Hugh Ervine is the Hull Cup winner

There was silverware up for grabs, namely the Hull Cup, along with cartridges donated by Tommy Beattie so competition was going to be rife.

The excellent weather conditions only added to this and a total of 51 guns were present.

As usual there were numerous scores coming in which hit the headlines along with a nail-biting final which kept all the shooters interested.

Firstly Enoch McCauley came in with another top score, his third team-quality score in as many shoots. Junior Mourne shooter Andrew Charleton was also making a name for himself, finishing third in class C on his first ever trip to Dungannon.

However, the big talking point of the day was undoubtedly the shoot-off and its competitors. First to throw their hat in the ring was Aaron McDowell, the junior shooter from Banbridge coming away with an excellent 100/298.

Bernard Cassidy later equalled this score with George Gracey and William Donnelly to follow.

Finally Hugh Ervine, who was a barrel down at 75 shot, came through a tense last 25 for the fifth 298 of the day to set up a nervy final.

So the shoot-off was set; three Northern Ireland team members, a junior Northern Ireland international, and the team manager.

After a tense but exciting 25 targets only Aaron McDowell and Hugh Ervine came through straight. A nerve-tingling round of single-barrel was to follow. Team manager Ervine lost two targets early on, although towards the end McDowell lost out on two also, as well as his final bird.

It was a tough way to lose a final but it left Hugh Ervine as, as he put it, “a lucky winner.”

However the impressive nature by which he kept his nerve must be noted and Rathfriland club member Hugh Ervine takes the Hull Cup for 2010-2011.

Final class places were as follows: Hull Cup Winner and High Gun – Hugh Ervine (100/298, after shoot-off); AA 1st= George Gracey and Bernard Cassidy (both 100/298), AA 3rd= William Armstrong and Darren Bell (both 100/296). A 1st= Aaron McDowell and William Donnelly (both 100/298), A 3rd – Enoch McCauley (100/296). B 1st – JP Lavery (95/280), B 2nd= Frank McKay (94/279) and B Conelly (85/279). C 1st – N Cochrane (99/284), C 2nd – EA Lamont (92/273), C 3rd – Andrew Charleton (92/256).