You are here: Home Archives Ulster Chronicles 2013-2014 season UCU Web 2014 Lagan vs Ballynafeigh 2

Lagan vs Ballynafeigh 2

For their final match of the first phase of the season, Ballynafeigh 2 paid a visit to the Belfast Boat Club to take on Lagan. With both teams safely through to Division 1, they were nonetheless looking to grab as many points as possible in order to steal a march on their rivals.
Lagan vs Ballynafeigh 2

The top four boards

Around Christmas, when it appeared that the league would be split into two groups of six teams for the second half of the season, the thoughts of many in Ulster chess turned to the week 11 fixture between Lagan and Ballynafeigh 2, which had the potential to be pivotal in determining the makeup of Division 1 for the second part of the season. Indeed, Belfast South's Sam Flanagan was there, camcorder in hand, hoping to capture the decisive moment. He left disappointed, though after being informed that there would, in fact, be 14 teams involved in the second phase, split into two groups of seven - meaning that the Division 1 and 2 line-ups were set in stone with a week to spare. However, with points carrying over between phases, there was still something to play for - Ballynafeigh 2, for instance, knew that if they achieved at least a draw they would overtake their clubmates Ballynafeigh 1.

The home team were missing a couple of key players, handing opportunities to the likes of Dominic Gallagher while Ballynafeigh 2 fielded their usual line-up of Redman, Cunningham, Rush, Jamison and Robert Lavery.

On board 5, the Lagan newcomer Gallagher looked well on his way to claiming the scalp of the Intermediate champion Lavery after some sloppy play on the part of the latter, but then allowed a monster cheapo involving a discovered check with an attack on the queen to put the visitors ahead.  The middle three boards - Moore-Cunningham, Rush-Kelly and Storey-Jamison - were uneventful draws for the most part, although Jamison will probably be disappointed to have drawn after being material ahead for most of the game, and so might Moore after his opponent arrived nearly half an hour late.

All Mike Redman had to do on top board to secure the match for Ballyanfeigh 2, then, was to avoid defeat against George Heathwood. Having won a pawn earlier on, this proved to be a formality as he ground out the win to give the visitors a 3.5-1.5 victory.

Both teams will join Fisherwick, Muldoons, Lindores, Ballynafeigh 1 and Belfast South to battle for the Silver King. Champions Fisherwick will start the second phase 6.5 points ahead of Muldoons, but the latter will be a force to be reckoned with thanks to the arrival of lapsed players Des Moreland and Stephen Wood, both rated around 1800 with the latter surely being the strongest board 5 in the Belfast and District League in a long time. Lindores, whose board 1 happens to hold a 100% record over GM Richard Rapport, are not far behind, while the other four teams will be looking to capitalise should any of the Big Three slip up. Meanwhile, Bangor, Fruithill, NICS and Ballynafeigh 3 will be joined by second teams from Belfast South and Muldoons and a fourth team from Ballynafeigh (again, how long has it been since a club has fielded four teams?) in the chase for the John Strawbridge Cup. This is the first increase in the number of teams competing in the Belfast and District League for several years, adding up not just to an exciting climax to the league season but to exciting times for Ulster chess.

Navigation
News
Walter Wilson awarded ‘Special Lifetime Membership’ of Bangor Chess Club. Bangor Chess Club celebrates one of its much loved members Walter Wilson with a "Special Lifetime Membership Award" Sep 24, 2023
FIDE Rated City of Bangor Congress 23 Sept 2023 Bangor Chess Club continues to deliver top tournaments and brilliant opportunities to play chess. Brendan Jamison report... Sep 24, 2023
ECF : Online School Chess Events 2023/24 Information from the ECF on Online School Chess Events 2023/24 Sep 23, 2023
UK Open Blitz Championships 2023 - Belfast Qualifier - Sept 30th An opportunity to qualify for the UK Open Blitz Championships 2023. Belfast is holding one of the 8 qualifying tournamen... Sep 20, 2023
New FIDE National Arbiters list The Ireland Federation has now got 9 FIDE-licensed National Arbiters in Northern Ireland. While a couple have retired as... Sep 18, 2023
More news…
« September 2023 »
September
SuMoTuWeThFrSa
12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
Upcoming Events
UK Blitz Championships 2023 - Belfast Qualifier - Sept 30th An opportunity to qualify for the UK Blitz Championships. Belfast is holding one of the 8 qualifying tournaments across ... Sep 30, 2023 10:45 AM - 06:00 PM — NICS,Maynard Sinclair Pavilion, Stormont, Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast, BT4 3TA
U1800 Greenisland FIDE Classic Oct 01, 2023 10:00 AM - 07:00 PM — Greenisland FC Chess
FIDE Rated Groomsport Blitz Championship 2023 Oct 05, 2023 07:30 PM - 10:15 PM — Church of Ireland Parish Hall, 30 Main Street, Groomsport, County Down, BT19 6JR, Northern Ireland
LJCC - Belfast Qualifier 2023: 7th October An opportunity for Primary Students to Qualify for the London Junior Chess Championships and for Secondary pupils to enj... Oct 07, 2023 09:15 AM - 05:00 PM — Methodist College,1 Malone Rd, Belfast BT9 6BY
FIDE-RATED Belfast City Royal Avenue Rapid Championship 2023 Event 4 of 10 in the FIDE rated NI Rapid Grand Prix 2023/2024 Oct 14, 2023 10:30 AM - 05:00 PM — 2 Royal Avenue
Upcoming events…