Following Sunday’s heavy rain, the Felton’s Manx Masters for both the Ladies and Men was postponed until Wednesday evening in perfect conditions for bowling. The rearranged date and kinder conditions attracted approximately 70 spectators to the finals night at South Ramsey Bowling Club.

Felton’s Ladies Manx Masters – Drewett Secures Maiden Manx Masters Title

Losing out on Sunday in horrendous conditions were Madison McMullan 19-21 to younger sister and Mooragh Park clubmate Lacey McMullan, Kim Hargraves (South Ramsey) was defeated 15-21 by Castletown’s Hilary Kermode. In the bottom half of the draw Louise Tebay (Ballaugh) beat Stella Watterson (Castletown) 21-10, while another Town bowler Hannah Drewett won 21-12 against home greener Sue Collier.

In hugely different conditions on Wednesday evening South Ramsey made use of the Manx Lottery Trust funded floodlights, which are a massive improvement on the previous lights. Both semi-finals in the ladies event were well contested with a good battle taking place between McMullan and Kermode, however the greater experience of the latter saw the Town player finish the game strongly to take her spot in the final with a 21-19 win over the 16-year-old, who has a bright future in the game.

The second semi-final saw Drewett up against the current holder Tebay, with the former building up leads of 10-5, 16-9, and 18-10 to put the Town captain in firm control against the Ballaugh captain. With Tebay threatening a comeback, this was stopped in its tracks by Drewett who sealed a 21-16 win.

The final got underway with not only Town clubmates up against each other, but mother Hilary up against daughter Hannah. With neither player having lifted the trophy previously, a new name was guaranteed to be etched onto the famous trophy.

With all players starting off +3, and with six ends of the final played there was nothing to choose between the players with the score tied at 6-6, with three singles scored each. Drewett made the first move winning four successive ends to take a 12-6 lead, which was extended further to 17-8 despite conceding two singles.

If ever a comeback was to be made it had to be soon, with Kermode scoring two singles, however Drewett made sure this was her day as she got back in with a double, then scored two singles to secure a well-deserved 21-10 victory to win her first Manx masters title and one of her biggest wins to date.

Felton’s Men’s Manx Masters – Bradford Retains the Trophy for Win Number 5

Losing out on Sunday evening in the Men’s event were Neil Withers (Marown) 12-21 to Castletown captain Nathan Hamilton, who secured his place in the semi-final. The closest game of the round was between Peter Greenlees (Marown) and Dido Kelly (South Ramsey) with the latter getting over the line 21-19. In the bottom half of the draw 11-time winner of this competition John Kennish (South Ramsey) made light work of Peel man Dave ‘Barney’ Kelly 21-9, with current holder David Bradford (South Ramsey) winning his third game of the day to single figures as he beat Breagle man Trevor Quayle 21-7.

Wednesday night saw the last remaining visiting bowler in the Men’s competition Hamilton up against Dido Kelly, with the former getting out of the blocks the quickest, as he built up a 9-4 lead after just five ends, with the lead then being extended to 16-9 playing a similar game and length to that preferred by his opponent. With an 18-13 lead the Town man looked favourite to book his place in a first Manx Masters final, however a late rally from Kelly playing corner to crown saw the South Ramsey man take the lead for the first time in the game to go within touching distance of victory at 20-18. A double from Hamilton saw the game go to a deciding end at 20-20, however a good first bowl from Kelly went unbeaten to take his place in the final with a 21-20 victory.

The other semi-final on paper looked hard to call, however a commanding performance from the number one ranked player on the Island, the current Manx Champion Bradford saw him win a fourth game in the competition to single figures with a 21-9 victory, leaving Kennish to score on just three ends with doubles on each end scored.

The final was an all-South Ramsey affair, as Bradford scored heavily over the first 11 ends to go into an unassailable 18-6 lead, with a dominant display. Kelly went on to win three ends on the trot, to become the first opponent to reach double figures against Bradford, however this was always going to prove to be too much to comeback from against an opponent who has been in fine form this season, with Bradford winning the next two ends to seal a 21-10 win to retain the trophy and win number five in this competition.

