Yearly Archives: 2016
June Festival
June Festival Winner 2016 - Jenny Moore
There was local success in the recent June Bowls Festival as South Ramsey’s Jenny Moore won the ladies main competition in fine style, beating former winner Julie Green (Castle Private) 21-16.
Moore was simply uncompromising on finals day and despite Green’s best effort never looked rattled, as she went one further than her previous best effort, and added her first main competition victory to her two tourism wins from previous festivals. Along with the main prize she also picks up the trophy for furthest Manx Lady in the competition.
It is hard to find the words to describe how well Jenny played and she was simply magnificent with every bowl she sent on Friday, and in my opinion would have gone close, or even won the men’s competition.
Take nothing away from Green though, she too played her part in a wonderful final and also played tremendously well all day, and without question the two best players from the whole week contested the final.
In the semi-finals Moore extinguished the challenge of visitor Lorrain Hirst (Linthwaite Hall) 21-11, whilst Green was equally as impressive defeating Dawn Benn (Penwortham Sports) at the same stage.
Losing out in the quarter finals was another South Ramsey player Lyn Bolton who also had a great week before going down 21-14 to Green.
The local men didn’t fair as well as the ladies on this occasion with no players making it further than the last 64 of the competition for the first time in my memory. The one bright note was the ever improving Bernard Thackrah (Port Erin) who picked up the George Craine trophy for furthest local in the competition.
Visitor Kez Smith (Crossgates) held his nerve in a scintillating final to fend off the challenge of Callum Wraight (Kings Heath Park) and win 21-18.
Wraight will be heartbroken to come so close after laying two to go 20-19 up, before Kez bowled in, but on reflection he should be pleased with how he played as there was not a lot more he could have done. Smith was just too good on the day and adapted to wherever he played.
His temperament in the final was flawless and he never once looked like he wasn’t in total control of the match despite the tight score line. My hat goes off to him as he adds another victory to the Crossgates stable, and with so many talented players it can only be a matter of time before they add another.
John Bailey (Llanwurst BC) won the men’s Tourism Competition with a very impressive 21-13 victory over Danny Parkinson (Rishton). Bailey is a course and distance man and his win comes as no surprise however Parkinson is a new name to me and with the way he played I think he could definitely be one to watch in future festivals. Marown’s Colin Kelly made it to the last eight narrowly losing out to Matt Gilmore (Wirral) 21-17.
Thursday was also a red letter day for the Island ladies as former Onchan resident Rachel Quirk, now representing Crossgates from Yorkshire, was superb in winning the ladies tourism competition with a 21-18 victory over Maureen Lyons (Pensby). She was by far the best player on Thursday morning and thoroughly deserves her victory. Jenny Moore was the only other local in the last eight losing out 21-15 to Angela Atherton (Ulverston Cons) in the quarter finals.
In the consolation competitions Barry Simm (Lunne Road) took top honours with a 21 17 win over Jimmy Hynes (Spring Bank BC) whilst Caroline Hall (Cleveleys) won the ladies competition beating local Joyce Ogden (Nobles Park) 21 14.
Stuart Gall (Rishton) won the Last chance mixed competition defeating Michael Coupe (Houghton) 21-18 after a very closely contested final. In the Visit.com Flyer Brian Coleman (Zetland) beat teammate Steve McManus (Zetland) 9 3 in the final.
As always the doubles competitions proved popular with locals and visitors alike and the highlight of these was the open doubles where players can pick their own partners. Andy Spragg (Calow BC) & Callum Wraight were victorious defeating Lee Evans (Barr Lane) & Lee Bleakley (Tottington Cons) 11-9 in the final.
Thanks go to the Department of Economic Development for their support and funding of the festival is without them it quite simply wouldn’t happen. I would also like the thank David Cretney (MLC) for presenting the prizes.
Highest praise of all can only be reserves for Steve Moore and his team who do a remarkable job in putting on and running what is arguably the best event on the bowls calendar. They are a credit to the Island and if they continue to learn and improve things the way they are doing the festival can only go from strength to strength and numbers will undoubtedly increase.
So that’s it, another festival over, and whilst there were some magnificent performances this time around the week belongs to Kez Smith and Jenny Moore as they are the current King and Queen of Crown.
