Belfast & District League 2
Malone vs QUB
Queen University make a come-back to League competition with their opening match against last years League 2 winners Fisherwick B, also known these days as Malone. How would the young upstarts fare against the experienced, veteran campaigners?
Hillsborough vs QUB
After a generally impressive start by QUB in their opening fixture, their next encounter saw them face one of Division 2’s most solid performers – Hillsborough, a team widely renowned throughout Belfast for their solid reputation. On paper, some may feel this is an easier fixture than Malone, but these campaigners have proved in the past they are no pushovers and if QUB have title aspirations then it is vital that they perform to the best of their capabilities against a potential banana skin of a fixture.
Groomsport Slay Division 2 Goliaths
Early pacemakers QUB face a difficult test this week against Division 2 hopefuls Bangor Groomsport. Bangor Groomsport - undoubtedly a well rehearsed side under the captaincy of Richard Proctor and generally a team that strike a serious promotion challenge year in year out.
Below par Queens Pegged back by Portadown
After QUB’s disappointing and demoralising defeat against Bangor Groomsport, they faced a tricky tie last Wednesday night against division 2’s surprise package Portadown.
Royals become the latest casualties to the QUB’s top guns
On a cold Tuesday night, QUB’s hopefuls made their way to RVH for the tense league battle against the recently relegated side.
Bombardier come up short
Last Wednesday night saw QUB travel to face Bombardier in an eagerly anticipated game. Malone and Groomsport were eyeing the game with interest as they saw this fixture as a potential banana skin for QUB. Another point of interest saw Calum Leitch return to face his old club of 2 years where he was deemed a success. McKittrick and co. were hoping to teach these young upstarts - in particular Leitch a valuable lesson and were hoping their vast experience would count favourably.
Bombardier whitewashed by rampant Queens
Bombardier visited QUB last wednesday night with high hopes of a victory against the young upstarts. Unfortunately, this was not the case.
QUB Win Battle of Ulster Chess Leviathans
The ninth round in the race for league glory and the John Strawbridge Cup saw Queen’s University host their south-Belfast rivals Malone/Fisherwick.
Ravenous Queen's Romp to 5-0 Revenge
On November 1st 2006, Groomsport subjected the QUB chess renaissance to the indignity of its sole defeat under your author’s stewardship of the club. It was in this context that the university team, “Los Galacticos”, travelled to their opponents’ seaside residence with a desire to not just vanquish the memory of the 3.5-1.5 loss, but also to stamp their supremacy upon the charges of one Richard “The Gangster” Proctor, a man among Ulster Chess’s most nefarious instigators.
QUB March On After Humbling Hillsborough
Back in November, a mere four weeks into the chess season, QUB suffered dropped bonus points for the second week in succession, drawing against Portadown in the Peter Froggatt Centre. At this stage confidence in the under-achieving Galacticos was dwindling, with their stock crashing to an all-time low. However, rather than feeling sorry for themselves, the university outfit, evidently taking inspiration from their captain, embarked on a six-match winning streak. This run has brought them to the summit of the league, but with the finishing post growing ever-closer, a steadily improving Hillsborough side stood in their way. With players of the calibre of Bruce Maclean and David McAlister in the visitor's line-up, the league leaders were not expecting an easy ride.
University Men Close In On Title Glory
With the protest withdrawal of both Bangor Winston and Groomsport from the league last Thursday, round 12 of the race to claim the coveted John Strawbridge Cup was set against a backdrop of administrative confusion. Nobody is quite sure what the precise impact of the withdrawals upon point totals are as yet, but the key facts remain satisfactorily clear – QUB enjoy a comfortable lead over nearest rivals Malone, with a Devon Loch collapse necessary for league glory to be snatched from the grasp of Millar’s Mob.
Malone stumble at Hillsborough
The battle for first place in Division 2 continued on Tuesday 20th February with the top two teams having away matches. Leaders QUB travelled to Portadown (reported on elsewhere on this website) while second-placed Fisherwick were hosted by Hillsborough.
No RVH Resistance as John Strawbridge Cup Heads to Queen's
Queen's complete the 2006/07 season as winners of the Belfast & District League 2. The final act of the University men in lifting the John Strawbrige Cup and sealing promotion to Division 1 was undramatic - RVH had the good manners to leave the QUB side with a free night to pose for the cameras and celebrate their success.