The presentation was made by competition secretary James Teare, who thanked the ladies for the efforts with the catering, the club members who donated raffle prizes, those who had assisted throughout the two days. A special thanks was given to long term sponsors Felton’s for their continued support in this competition.

South Ramsey hosted the Manx Masters on Sunday, one of the highlights of the Manx bowls calendar with four separate competitions taking place throughout the day. Rain featured for the latter stages of the Junior competitions, with the rain being dodged for the majority of the morning.

JP Corry Junior Manx Masters

The Junior Manx Masters was played as a straight knockout 21up off a handicap of +6 for the older and more experienced players with an entry of nine players braving the early morning start, with the lower numbers allow a lower handicap to be played for the competition.

The title was won for the first time by Katie Jacobs (Douglas) with a superb display against Bailey McMullan, as Katie kept a level head throughout despite trailing in her early round games, being in a tough battle throughout the final.

The Villa Junior made the stronger start in the final, taking a 13-7 lead, then led 15-10, only for Bailey to fight back to level the game at 15-15. Katie got back in to score a double, with the Mooragh Park Junior responding with a single. Thee following end proved to be pivotal with Bailey counting for two, only for Katie to get a slice of fortune to flick off Bailey’s second closest bowl and win the end, which she capitalised on to score a two on the following end to lead 20-16.

Bailey hit back again with a two, was counting for two on the following end which would have put the score at 20-20,however a great last bowl from Katie sealed a 21-18 win.

Losing out at the semi-final stage Jacobs trailed Alex Hampson (Noble’s) 14-17, however a strong finish got Katie over the line 21-18. The other semi-final saw a good battle throughout between McMullan and Sam Quayle (Castletown), however it was the Mooragh Park Junior who edged home 21-18. With all three scores in the semi-final and final finishing to 18 it proved how little there was between all four semi-finalists.

At the quarter final stage Jacobs had her closest match of the morning, as she edge home 21-20 against Sam Colquitt (Noble’s), with the latter having led 16-9, four successive doubles saw the Douglas player edge ahead, as she went on to win. Hampson took a resounding 21-11 win over the current holder Lacey McMullan (Mooragh Park), while Bailey won 21-9 against Lillie Barrett (Marown). The biggest win of the round was secured by Quayle who beat Luis Richardson 21-7 to progress to the next round.

JP Corry Young Manx Masters

The Young Manx Masters for Primary School children was contested by eight players, twice the entry of 2024, with five boys and three girls featuring. This competition was played in a round robin format playing five ends with the last end played as a ‘power’ end with points scored counting double.

After a good morning of bowls, which included plenty of smiles from all the younger bowlers it was Cole Smart (North Ramsey) who went in to the final round of fixtures with a three point lead after six rounds of games over Bertie Moss. As luck would have it both juniors played each other in the final round of fixtures, as Cole won 8-2 in the deciding match to seal the victory in the group by 11 chalks (53), whilst Bertie can be proud of his efforts scoring a very respectable 42 chalks to finish as runner up.

The standard of play in both events was excellent and some of the bowls played would not have been out of place in the senior events due to take place in the afternoon. JP Corry Isle of Man supported the event once again, all competitors who took part received a prize.

Thanks were given to everyone who had helped throughout the morning, including those who had helped with the preparation in the lead up the event.

The Felton’s Ladies and Men’s competitions got underway in the afternoon, with the selection criteria being set at the start of the season, with a focus on those who have won singles competitions, or reached the latter stages in competitions with higher entries, such as the festival and pre-festival competitions. This was done to encourage entries into competitions, with points awarded for entering competitions, then additional points earned for games won. Where players had double qualified by winning more than one competition, the organisers used wildcard picks looking at ‘fantasy’ league standings, which is made up of points gained league games and open competitions or where performances from players that had impressed the selectors.

With the occasional shower passing by in the early stages, as the day went on heavy and persistent thundery showers put paid to the competition, with the difficult decision taken to suspend matches after the quarter finals had been completed, on the grounds of player safety. The semi-finals in both competitions will be played to a finish on Wednesday evening at 6:30pm.