C Tarleton Hodgson Ladies’ league Friday 24 June
There were only four games played in the C Tarleton Hodgson sponsored ladies’ league on Friday 24 June., due to the involvement of other teams in the Super 32 event at South Ramsey. League leaders, Port St Mary, had a comfortable win over Onchan, dropping just two points to the home side’s lone winner Marilyn Ellison. The match between Douglas and Port Erin showed the importance of fighting for every point, as although they lost 6-3 on games the home side ended with a deficit of only 4 points. Purt le Moirrey were in fine form against Ballaugh, winning 5-4 on games but nearly getting a sixth game when Tracy Moore lost out 20-21 to Ellie Faragher. It is not often that Peel Sunset get the better of Castletown, but a 6-3 win gave them victory by 8 points as their opponents all fought well and all reached double figures.
Dorothy Piearce Ladies’ Pairs Qualifier
Ten pairs entered the qualifier for the Dorothy Piearce Pairs which was played at Finch Hill on Sunday 26 June, the winning pair to represent the island at the Longton VM Sports and Social Club, Lancashire, on Saturday 13 August.
The weather was not kind and waterproofs were the order of the day.
Semi-finals: Helen Martin and Janet Monk 21, Fiona Kennish and Jenny Moore 13; Joyce Ogden and Philippa Taylor 21, Jean Thackrah and Mavis Franks 4
Helen and Janet had the better of the first exchanges in the final, taking a 10-5 lead. The other pair fought back staunchly to level at 11-11.The Mooragh pairing swept through to lead again at 17-12 before Philippa and Joyce staged another come-back to 17 across, but their effort was in vain as a single followed by a three gave the game to Helen and Janet, who will now represent the IOM in Lancashire on Saturday 13 August.
Junior Girls Merit Qualifier
The Qualifier for The British Junior Merit, which will take place on 13 August at Gresford Colliery Bowling Club in Wrexham, was played on Saturday 25 June at Marown.
It was a pity that only three girls entered, but what the field lacked in quantity it made up for in quality. The event was played as a round-robin, with each girl playing two games to 15. It was the first year that Rebekah Kelly had entered, and her inexperience showed, but she also showed plenty of promise – watch out for her next year !
The final result Bethany Kennish 30, Sarah Quirk 26, Rebekah Kelly 11
There are several more girls playing on the island, and the standard on display at Marown on Saturday shows that the future of ladies’ bowls is in safe hands.
Julia North Ladies’ Singles
There was an entry of 32 for the ladies’ singles played at Marown on Saturday 25 June for the Julia North Trophy.
The fast and very tricky green engendered a sense of fun in some of the games and there were some excellent bowls played in a friendly atmosphere.
Quarter-finals: Katy Williams 21, Julie Reilly 17; Janet Monk 21, Alison Keggen 19; Lisa Boland 21, Rosie Winckle 18; Caroline Parker 21, Margaret Tasker 9.
This left 3 players from Mooragh Park plus Lisa Boland from Douglas in the semi-finals.
Semi-finals: Janet Monk 21, Katy Williams 20; Caroline Parker 21, Lisa Boland 18.
After two very close semi-finals, Janet got the bit between her teeth in the final, and although Caroline managed to take two 2’s and a single off her, she came through to win 21-11.
Rosie Winckle thanked everyone who came, and those who stayed to the end. Thanks also went to those who had helped during the afternoon.
She then introduced Julia North to make the presentations. Julia congratulated those who had taken part in the latter stages, and commented on the tense semi-finals and the standard of bowls in the final.
Ballacashtal
In contrast to the recent sunshine Castletown Bowling Club hosted the 50th Anniversary of the Veros Digital Sponsored Ballacashtal Cup in wind and rain on Sunday.
104 bowlers made the pilgrimage to the old capital for this biggest one day competition on the Island. It Was South Ramsey’s John Kennish went one step further that the previous day lifting the trophy thanks to a superb 21-7 final win over the Wirral’s Peter Jones.
Kennish eliminated Port St Mary’s Paul Skelly in the semi final 21-11 whilst Jones had to fight all the way to see of the challenge of Marown’s Neil Wilthers 21-20.
Losing out at the quarter final stage were Ian Johnson, Mark Bramhall, Dave Halstead & Michael Hewitson.
Thanks go to Casteltown Bowling Club for putting on and running a superb competition despite very testing conditions for organisers and competitors alike and also to Veros Digital for their sponsorship.
Jim Kernan
Visitor Wayne Ditchfield won the Jim Kernan trophy on a very tricky South Ramsey green beating John Kennish 21-19 in a highly entertaining final.
Ditchfield settled superbly from his first bowl of the day and had to be at the top of his game to beat pre-tournament favourite Kennish on his own patch.
Wayne had to overcome the challenge of another local in the semi-finals as he dispatched David Bradford 21-14. At the same stage Kennish beat his common adversary Colin Kelly by the same score.
