JORDAN RACES TO TITLE GLORY
CARMARTHENSHIRE Bowling Clubs are celebrating a new national champion in Jordan Driscoll of Graig Merthyr.
As a 21-year-old playing in the 18 and Under singles, Driscoll qualified for the biggest game of his bowling career in unusual circumstances.
Having won the county competition on three previous occasions, he entered for the final time in his age group in 2019, as a member of Kidwelly Town, beating the age qualification date by a month.
He followed up by going on to take the Welsh title later in the year.
In normal circumstances he would have then gone on to represent Wales at the British Isles Championships in 2020.
However, the Covid-19 pandemic took over and bowls in 2020 was cancelled and there was no British competition in 2021.
The reintroduction of the BIBC competitions in 2022 allowed for only one entry from each of the home nations in each category.
So play-offs were arranged between the 2019 and 2021 winners to decide who went forward – and Driscoll was successful.
Playing in the event at Llandrindod Wells last week, he met a tough opponent in Jack Kidd of Ireland in the semi-finals.
He won the match by a single shot, but went on to dominate the final round against Lewis Betts of Scotland.
The Llanelli and District Premier division threw up a few interesting results across the week, with Graig Merthyr trouncing league champions Kidwelly Town in a midweek game.
Kidwelly recovered well in a home encounter against Parc y Dre on Sunday.
Leaders Loughor hosted Ammanford Park on Sunday before both teams return to playing National club games next weekend.
Despite winning three of the four rinks, the Park four skipped by Wayne Owen scored enough shots to earn a match draw.
Havelock Park jumped to second place with a home win against Llanelli, then another at Parc y Dre.
The top two teams in division one, Tybie and Dafen Welfare, remain unbeaten as the two fought out a draw at Llandybie on Saturday.
With Tybie having taken maximum points in midweek, they are well ahead of the other teams.
The semi-finals of the league’s Two-rink competition took place at Llanelli Bowling Club when Graig Merthyr had no difficulty in disposing of giant-killers Cross Hands, who had earlier beaten Kidwelly Town and Ammanford Park.
There was a much tighter contest as Burry Port held out against Havelock Park.
RESULTS
BIBC NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS UNDER18 SINGLES
Semi-final: Jordan Driscoll 21-20 Jack Kidd.
Final: Jordan Driscoll 21-7 Lewis Betts.
LLANELLI AND DISTRICT BOWLING LEAGUE
Premier division: Kidwelly Town 85 (12)-(2) 75 Parc y Dre, Loughor 77 (9)-(5) 77 Ammanford Park, Burry Port 58 (3)-(11) 81 Graig Merthyr, Parc y Dre 72 (2)-(12) 80 Havelock Park, Graig Merthyr 107 (12)-(2) 70 Kidwelly Town, Havelock Park 77 (11)-(3) 68 Llanelli.
Division one: Ty’rfran 81 (13)-(1) 58 Calsonic Wanderers, Parc William 63 (2)-(12) 89 Crusaders, Tybie 75 (7)-(7) 75 Dafen Welfare, Crusaders 60 (0)-(14) 78 Tybie, Dafen Welfare 76 (11)-(3) 61 Gowerton.
Division two: Pontarddulais 81 (12)-(2) 76 Blue Anchor, Ammanford Town 71 (10)-(4) 61 Cwmaman, New Lodge 76 (12)-(2) 51 Llandeilo, Cross Hands 80 (12)-(2) 67.75 Llangennech & Bryn, Blue Anchor 81 (10)-(4) 60 Llandeilo.
DJ JONES TWORINK COMPETITION SEMIFINALS
Havelock Park 28-34 Burry Port, Graig Merthyr 44-23 Cross Hands.
SATURDAY FIXTURES LLANELLI & DISTRICT LEAGUE
Premier division: Brynhyfryd v
Parc y Dre, Llanelli v Burry Port.
Division one: Calsonic Wanderers v Tybie. Gorseinon v Parc William, Crusaders v Ty’rfran, Dafen Welfare v Carmarthen.
Division two: Pontarddulais v New Lodge, Blue Anchor v Cwmaman, Llangennech & Bryn v Llandeilo, Ammanford Town v Cross Hands.
WELSH BOWLING ASSOCIATION NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 2
Loughor v Beaufort, Dunvant v Ammanford Park.
Meanwhile, the Llanelli League Festival Week takes place from Monday to Friday at various greens at 6pm.