The Future’s Bright in the Men’s Game
The future is bright for Crown Green Bowls as the sports young lions bared their teeth in a ferocious battle between Castletown A and Onchan A.
Isle of Man Bank Men’s Division One leaders Onchan A will feel lucky to have escaped from the lion’s den with a 7-3 victory, but have not left without the scars from a Town team that was full of fight to the end and who will feel aggrieved not to have picked up at least another point.
Fresh from an Island Championship where the main stays of local bowls showed that they were still the force to be reckoned with, it was the turn of the games fresher faces to fire a warning shot with the young guns from both teams showing their class.
Town’s youth policy is now paying dividends with Captain Bob Clark picking up a strong 21-9 win whilst Nathan Cooil and Michael Collister produced superb displays to beat respective former Island Champions Kevin Quirk and Phil Kerruish. Matthew Quirk and Jordan Cain showed that the title favourites also have some tremendous up and coming talent in their ranks with their own strong single figure wins against quality opposition, although the title favourites had to rely on two more experienced hands, Peter Slinger and Glynn Hargraves, to come back from the death in their games to seal the win for their side.
Champions Marown A used this to their advantaged and capitalised by securing a well-deserved 8-2 victory over Onchan A, to claw one point closer to their rivals. Despite the score line there were some close encounters and both teams will feel they should have another point on the board.
Villa talisman Dave ‘Barney’ Kelly showed his class to scrap to 21-19 win over 2013 June festival winner Neil Withers in a high quality affair. Withers showed some good resistance as he prevented Kelly from getting into his trademark corners however he used all of his green craft to secure victory. Marown stalwart Colin Kelly didn’t have things his own way either against Stuart Garrett and both men were inspired in a game of the highest quality which Kelly just edged by the narrowest of margins, 21-20.
As tipped, South Ramsey A have now leapfrogged both Douglas A and their last opponents Castltown B into third place, as they defeated the latter 8-2 at home. South as expected were too strong for their rivals but it is town who can draw heart as George Peach and Peter Oates picked up wins whilst John Holden and Dave Faragher put in spirited displays, both narrowly losing out 21-18. South will see it as two points lost in the battle for silverware.
North Ramsey A and Port St Mary A are now tied on points in the middle of the table after the former picked up a surprise 7-3 win over the strong southern outfit. Some of North’s new boys were the stars of the show with Steve Walmsley, Alan Callow and Steve Parker all impressing.
Peel A and Ballaugh A will be delighted to build some momentum as they both picked up superb 9-1 home wins to get their season off and running in earnest and move away from the foot of the table.
Finch Hill A remain at the top of Division Two but only after a stern examination by Port St Mary B with honours even 5-5. The league leaders won 5-3 on games but the wily Spaniards took the aggregate points, thanks in a large part to Island Junior Champion Sam Parmer’s tremendous 21-2 win.
Onchan B are still chasing top spot and managed to close the deficit by two points as they slugged out a 7-3 victory at home over aNorth Ramsey B side who are acquitting themselves well since earning promotion last term.
Nobles Mixed are some peoples favourites to end the season as champions and a blistering 9-1 win away from home will not have harmed their chances at all.
Marown B topped Division 3 last week and even with a strong 6-4 win away at Peel D they find themselves slipping down the table to third.
Title favourites South Ramsey B were simply ruthless as they mercilessly white washed Nobles Park B 10-0 away from home to take pole position.
Port Erin B now find themselves in second spot, tied on points with Marown B, after some good work at home as they strolled to an 8-2 win over North Ramsey C.