Fallers at the quarter finals were Stevie Kelly, Tony Hary, Mark Bramhall & John ‘Doctor’ Watson.
Thanks go to South Ramsey and to George Brew in both his capacity as green keeper for turning out an immaculate playing surface but also as sponsor. Thanks George.
June Festival Preview
It’s always hard to predict what will happen in the Men’s main festival competition, as unlike the programme the games won’t be played on paper.
There is always someone who tears up the form book and puts in a barnstorming performance to set the cat amongst the pigeons!
This year is no different and with the usual host of top visiting names it is almost impossible to call. Nicholson, Gilpin, Ditchfield, Wraight, Bailey & Gilmore they are all now familiar names on the Island and will be hoping this is their year.
There are some new names this time too and some unfamiliar faces who will be hoping to make their first visit to the Island a fruitful one.
There should be a strong local showing as well, although John Kennish will need to play the tournament of his life to win as he is giving the field a five point start after winning back to back festivals in September 2014 and June 2015. Colin Kelly will hope to do well as will David Bradford, Glynn Hargraves and in form Matthew Keggen to name just a few.
This always backfires on me but my predictions to qualify from their sections and make the last eight on finals day is below:
Jack Dyson v James Palmer, Ian Nicholson v John Bailey, James Wilcox v Matt Gilmore, Callum Wraight v Colin Kelly
South Top At Half Way
South Ramsey A defeated Port Erin A 8-2 last week ensuring they top Ellan Vannin Fuels Men’s Division one at the half way stage.
As the domestic league scene now takes a week out, with the Island hosting the June Bowls Festival, South will be delighted with how they have performed so far this season winning all 12 of their matches to head Marown by four points at the turn.
Their talisman John Kennish also leads the way at the top of the individual merit with team mate Dave ‘Dido’ Kelly hot on his heals to add to what has been a brilliant start for the Ramsey men. They were most peoples tip for the title before a bowl was played and they are certainly living up to their billing as the ones to beat.
Marown A are course and distance men and are still very much in the hunt, knowing that a big result against South when they play each other would be enough to cancel out the points differential. They played South Ramsey B last time out and with an 8-2 win of their own kept the point’s difference static.
Defending champions Onchan A are third but trail the leaders by thirteen points, after a good 7-3 win away to Castletown A, which may be a bridge too far.
Realistically they need a near perfect second half to close the cap and mount a serious title challenge, and I am not sure they have enough in the tank to do it. That said they know how to win though, and if they can get themselves there or there about approaching the closing stages you just never know.
Port St Mary A seem to have settled into fourth spot now and will have their sights firmly set on Onchan who are 9 points ahead of them, and results like their 8-2 win over North Ramsey will do them no harm at all.
As the division starts to take shape it’s the bottom that proves equally as interesting as the top. Ballaugh A occupy the foot of the table after narrowly losing out 4-6 away from home to second bottom Nobles A. Both these teams have improved dramatically in recent weeks and they will be hoping to build on their first half results as they fight for their first division lives.
Finch Hill A are third bottom, four points ahead of Nobles, and will be delighted to have picked up four points in the last match at the Villa against Douglas A narrowly losing out 6-4 after tying on games.
Peel A remain at the summit of Division Two however they were made to fight all the way to the end last time out at Ballaugh A winning 6-4 thanks to the aggregate points.
Castletown B are second, seven points behind the leaders, and will be delighted to have left Port St Mary C with a 7-3 win.
Peel B put in a great performance to beat Noble B 8-2 and move within one point of Town. This will be a remarkable turn around for the club if they can get both of their teams in the top two spots and back into division one.
Peel C aren’t having the same good fortunes and are bottom trailing second bottom team Ballaugh C by seven points. North Ramsey B are only one point better off in tenth place.
Division Three leaders Douglas C put in a really strong showing at home to beat new boys Marown C 9-1 and extend their lead at the top to ten points.
Port Erin B are still in second place and should be happy with a good 6-4 win away from home at Finch Hill B.
Microgaming ladies’ doubles
The weather was beautiful in Castletown on Saturday 18 June when 21 pairs entered for the ladies’ doubles competition sponsored by Microgaming. The field included several visiting ladies who were over for the June Festival.
Semi-finals: Paula Firth and Sylvia Kennaugh 21, Brigid Lunn and Hilary Kermode 19; Fiona Kennish and Jenny Moore 21, Lyn Bolton and Paula Garrett 18
In a very close final Fiona and Jenny eventually came through to win 21-19.
The presentation was made by Hilary Kermode on behalf of the sponsors, Microgaming.