The Armstrong team travelled to Elm Mount to face a really strong team led by FM David Fitzsimons. On entering the room, the Dinosaur roared into action….by charging the FM in the back…not once but twice!! The Master turned round sharpish and what followed was a much right handed grappling contest, much to the alarm of Bernard Boyle, the Elm Mount Captain who clearly had not expected such an assault on his leading player. Gabor rescued the situation by enticing the Dinosaur back to his board by offering his Blanch Goodie bag…..always works!!
Now…the serious matter of hunting points could begin…..Rudi defended with great skill to draw against Zygimantas Jakubauskas: Mufasser’s kingside was stripped of its defence and he could not hold the position long enough to sustain equality against Matthias Rahneberg: Gabor had to take care in an unusual line taken by Gerard MacElligott and must have nuetralised his opponent’s aggressive play sufficiently……because he won: Luke’s match vs David was as complex as a Bag of Cats but David was in no mood to share the point and edged home. Danny engineered more space in a Spanish game to greater effect than Ciaran Quinn to his advantage, and showed why he’s on the Rise: Randolf Bruin faced Bernard’s Torre Attack with distinction, but this so called harmless opening has teeth, and kingside space with open files Queenside was sufficient to power the Elm Mount Captain over the line first: This left the Bea regulars to man the fort with Gavin producing a successful fighting performance to produce a wonderful offering of mate in two against himself, only to throw in an intermezzo Queen check to win the exchange. Sadly, the much higher rated Ray O’Rourke had sufficient counterplay to manufacture a perpetual…to spoil Gavin’s fun for the 2nd week in a row:………..as for the Dinosaur facing Paul O’Neill, the loss of a pawn on move 38 followed by a strong knight vs weaker Bishop ending, culminated towards his final extinction and a score of 3-5 to Elm Mount.
For what its worth, it was a pleasure to see such a young team face heavy odds with enthusiasm, great skill and a huge amount of heart, which augers well for the future, …..whatever league has their name on it next season.
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