1st Ballyclare Become UK Champions

1st Ballyclare Boys Brigade have now been entering National Competitions for six years and have a decent record throughout that time. Two times Irish Champions, in Masterteam and Table Tennis. Four times runners up in Irish Masterteam Finals, qualifying for the UK final each time. Two times finalists in Junior 5 A Side football, one final appearance in Senior 5 a Side football. In the five UK finals 1st Ballyclare have contended in, against the best teams from England and Scotland, they have never finished better than fourth - until last weekend. Last weekend, on Saturday 19th April 2008, 1st Ballyclare became UK Masterteam Champions. The first company from Northern Ireland ever to achieve this accolade.

The Masterteam competition is a team quiz. The team consists of four boys - Alistair Bell, Matthew Luney, Jonathan Moffit and Christopher Stevenson. Andrew Kelly was also part of the team but pulled out of the final due to school commitments. The quiz has ten rounds and the boys know what the rounds will be on in advance. They need to research and prepare for these rounds in order to be successful.

Round 1 was Titanic. Chris Stevenson was the main man on this area and his in depth knowledge got the team of to a great start. All four boys shared Bible Knowledge and all contributed towards the individual letters round. Commonwealth Games required a lot of research and Alistair Bell with Matthew Luney had this perfected. Football and Sport were the domain of Jonny Moffit. Matthew Luney, over the course of the competition, learnt the flag of every country in the world. The team was given sixty National Anthems to learn, with ten being asked in the competition. The four boys excelled in the second individual round and the final round, faces.

Confidence was high amongst the Ballyclare boys before the competition. Carrickfergus Borough Council kindly provided a Civic Reception for the six competing teams, two from Scotland, two from England, 16th Newtownabbey and 1st Ballyclare. The venue for the quiz was also in Carrickfergus Town Hall. Over the first six rounds, Forfar and East Kilbride from Scotland, along with 1st Ballyclare, emerged as the main contenders. By round eight, it was clear the battle was between East Kilbride, the defending champions, and 1st Ballyclare. With two rounds to go, Ballyclare were ¼ of a point ahead. With one round to go, the faces round, East Kilbride had a ¾ point lead. It could not have been tighter. Amongst the audience, nails were frantically being bitten!

While the final points were being totalled up, Una Reilly from the Titanic Society delivered a short talk on one of the boys' favourite rounds. Without doubt, the East Kilbride and Ballyclare boys were struggling to concentrate.

When the final round scores went up, there was jubilation in the back row were the Ballyclare supporters were located. Nine points in the final round, as opposed to East Kilbride's seven points, gave Ballyclare the trophy. A wonderful moment and source of much pride amongst all those connected to the company and the team.

Matthew, Alistair, Jonathan, Chris and Andrew - all in 1st Ballyclare are very proud of your achievement. You are worthy UK champions! Well done.