McHugh ready to up ante in NIBA singles

The Ireland international, who is the title holder, has eased his way through the last 16 without breaking sweat, but Jordan will be a different proposition.

Seven times champion McHugh has already written his own little chapter in the history of the tournament by being the only player to have lifted the trophy on four successive occasions -- 2003-2006.

There are a number of other big ties on offer with Matt Reid (Balmoral) facing Bangor's Graham McKee, while Jackie Erskine (Bangor) is due to go head to head with Whitehead man Stephen McKinley.

Fixtures: NIBA Singles, round four: M Reid (Balmoral) v G McKee (Bangor), J Major (Banbridge) v A Dalzell (Donaghadee), H Swindell (Donaghadee) v A O'Keefe (Banbridge), D Bodles (Carrickfergus) v N Haire (Dromore), A Stewart (Bangor) v A Harrison (Balmoral), S McKinley (Whitehead) v J Erskine (Bangor), M McHugh (Whitehead) v D Jordan (Portadown), A Rankin (Whitehead) v M Crawford (Bangor).

* NIBA selectors will host a trial game for this season’s IBA Junior Inter-association Championship.

The trial will take place at Whitehead Bowls Club on Monday, June 13 at 6.30pm.

Players requested to attend are: M Albert (Balmoral), D Anderson (Carrick), M Armstrong (Castle), S Beggs (Whitehead), D Bodles (Carrick) W Boyd (Donaghadee), J Brown (Balmoral), M Crawford (Bangor), J Crooks (Whitehead), S Curran (Castle), D Donnan (Donaghadee), C Dorman (Donaghadee), D Dorman (Donaghadee), C Gaw (Donaghadee), J Gould (Carrick), J Grant (Bessbrook), N Haire (Dromore), M Hastings (Bangor), A Johnston (Lisnagarvey), A Lindsay (Curran), M Lindsay (Curran), C Mackender (Castle), D Maguire (Carrick), G Mayne (Newtownabbey), A McCauley (Curran), T McClean (Bangor), R McKeown (Whitehead), C Milligan (Balmoral), N Minish (Portadown), J Moffett (Banbridge), J Nelson (Carrick), R Ruddock (Whitehead), R Wallace (Cu,rran), S Wallace (Carrick)..