Finch Hill Bowling Club held the any combination pairs Open Competition for the Douglas Borough Council Challenge Cup on a rainswept blustery afternoon when it took full concentration to shut out the elements.

At the quarter final stage, there were comfortable wins for the defending champions Glenn Boland and Peter Jones (both Marown) over club mates Matthew Keggen and Paul Kelly 21-15. Derek Allen (Port Erin) and Brian Lindsay (Peel) saw off the home greeners Lil Smith and Dave McCabe 21-12, Alison Kearsley (Castletown) and daughter Ruby Keggen (Marown) overcame Peel pair Gilly and Phil Clarke 21-12, whilst Nathan Hamilton (Castletown) and Sam Clague (Marown) beat another Finch Hill pairing Dave Dixon and John Qualtrough 21-11.

In the semi-final games Hamilton and Clague proved too strong for the Kearsley and Keggen running out winners 21-8 while Boland and Jones had a keenly contested match against Allen and Lindsay. Leading 18-13 after 15 ends the Port Erin/Peel combination conceded a single then a four to see the match tied. Jones played a long jack to the corner but this was matched by an excellent wood from Allen and after picking up a double they went on to pick up the single required on the next end to win 21-18.

The efforts of their semi-final seemed to take their toll on Allen and Lindsay as they were unable to raise their game to match Hamilton and Clague’s consistent leads. The one sided affair ended 21-10 to the Castletown/Marown pair.

At the Presentation, Nathan thanked Finch Hill for putting on the event and remarked how well the green had held up in the conditions and he also thanked the Ladies for the catering provided throughout the day.

Blessed with a fine summer’s afternoon, Finch Hill hosted the Apollo Blinds Mixed Pairs Open on Sunday.

In the Quarter Finals, the home pairing of Anne Hon and Stephen Oates had a close fought match with Jan Osborne (Finch Hill) and Peter Greenlees (Peel) until a decisive 19th end when Jan and Peter scored a full house, going on to win 21-16. 

South Ramsey’s Elaine and Alan Moore had a comfortable win over Derek Allen (Port Erin) and Lil Smith (Marown) 21-11. 

Steven Waters (North Ramsey) and Fiona Kennish (South Ramsey) overcame another Finch Hill pairing, Iris Kermode and Pat Maher 21-14. The defending Champions Debbie Leece and Glenn Boland (Marown) could not repeat their feat of the previous year going down 21-15 to Margaret Tasker (Port St Mary) and Les Brookes (Finch Hill) 21-15.

In the Semi-Finals Elaine and Alan proved too strong for Jan and Peter although they did concede a four on the sixth end before going on to win 21-12. In the other semi-final, Steven and Fiona also conceded a four but were too strong for Margaret and Les winning 21-16.

The Final was a hard fought affair with nothing to choose between them after 10 ends, tied at 12 across. Steven and Fiona edged ahead and were 18-14 in front after 16 ends but a mistake on the next end allowed Elaine and Alan back into the game and they made the most of the opportunity, winning 21-18 with a decisive three on the 20th end.

Chris Reynolds from Apollo Blinds presented the prizes and Elaine thanked the sponsors for their continued support and Finch Hill for their hospitality in putting on the event.

A good entry of 32 pairs contested the final Open of the season, the any combination pairs competition at Finch Hill for the Douglas Borough Council Challenge Cup.

On a chilly day the trophy was destined to have a new name on it with previous winners Jenny Moore and James Teare competing off – Island.

At the quarter final stage Marown duo Walter McCarthy and Karl Parker staged an impressive comeback from 13-20 down against Port St Mary pair Jordan Drewett and Nathan Hamilton to win.

The match involving Sam Clague (Marown) and Dean Kinley (Peel) against Marown’s Glenn Boland and Peter Jones was an entertaining encounter which saw Glenn and Peter prevail 21-18.

Onchan men Kevin Quirk and Steve Parker always had the measure of Victoria Johnson (Mooragh Park) and Nigel Tebay (Ballaugh) and ran out comfortable winners 21-15. In the game with father and son pairing Colin Kelly and Kevin Kelly (both Marown) a decisive ninth end saw their opponents Steven Waters and Bob Clark (South Ramsey) score four chalks which put them into a comfortable lead which they never relinquished.

In the first semi-final Boland and Jones were always in control against McCarthy and Parker to win 21-10. The second semi-final saw another impressive fight back with Waters and Clark coming back from 10-15 down to run out winners 21-16. The Final proved to be a rather one sided affair with Boland and Jones proving too strong for Waters & Clark to run out winners by a 21-10 score line.

The competition is sponsored by Douglas Corporation and her Worshipful Mayor Ms Janet Thommeny kindly came along to make the presentation. Thanks to the Ladies at Finch Hill for the catering during the afternoon and to all the members who helped out on the day.

Quality over quantity was the order of the day at Finch Hill as the Apollo Blinds sponsored mixed pairs competition was played out on a lovely warm afternoon.

At the quarter final stage there were a couple of epic battles with South Ramsey’s Elaine Moore and Alan Moore edging out Marown duo Rebecca Teare and Peter Jones. With the match tied at 20-20, a fortuitous final wood from Alan courtesy of a couple of wicks saw the jack settle nearest to their poorest bowl to claim the tie.
Marown pair Walter McCarthy and Jayne Smith got the better of Steven Waters and Fiona Kennish (both South Ramsey) in an entertaining match 21-19. In the other matches Marown’s Debbie Leece and Glenn Boland defeated Mark Kelly and Sandra May (both Onchan), while South Ramsey’s Jenny Moore and James Teare beat Philippa Taylor (Marown) and Alec Taylor (Peel).

The semi-final match between Alan & Elaine and Debbie & Glenn was nip and tuck all the way before Debbie and Glenn got over the line 21-18. The other semi-final was a comfortable win for Jenny and James over Philippa and Alec.

In the final, after a tight first six ends Debbie and Glenn powered ahead after a couple of triples and successive doubles to win 21-13.

Richard White from Apollo Blinds was on hand to present the prizes and Glenn thanked everyone involved in putting on the competition.

A field of 38 pairs contested the Douglas Borough Council Challenge Cup on Sunday.

At the quarter final stage Debbie Leece and Neil Withers (Marown) came back from 8-16 down to win 21-17 against Steven Waters and Alan Moore (South Ramsey), while Matthew Keggen and Paul Kelly (Marown) got the better of club mate Joyce Ogden and Mike Hargraves (Castletown) 21-12.

Finch Hill pair Pat Maher and Mark Taylor put up a fine show, before eventually losing out 17-21 to South Ramsey’s Jenny Moore and James Teare, while Sue Gawne (Onchan) and Andy Kennish (Peel) were up against Castletown pair Sam Clague and Nathan Hamilton, which was nip and tuck early on, however Gawne and Kennish pulled away to win comfortably 21-13.

In the semi-finals Moore and Teare always had the upper hand against Gawne and Kennish and ran out winners 21-13. The all Marown semi-final was an extremely tight affair which Keggen and Kelly eventually edged it 21-20 against Leece and Withers.

In the final Moore and Teare were always in control of the game as they won 10 of the 13 ends, making light work of Keggen and Kelly as they went on to win 21-10.

Brian Murphy, Finch Hill Competition Secretary presented the prizes on behalf of the club. He thanked the club members for all their hard work in support of the competition which was a great success.