Although Belfast lost the match 9,1, they can count themselves unlucky, losing four fifth leggers. Sam Berham powered into a two leg lead over Alan Watson, before the Howard player showed some great determination to win the next 11,4, 11,4 11,8., then Brian Lees looked like he might pull off an excellent victory over Graham French, fighting back from two down to take it into a decider, but it wasn't to be, going down 11,5 at the death.  Shev Macdonald and Mick Ling then produced the third successive fifth leg, but once again, the Howard player was triumphant. In The end it was only Brian Lees who stopped the whitewash, defeating Mick Ling 11,3 in the fifth

Written by: David McAulay