Felton’s Ladies Manx Masters

The early rounds of the Ladies event saw the first four names in the draw all Mooragh Park players to guarantee representation in the semi-final stage for the club. Lacey McMullan recovered from her disappointment in the morning in the Junior event to beat mentor Janet Monk 21-20, whilst the McMullan sisters Bailey and Madison played each, with the latter who is the older of the siblings winning 21-11.

South Ramsey’s Kim Hargraves came through a tough draw with clubmate and top player Jenny Moore 21-20, with a strong finish to the game. Clare Cooper (Marown) just lost out 18-21 to Hilary Kermode (Castletown).

Stella Watterson (Castletown) had an emphatic 21-6 win over recent IOM September Festival winner Debbie Leece (Marown), which set up a second-round match with current holder Louise Tebay (Ballaugh) who held off Lyn Bolton (Marown) 21-18.

Hannah Drewett beat home greener Fiona Kennish 21-10, while Sue Collier (South Ramsey) beat Breagle Glen’s Caroline Whitehead 21-16.

The quarter finals saw the McMullan’s battle it out, with Lacey and Madison in a good battle as the conditions worsened with puddles forming quickly, it was the younger sister (Lacey) who got over the line 21-19. In the second quarter final Kermode was able to see off Hargraves 21-15.

In the bottom half of the draw both games were straightforward for the winners as Tebay recorded a comfortable 21-10 win over Watterson, while Drewett held a considerable lead against Collier, with the former going on to win 21-12.

Lacey McMullan vs Hilary Kermode

Louise Tebay vs Hannah Drewett

The competition is played to a finish on Wednesday at 6:30pm at South Ramsey Bowling Club.

Felton’s Men’s Manx Masters

In the first round of the Men’s event Peter Collister (South Ramsey) trailed Will Penhallurick (Onchan) 5-8, then went on a 16-point break to win 21-8. An all-Castletown affair was won 21-7 by Town captain Nathan Hamilton over Kieran Krypner.

Alan Moore (South Ramsey) won 21-20 against Tom Kelly (Marown) in his first-round match, while Dean Kinley (Castletown) held off Rob Monk (North Ramsey) 21-17. Another close match saw Dan McCabe (Breagle Glen) lose out 20-21 to Onchan’s Kevin Quirk.

In the bottom half of the draw John Kennish (South Ramsey) recovered from a 7-12 deficit to beat Matthew Quirk (Onchan) 21-16. Glynn Hargraves (South Ramsey) took a comfortable 21-7 win over Marown’s Glenn Boland.

The biggest upset of the round was Reginald Temporaza (Onchan) who stormed to a 21-10 win over Colin Kelly (Marown). Noble’s man Kevin Moore who recently reached the last 32 of the September Festival lost out 16-21 to Trevor Quayle (Breagle Glen).

The second round of the Men’s event saw the conditions worsen in the second half of the round as Hamilton edge home 21-20 against Moore, while Peter Greenlees (Marown) beat Kevin Quirk 21-15.

Kennish made light work of Paul Kelly (Marown) who never scored, while Barney Kelly (Peel) eased to a 21-5 win over Hargraves. The current holder David Bradford beat South Ramsey teammate Jordan Cain 21-9.

With the decision taken to finish the round of games the quarter finals saw Neil Withers (Marown) lose out 12-21 to Hamilton, while Dido Kelly had enough in the locker to see off Greenlees 21-19.

The bottom half of the draw saw Kennish ease to a 21-9 win over Barney Kelly, while Bradford was the biggest winner of the round 21-7 against Quayle.

Nathan Hamilton vs Dido Kelly

John Kennish vs David Bradford

The competition is played to a finish on Wednesday at 6:30pm at South Ramsey Bowling Club.

22 teams took part in the Breagle Glen any combination threesomes open competition, with the rain just about holding off for most of the competition, with the number taking part matching the 2024 entry.

