Isle of Man County Crown Green Bowling Association

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.