Josh Thompson – Irish Youth (U18) Singles Champion 2024

Back to Back Irish Youth (U18) Singles titles.

Josh retained his Irish Youth Singles title at Ward Park yesterday with an accomplished 21-17 win over Ben Hogg from Dunbarton. Josh caught show rink 1 on the Castle green early on, coasted into a comfortable lead, only for Ben to regather his composure and made Josh work for his title, An excellent game of bowls watched and enjoyed by very appreciative supporters for both these guys.

Banbridge’s Kyle Blakely narrowly missed out in the main blue ribbon Singles event in which another Dunbarton player David Copeland pipped him to the Irish title 21-15. Again another excellent and intriguing contest which could have gone either way.

NIBA’s other representative in the finals on Saturday was the four of Seamus Skelton, Tony Bell, Martin Nelson and Brendan Davis from the Banbridge club, losing out to NIPGBL’s Clifford Craigs Balmoral four in the Senior Fours 21-11.

Other results from the Semi Finals stages played on Friday:
Whitehead’s Nathan Minish lost to Larne’s Ian Gingles in the Junior Singles. The Banbridge pairing of Brendan Davis & James Kelly were defeated by Colin Hogg & Mark Wilson (Cookstown). Bangor triple of Jackie Erskine, Aaron Patterson & Matthew Crawford went down to the Dunbarton triple, and the Bangor four, Alan Stewart, Gary Clarke, Mark Shannon and Gary Scott were narrowly defeated by a single shot 13-14 in the very last end by David Copeland’s rink from Dunbarton.

Congratulations to all our representatives and the very best to Josh as he journeys to the British Isles in Llandrindod Wells, Wales next year.