In the first semi-final it was an all Breagle affair with Mavis Franks, Trevor Quayle, and Ewan Cooil taking on Steve Durcan, Bernie Durcan, and Seamus Whelan, with the latter trio losing out 17-21 as they conceded a four on the 13^th end, otherwise they had matched their clubmates point for point over the course of the game.

With an all Breagle affair in the first semi-final it had to be an all-South Ramsey affair in the other semi-final as the Ladies took on the men with Elaine Moore, Joyce Odgen, and Kim Hargraves up against John Kennish, David Bradford, and Jordan Cain. The Ladies had matched the men point for point and blow for blow up with the score tied at 16-16, only the men to make their move and finish the game off 21-16 to book their spot in the final.

With a guaranteed Breagle Glen versus South Ramsey final, the Ramsey men took an early 11-7 lead, only for this to be wipes out in two ends as they conceded a three and a two to the Breagle Trio to trail 11-12.

By the 10^th end the score was tied 15-15, only for Kennish, Bradford, and cain to score a three, only to immediately concede a two to leave the game finely poised at 18-17 to the visiting bowlers. Three singles at the business end of the game were enough to seal a 21-17 victory over the home greeners in an entertaining final.

Steve Durcan presented the prizes, thanked all those that took part in the competition, Angie Bennett for running the sheet, and everyone that had helped throughout the day.

In the Ladies main event Marown bowler Debbie Leece secured the Isle of Man September Festival to pick up her biggest win to date, with a resounding victory over South Ramsey’s Jenny Moore, as the latter reached the final playing off a handicap of scratch, giving most of her opponents a five start this was an achievement in itself.

The stage had looked set for Moore to defy the handicap, and pick up another Festival title, however Leece had other ideas with a superb display. With Leece winning the toss for who would get the jack on the first end, Moore won the first end to get an early feel of the jack, however Leece went on to win the next seven ends, scoring 10 chalks to put the game almost out of reach by going into the lead 15-1 leading well and playing good second bowls any time that she was in trouble.

With Moore getting back in with a double, the score was now 3-15, Moore headed for a longer length, but in doing so sent the jack off to allow Leece to go on the same mark she had enjoyed success on throughout the game to get back in and score two singles. The South Ramsey player got in with a good two and a single to offer some hope, however this was extinguished on the following end with the Marown player making the most of the room offered to her.

With the score 19-6 Leece was back on her favoured mark, however an unusually loose end was punished fully by Moore to put the score at 8-19. Moore headed for the sanctuary of playing over the crown over a decent length of the green, however Leece once again played a great second bowl to lead 20-8. Leece was counting for game on the following end, with Moore saving game with a reaching bowl. With no sign of nerves from Leece, the following end proved to be the final end as Leece jumped in on the room offered to her to seal a superb 21-9 victory.

There can be no arguments about the winner, despite the handicap in the final as this never came into play, with Leece taking a deserved win to etch her name into the history books, in doing so qualified for the Champion of Champions Event at Owley Wood at the end of September.

Both finalists had to battle for their place in the final, with Leece leading 20-14 against Castletown’s Stella Watterson, only for the latter to get to within touching distance of the winning line at 19-20, however Leece settled herself to play a good first bowl to see the game out 21-19. Moore got the handicap back after just three ends against Caroline Whitehead (Breagle Glen) to lead 6-5, however the game turned into a back-and-forth battle from there. Moore got into a 17-14 lead; however two doubles saw Whitehead edge ahead 18-17. A three-end winning streak from Moore resulted in a 21-18 victory to book her place in the final.

Leece started her day as one of six locals still in the running, with a hard fought 21-19 win over Marown teammate Lyn Bolton, while Watterson had a more comfortable 21-15 win over Madison McMullan (Mooragh Park). In the other half of the draw Moore recorded the biggest win with a 21-13 victory over Clair Russell (Alkincoats PWA), while Whitehead’s game with 2019 winner Gill Simm (Lune Road) went to the wire with a 21-20 win for the Breagle player.

