Isle of Man County Crown Green Bowling Association

Friday evening saw the return of the post festival invitational competition, with the competition organised by local bowler Paul Dunn, with Douglas Bowling Club hosting the event and 32 bowlers accepting the invitation to play. The competition featured 16 local bowlers, and 16 visitors who had taken part in the Isle of Man June Bowls Festival.

The competition was put in place in memory of the late Sheila Freeman, who visited the Island for a number of years with her partner Derek Halsall who sponsored the competition.

The format was 21 up with 3 on the card, with the draw taking place earlier in the afternoon from two pots with visiting bowlers playing local players in the first round.

With a strong field taking part, it proved tough for the local bowlers, with just five of the 16 locals winning their first round games, with Jamie Box (Marown), Glynn Hargraves (South Ramsey, John Kennish (South Ramsey), Dave ‘Barney’ Kelly (Peel) and Stevie Kelly (Peel) going into the second round.

Box won 21-14 against Ryan Clark, Hargraves beat Gareth Hughes 21-17, Kennish held off Mark Hughes 21-17, Dave ‘Barney’ Kelly breezed through 21-9 against Joe Cranston, whilst Stevie Kelly impressed with a 21-19 win against Chris Mordue.

Other notable first round results were Castletown’s Nathan Hamilton losing out to Conor Chamberlain 19-21, Paul Dunn (Marown) was pipped to the post 20-21 by Josh Mordue, Gaz Lally got over the line 21-19 against Phil Kelly (Marown), whilst Jack Dyson just edged home 21-20 against Tom Kelly (Marown).

At the quarter final stage Conor Chamberlain lost out 18-21 to Reece Farr, Glynn Hargraves won 21-16 against Gaz Lally. In the bottom half of the draw the current holder John Kennish had an epic battle with Callum Wraight, with the spectators treated to some fine bowling, with the pair clashing at the same stage as they did in last year’s competition, it was Kennish who prevailed again with a 21-19 victory to progress to the semi-final, whilst Stevie was up against it with John Bailey losing out 8-21.

The first semi-final saw Hargraves up against Farr, after exchanging ends in the early part of the game, Hargraves got a run with the jack with the score at 13-11 to lead 20-11 playing a sweeping round peg off the edge of the crown. Farr got in to take a single, however a good first bowl from the South Ramsey man was enough to book his spot in the final with a 21-12 win.

The other semi-final saw Bailey take a 13-7 lead over Kennish, however the local man stepped up a couple of gears to see the game out with a 21-15 victory playing the edge in front of the kitchen on a falling mark.

The final got underway with the floodlights coming into play, with the green still proving tricky. For a second consecutive year it was two locals vying for the title, with Kennish the current holder starting as favourite. A two on the first end saw Kennish head for the edge that had served him well in the semi-final, however Hargraves got in immediately to win three ends on the bounce as he headed for the mark that had won him the semi-final.

Kennish got in with a single and headed for the crown, was counting for two with Hargraves playing a rambler in an effort to save, he somewhat fortuitously counted one, went on to win four ends on the spin to lead 10-6. Two quick fire doubles from Kennish saw the game level at 10-10 after 11 ends.

With both players throwing the jack off the green on consecutive ends it was Hargraves who pressed ahead 17-13 having won five of the next seven ends returning to a mark played in the earlier rounds over the middle of the green. Kennish hit back once again to close the deficit to a solitary chalk at 16-17. With Kennish in the corners and counting for two, there was room to get in, with the last bowl of the end just getting in between two short bowls to count.

A single on the next end put Hargraves within touching distance of the title and £500 first prize, and he duly obliged putting up two good bowls on the final end to win the game 21-16, whilst Kennish took home £250.

At the conclusion of play the presentation was made by competition organiser Paul Dunn who thanked everyone had had accepted the invitation to play, Douglas Bowling Club for hosting the event, providing a superb playing surface, all the club members who had helped, along with competition sponsor Derek Halsall who was introduced to present the prizes.