Strand 2 do clubmates a favour

Division 1

• Ballynafeigh 1 2-3 Civil Service
• Ballynafeigh 2 0-5 Strand 1
• Strand 2 2.5-2.5 Muldoons 1

Strand 1 needed two things this week to retain any real hope of winning the Silver King; firstly, to whitewash Ballynafeigh 2, and secondly, to hope that Strand 2 got a result against leaders Muldoons 1. The first was achieved without much drama, but with Muldoons 1 maintaining a 100% record this season in terms of matches, the second was a long shot to say the least. Strand 2 did have Daniil Zelenchuk on board 3, who has a habit of hitting the target when taking long shots, but was uncharacteristically held to a draw by a player rated only 64 points above him. Boards 4 and 5 both went to the visitors, as expected given the large rating disparities on display, but Brendan Jamison beat Nicholas Pilkiewicz, leaving Ross Harris to play to draw the match and save Strand 1's title challenge, with the Black pieces, against a player rated nearly 300 points higher. In the end, the 1685-rated Harris scored the upset of the week, beating Stephen Morgan (1962) and leaving Strand 1 11.5 points behind the leaders with a match in hand, and Strand 2 11 points behind with an equal number of matches to play. In the week's other match, Civil Service beat Ballynafeigh 1 when David Jackson beat David Seaby and the other four games all ended in draws.

Division 2/3/4

• (Division 2) Bangor 1-4 Muldoons 2
• (Division 4) Fruithill Ravens 1.5-3.5 Strand 3

Bangor's hopes of bringing the Strawbridge Cup back to Groomsport Parish Hall suffered a blow as they were convincingly beaten by Muldoons 2. Sam Moore was the sole point-scorer for the home side as he beat John Wood; Steven Eachus, Martin Donaghy, Pat McKillen and Bernard McCaughey all won for the visitors. In Division 4, Strand 3 clinched the title by beating the Fruithill Ravens, going 16 points ahead with only two match remaining for each team, although unrated newcomer Ross Hume opened his league account for the home side with a win over Rhys McLean.