Ladies Tourism

The Ladies Tourism was also played down to the winner on Thursday morning on Noble’s 2 green, with the final having both local and visiting bowler interest, with Nicola Boulton (Broughton) taking on Fiona Kennish (South Ramsey). Kennish made the better start ensuring Boulton never won two ends in the early stages of the game to lead 10-6, 13-9, and 15-12. Boulton stepped up a gear to win six of the last eight ends to seal a 21-17 victory, scoring five doubles in total to set herself up for the win.

Boulton booked her place in the final with a comfortable 21-15 win over Sarah Weaver (Wrockwardine Wood), whilst Kennish took on fellow local bowler Lyn Bolton (Marown), trailed 17-20, managed to creep over the line 21-20 with two singles and a double to progress to the final.

In the quarter finals Boulton progressed with a 21-16 victory over Clair Russell (Alkincoats PWA), whilst Weaver beat Linda Rowland (Knutsford) to the same score. In the other half of the draw Kennish won 21-14 against Caroline Bushell (Lindal BC), while Bolton had to work for her 21-18 win over Lynn Bennett (Garswood Hall).

One of the biggest events on the bowls calendar – The Isle of Man September Bowls Festival took place last week, with the competition played out in mixed weather conditions throughout the week, however the weather turned out better than the forecast.

In the Men’s event it was Gareth Coates (Ackroydon Victoria) who secured his second September Festival title, following his first success in 2023. Coates made the better start against South Ramsey man David Bradford, as he went into a 12-7 lead in the corners. Two singles saw the deficit at just three chalks at 9-12 for the local man, however Coates managed to keep Bradford at arm’s length extending the lead to 15-10.

A good hit from Bradford on the following end resulted in a single scored, however Coates again went on to extend the lead to 18-11, with Bradford killing an end, and then another play through securing a double.

A strike from Coates along the heavy edge of the green killed the end, with Bradford heading back along the same edge on the following end, as two great bowls from the local man were applauded by his opponent leaving no target, with the Yorkshire man striking, hitting and getting a favourable result to score a single to lead 19-13 with his ability to strike proving crucial. Another single for Coates put him just one good bowl away from sealing the win, however Bradford scored a single with a good second bowl.

A double on the following end, could have put some doubt into Coates, as two good bowls from Bradford were missed by Coates who struck. Bradford headed to the side of the crown on a round peg mark, with a good second bowl leaving the South Ramsey man counting for one. The last bowl from Coates proved to be the winner, as he played a great bowl to sit out the counting bowl to seal a superb 21-16 victory.

Coates took home the winners’ cheque for £3,200, whilst Bradford received a cheque for £1,250 for his week’s work, also received the Chris Quayle for a third consecutive year as the furthest Manxman in the competition.

At the semi-final stage Coates made light work of Ross Hatzer (Bar Lane) who had performed brilliantly in his quarter final match, as Coates won 21-8 to ensure safe passage to the final.

The other semi-final was between arguably the two most consistent players on the Island this year, with several good battles between the pair already this season, this proved to be the toughest as Bradford took on Paul Dunn (Marown). Bradford performed well playing up to the crown and back to the corner to lead 17-9. As predicted, this match was not over by any means, with Dunn digging deep to close the deficit to just two chalks at 17-19. A single from Bradford saw the room allowed to him fully punished by Dunn to score a double. With the score now 19-20 Dunn headed for the heavy corner, however the Marown man left his second bowl short to allow a free shot at the counting bowl, however a miss from Bradford put the score at 20-20. Dunn led out on a sweeping round peg putting up a great lead eight inches to the side forcing Bradford to change his peg to play a reaching bowl to connect with the bowl and jack to leave over four foot of room. The second from Dunn only just crept in, leaving Bradford room to bowl in to seal a 21-20 victory and his place in the final.

