TRUSTEE REPORT 2024
It is time again to have a review of the bowling season of 2024. First of all, 3 members past away throughout the season, Dermot Gethin, Harry Murphy and Stanley Mannis. We send our condolences to their family circles. We also had a number of players hit by illness and therefore making them unavailable for selection. Hopefully they all make full recovery and be ready for 2025.
In the league we had a disappointing season. We won 6 and lost 12 with the result that we are due to be relegated to Division 3 for 2025.
In the NIBA Intermediate Cup we were defeated in the Quarter Finals by Lurgan, and in the IBA Intermediate cup we again lost in the Quarter finals to a very strong Dunbarton B side.
In the NIBA Super 6s we again reached the Quarter Finals losing narrowly to Lisnagarvey.
Rinks night continued to be well attended, although numbers did drop off later on in the season.
I was pleased to see that a number of club competitions were played this year. Whilst it was good to get these played the number of players entering the competitions remains disappointingly low. Please make these a priority next year.
My thanks as usual go to the President, officers and members of the committee for their support over the last year. Also to Robert as match secretary and the selectors for the work over the year trying to put a team together. Finally, my thanks to all members for continuing to support the club, especially the ladies from Ballyholme, and for making yourselves available to play on the team.
2025 is not only an honour for me becoming NIBA President, but it is also an honour for the whole club. It will be 31 years since the club was last honoured with this office so it is really a once in a generation event.
It will be a busy year for myself and also for the club. The NIBA flag unfurling in April consists of our club playing a friendly against the NIBA followed by a dinner in a venue to be decided. I would like as many members as possible to attend, even if you don’t normally play for the club.
The NIBA championship semi-finals and finals, the NIBA senior and Intermediate Cup finals, and the Super 6 semis and finals will all be played at Ward Park again.
So in conclusion, 2025 will see the spotlight being shone on our club. I would like all club members to participate throughout the year from the unfurling of the NIBA flag, making yourselves available for selection, and entering as many NIBA competitions as possible. Let’s all make 2025 a memorable one for all of us….