in a close league match
Around Downpatrick, skittle throwers are looking forward to the new season. Thet have their skittles well soaked in water, ready for action!
For the un-initiated who do not know a ‘skittle’ from a log you would burn in your wood burner, I’ll describe what they are and explain a few rules of the game.
A skittle which should measure 9×3 inches, is made of very hard wood Cecil Telford, for example, says his oines are made of cherry but other hard woods would suit.
They sit permanently in buckets of water to maintain weight and prevent them from splitting when thrown.
The idea is to throw your skittle – you have three per game – at the ring which has number (values) maked and the idea is to score as much as you can to reduce down to zero from 51. Adding 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 you get 15 which is the maximum score for throwing three skittles. The pegs are 9 inches apart.
However, if you get down to 9, your throw does not score if you exceed it. You go back to your original score when throwing. So it means that a couple of players could be trying to knock the pegs down for a few nervous throws.
Also, you must not step over the ‘butt’ when throwing (under-hand) and you must not hit the butt in front of the ring.
Usually in pub competitions between 2 teams, six games are played and someone tally’s the score up just as in darts.
Matches usually start around 8pm and run for just over an hour.
The Green Heights were first to throw and David Murphy got through his match against Ross McAlea from Castle Inn B.
Cecel Telford was next up to the butt for the Heights but he wasn’t showing his usual form thsi season yet and suffered a defeat to hands of Decky Quinn. The match was level at this stage.
The Christian O’Connor fired up for the Heights played excellent skittles scoring well. He finished off his game against Stephen Kearney who was sitting on 14.
Paul Telford also beat Thomas McAlister who was left on 14. The Heights were starting to turn it on.
Then Martin Kearney played another strong game for the Heights leaving Denis McMenamin with 19 to clear.
With one match left, and the Heights winning 4-1, Christopher Deegan stepped up but be was not on form and Castle Inn’s Conall McCartan finished off well leaving Deegan with 14.
So the Ardglass Green Heights team won 4-2 after a couple of strong performances, but it is early in the season yet and the players will take time to get their hand-eye coordination mojo working.