The quarter finals saw Coates in his toughest battle of the day, as he trailed Mark Taylor (Crossgates) 9-16 and 12-18. A superb finish saw Coates win six consecutive ends, scoring nine chalks to run out with a 21-18 win, with Coates visibly breathing a huge sigh of relief. Hatzer turned in a fine performance as he took a 17-6 lead over 1989 winner Jon Teretta (Norton Arms), with Teretta threatening a comeback Hatzer sealed his spot in the next round 21-13. In the other half of the draw Bradford took on another Marown man, Neil Withers, with Bradford always in control as he won 21-15. Dunn had a battle with Joseph Cranston (Crossgates), trailing 12-17, with a strong finish from the Crosby man seeing him go on to win 21-17.

Men’s Tourism

The Men’s Tourism was played down to the winner on Thursday morning on Noble’s 1, and it was four-time festival winner Graeme Wilson (AEU Alstom) who managed to see off two previous festival winners on his way to picking up the title, beating James Wilcox (Crossgates) who has won two festival titles 21-14 with a solid display using all his experience as he moved around the green, changing the mark to never allow Wilcox to settle in to the game.

In the semi-finals Wilson had a battle against 2008 winner and furthest local Colin Kelly (Marown), with the local man leading 16-10, a stirring fightback from the AEU man ensured he got over the line 21-19. Wilcox made light work of Crossgates teammate Joseph Cranston 21-9 to book his place in the final.

The quarter finals saw three comfortable wins and one game going to the wire, with Wilson starting his morning with a 21-16 win over Chris Bly (Hollinhurst BC), while Kelly beat new Isle of Man resident Jamie Box (Quarry Vikings) 21-13. In the other half of the draw Wilcox had to scrap for his 21-20 win over Jon Guess (Fairfield), with Cranston the best winner of the round with a 21-11 win over Paul Bradley (Fairfield).

Other Events

The Men’s Consolation was won by last September’s Tourism winner Zach Walker (King Alfred) who beat previous Festival winner Robert Fitzpatrick (Hoylake) 21-20 in a keenly contested and entertaining final.

The Ladies Consolation was won by Sally Turner (New Mill) with a comfortable 21-12 victory over fellow clubmate Lorraine Hirst, following a strong finish from the former with the score at 15-12, a four-end winning streak sealed the win.

The Visit.Com Flyer title went to Callum Wraight (Llanrwst) who had a good 9-3 win over Mitch Toft 9-3, with this unusually being Wraight’s only success of the week. The Last Chance Mixed final was won by Paul Kissock (Netherfield), who held off Whitby man Ken Wale 21-15.

In the doubles competitions the Open doubles were won convincingly by Jack Dyson and Jon Palmer (Thongsbridge/Castlefields) with an 11-2 victory over John Bailey and Paul Bailey – no relation (Llanrwst/Belvedere). Dyson and Palmer reached the final with a solid 11-2 win over David and Steven Baskerville (Knutsford), whilst the Bailey pairing beat Sam Butler and Anthony Briddon (Fairfield) 11-6.

The Men’s doubles were won by Joseph Cranston and Joshua Mordue (Crossgates/Pudsey) as they convincingly beat Matty Gilmore and Gareth Coates (Quarry Vikings/Ackroydon Victoria) 11-2 in the final. Cranston and Mordue beat Callum Wraight and John Bailey (Llanrwst) 11-8 in the semi-final, whilst Gilmore and Coates had to work for their 11-9 win over Robert Fitzpatrick and Michael Coupe (Hoylake/Wirral).

The Ladies doubles were won by Clair Russell and Sharon Gadd (Alkincoats PWA/Cononley) as they beat local pairing Fiona Kennish and Jenny Moore (South Ramsey) 11-7 in the final. Russell and Gadd just got over the line in the semi-final as they trailed 3-10 to Sarah Weaver and Carol Faulkner (Wrockwardine Wood), only to see the game out 11-10 with a six-end, eight-point scoring streak. Kennish and Moore beat fellow local pair Sue Gawne and Lynda Cadamy (Nobles/Marown) 11-8 in their semi-final game.

Winning the Mixed pairs were Sara Boyd and Simon Tyler (Bolton-le-Sands/Gresford Village BC) with an emphatic 9-0 win over Susan Page and Richard Lockett (Bare/Wem BC).

