12/03/2026
Clontibret Indoor Bowls – Singles Final Report
What a fantastic night of bowls at the Clontibret Indoor Bowls Club Singles Final, with a superb crowd enjoying a brilliant showcase of indoor bowls.
After five qualifying nights and an incredible 220 entries, the competition was narrowed down to 16 finalists, including three former champions, setting the stage for a very high standard of play throughout finals night.
In the end, it was Cecil Dillon (Poyntzpass) who emerged as champion, defeating Jamie West (Ballybay) by 10–2 in the final, with Jamie conceding with two ends remaining after Cecil delivered a dominant performance.
Cecil’s Road to the Title
Cecil’s path to the title was far from straightforward. The open draw placed him on what pundits would say was the tougher side of the draw. In the first round, he came through a tight contest against Stephen McMahon, showing great composure under pressure. He then produced a facile victory in the quarter-final over John Elliott to progress to the semi-final.
The semi-final proved to be one of the matches of the night as Cecil faced former champion Gary McNabb. With the match finely balanced, it took a tied end to separate the pair, with Cecil edging through to reach the final.
Jamie’s Route to the Final
Finalist Jamie West also produced an excellent series of performances to reach the decider. In the first round, he defeated Darren Hunter to progress.
A very tight quarter-final followed against Séamus McGlinchey, with Jamie showing great nerve to come through a closely contested match.
In the semi-final, Jamie faced a unique challenge as he met his brother Shane West. After a competitive encounter, Jamie secured the victory to book his place in the final.
The Final
The final itself saw Cecil take control early:
End 1: Cecil opened the scoring with a superb draw to lead 1–0.
End 2: A brilliant running-weight shot extended the lead to 3–0.
End 3: Jamie responded to reduce the deficit to 3–1.
End 4: Cecil produced a strong driving shot that left him lying one to lead 4–1.
End 5: Jamie picked up a shot to make it 4–2, though he had been four shots down before his final bowl.
End 6: Cecil claimed two shots to stretch the lead to 6–2, beginning to turn the screw and apply real pressure.
End 7: Another shot pushed the score to 7–2.
End 8: Cecil ditched the jack and picked up three shots to make it 10–2, at which point Jamie sportingly conceded with two ends left to play.
It was a dominant and composed performance from Cecil Dillon, who proved a worthy winner of this year’s Clontibret Singles title.
A huge thank you to everyone who helped make the tournament such a success. Special thanks to our club sponsors Shane Magennis and Mark Mohan, Kevin McSkeane for umpiring on finals night, and Teresa McSkeane for managing the draws and entries throughout the competition.
Thanks also to Malachy Óg Trainor for organising the prizes, raffle and refreshments, and to the many club members who helped set up the hall and mark the mats.
Finally, sincere thanks to all the bowlers who travelled from across the province and beyond to take part and support the tournament across the five qualifying nights.
Another outstanding Clontibret tournament – already looking forward to next year. 🏆
Pictured: Cecil Dillon receiving the new Clontibret Singles Tournament Trophy from club Chairperson Malachy McSkeane. Cecil with the trophy. 16 Qualifiers. Club members sporting our new club jerseys, sponsored by Magennis Construction, Gormley uPVC, Sherry Fitzgerald McManus and produced by AM Sports & Ignite.