The Triples was held once again this year with the competition due to be played on three greens over seven ends on Wednesday morning down to the winner from each green. The heavy rain put paid to the use of the Villa green, however both Noble’s greens were deemed playable. Winning on Noble’s 1 green for a second successive year were Joseph Cranston, Joshua Mordue, and Ryan Clark (Crossgates/Pudsey/Lower Hopton), whilst Adam Bishop, Richard Hindley, and Matt Sands (Lloyds) were the winners on Noble’s 2 green.

Castletown Bowling Club hosted the Wilfrid Quayle mixed doubles on Sunday with the competition attracting 22 pairs with the competition sponsored by the Sidings Pub. Just one pair did not brave the horrific conditions that awaited them, with the rain getting heavier throughout the afternoon and more puddles forming.

Falling at the quarter final stage were Peel pair Beverly Wilson and Andy Kennish to Kim and Glynn Hargraves with a 21-5 win. Home greeners Hannah Drewett and Dean Kinley came through a good battle with South Ramsey pair Jenny Moore and James Teare. In the bottom half of the draw Rebecca Kelly and Sam Stannard-Duke lost out to Town duo Stella Watterson and Nathan Hamilton, while Alison Kearsley and Billy Cooil got the better of father and son David and Kian Bradford.

Losing out at the semi-final stage were Drewett and Kinley to the Husband and Wife Hargraves pairing, with the former pair having trailed for most of the game they got in front 18-16 thanks to a four on a single end. Three singles and a double from the South Ramsey pair was enough to see them over the line 21-18 to book their place in the final.

The conditions hit breaking point by the start of the final with the heavens opening, with further and deeper puddles forming as a short jack on the first end from the Town pair allowed the South Ramsey pairing to head for the corners. Winning the first end Hargraves was back on the mark that had served him well all day. The early stages of the game saw Watters and Hamilton pick up three singles over five ends, however the Hargraves pairing led 11-8 after seven ends. This proved to the last points picked up by the Town pair with the jack never coming out of the corners, with ‘cobbing’ the bowls the order of the day as a three kicked off a six end scoring streak to see the game out with a well-deserved 21-8 to pick up their first mixed doubles win together.

The presentation was made by Castletown Bowling Club competition secretary Nathan Hamilton who thanked the sponsors for their support, everyone who had entered despite the forecast, along with the catering team and the club members who had helped with the smooth running of the competition throughout the day.

Noble’s Bowling Club hosted the Thurlwell Bowl on Saturday with a good entry of 58 taking part after a great week of Festival bowls, an increase of 14 on the 2024 entry.

Losing out at the quarter final stage were Rob Middleton (Peel) 8-21 to Paul Dunn (Marown), along with Rob Monk (North Ramsey) 20-21 to Glenn Boland (Marown), as the former got stuck on 20, with Boland recovering from a 16-20 deficit.

In the other half of the draw Neil Withers won 21-10 against Breagle’s Margie Tasker, while new Marown man Jamie Box recovered from a 11-17 deficit against Noble’s B team captain Steve Cain to claim his spot in the next round with a 21-18 win.

At the semi-final stage Boland claimed a second consecutive win in a week against his captain as he beat Dunn 21-17 to progress to the final. The other semi-final saw Withers take on new clubmate Box, with the former always in control of the game, taking a 21-15 victory.

Withers made a strong start in the final, getting out of the blocks the quickest taking a 17-7 lead after just eight ends. Boland got in as he clawed his way back in to the game to close the deficit to just three chalks at 15-18 after 15 ends. A final rally saw Withers get back in, as three singles secured the title and a 21-15 victory.

The presentation was made by competition secretary Lisa Bradshaw who thanked the sponsors IOM Steam packet for their continued support of the competition, along with the club members who had helped with the running of the competition. The winners were awarded with IOM Steam Packet vouchers.

North vs South Charity Challenge: Teams Announced for a Day of Sport and Fundraising

The stage is set for one of the most eagerly awaited community sporting events of the year, as the North and the South prepare to go head-to-head in the inaugural Charity Challenge, taking place on Saturday, 20th September 2025, at Nobles Greens 1 & 2. With a start time of 10:00, spectators can look forward to a full day of competition, camaraderie, and charity, all in support of the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA).

This year’s event, proudly sponsored by IQ-EQ, Canada Life, and EVF, promises to deliver both entertainment and purpose. Thanks to their generous support, every bowl delivered on the day will help raise vital funds for the MNDA, an organisation providing essential care, research, and hope for those affected by the condition.

The match format has been designed to ensure plenty of variety and excitement. Spectators can expect to see contests across men’s doubles, ladies doubles, mixed doubles, mixed triples, and, to bring the day to a thrilling conclusion, men’s and ladies singles on the main green. With such a mix of styles and formats, there will be no shortage of drama, skill, and friendly rivalry on display.

Both teams have now confirmed their line-ups, with captains carefully selecting who will take to the greens in each match type. Importantly, every player is guaranteed to feature in at least two games, meaning fans will have ample opportunity to cheer on their local favourites throughout the day. The balance of competition promises a close contest, with bragging rights for either North or South on the line – but always in the spirit of fundraising and togetherness.

The Charity Challenge has grown into far more than just a sporting fixture; it is a celebration of community spirit. Friends, families, and supporters are encouraged to come along, lend their voices to the cheers, and soak up the atmosphere of what promises to be a memorable day. Whether you’re an avid bowls enthusiast or simply looking for a fun, family-friendly day out, this event offers something for everyone.

So mark the date in your calendar, dust off your team colours, and join us at Nobles Greens. The bowls will be fiercely contested, but the real victory lies in raising funds for such an important cause.

North or South – who will claim the honours in 2025? One thing is certain: the true winners will be the MNDA.

Ballaugh Bowling Club hosted the Dave McTaggart Memorial Trophy on Sunday, with an entry of 32 pairs on a green that became trickier to handle as the day went on it proved a challenge for the bowlers.

Losing out in the quarter finals were home greeners John Kneen and Barbara Graham 14-21 to South Ramsey’s Alan Moore and Glynn Hargraves, while Marown pair Philippa Taylor and Lynda Cadamy lost out 9-21 to Jordan Cain and John Kennish (South Ramsey).

In the other half of the draw Dido Kelly and Billy Cooil (South Ramsey/Castletown) got the better of South Ramsey’s Elaine Moore and Fiona Kennish 21-13, while home greeners Barry & Christine McDonald beat James Kelly and Trevor Quayle (Marown/Breagle Glen) 21-14.

At the semi-final stage an all South Ramsey affair was won comfortably by Cain and Kennish 21-8 against Moore and Hargraves, with the latter pair kept down to scoring two singles. The other semi-final saw Kelly and Cooil put an end to the home greeners challenge as they beat the McDonalds 21-11.

The final saw Kelly and Cooil start strongly, with the pair playing together for the first time in a competition, you would easily think they had played together for a number of years as they linked up well throughout the day, with Kelly leading well at the front on his favoured corner to crown mark and back, and Cooil playing the shots needed when they weren’t counting. The South/Town pairing had managed to build up a 15-10 lead, ensuring that Cain and Kennish never got a run of the jack, and crucially winning the ends in the corners to prevent the South men from getting in the corners.

The following end heading up to the crown saw a good four scored by Cain and Kennish to close the deficit to just one chalk. With the jack in the middle of the green heading to a corner was the only option. The South men were counting for one when a strike from Cooil had an element of good fortune about it hitting a short bowl onto the jack and killing the end.

With the jack in hand in the corner this was the opportunity Cain had been waiting for to get on a longer mark, however a good first bowl from Kelly ensured the hopes of getting a run in the corners were short lived, as Kelly and Cooil kept their opponents down to scoring just one more point to win 21-15.

The presentation was made by competition secretary Julie Reilly, with prizes paid down to the quarter finals. Julie thanked everyone who had entered, the catering team for the refreshments provided throughout the day. The sponsor Ann Gale was then introduced to present the prizes.