Author Archives: Competition Secretary

Rayner Shield & Plate Final Venues

Rayner Shield Winners 2014

Back Row (L-R): Mike Cain, Stuart Clague, Phil Kelly, John Gelling, Peter Kelly
Front Row (L-R): Neil Withers, Ian Kissack (Captain), Dean Kipling, Colin Kelly

For both finals where possible can all players arrive around 6:30 on the night so that team photos can be taken prior to play commencing at 7pm. Players must also conform to BCGBA Dress Code which is Grey or Black Trousers & Collared Shirts (preferably Club Shirts). Any player not conforming to this will not be allowed to play on the night. The full BCGBA dress code rule is below.

Rayner Plate

Time Match # Home Score Away
Fri 31 Jul 2015
19:00 Final Port St Mary B (+40) –:– North Ramsey B (+40)

Rayner Shield

Time Match # Home Score Away
Fri 07 Aug 2015
19:00 Final Port St Mary A –:– South Ramsey A

Player Dress Code

  1. Hard or block heeled footwear must not be worn whilst on the green in any match played under the Association’s jurisdiction.
  2. The following is the only permitted dress for male bowlers in all County Matches (Senior, Junior, Veterans and Supplementary), including away practice and the Finals Days of all tournaments organised or run by the Association.
    1. Trousers: These shall be full length, single coloured trousers, in grey or black. Studs, rivets and zipped pockets are not allowed, nor are external pockets on the legs. Nothing in this rule shall prevent exceptions being made for individuals with a relevant disability.
    2. Shirts: County Associations to determine the style and design of their County shirt, which must be collared and may include County’s insignia, player’s name, Club insignia, sponsor’s insignia and/or manufacturer’s insignia. This to apply for County reprersentative games only. Collared shirts to be worn for finals days of all tournaments organised and run by the Association.
    3. Where necessary, and in accordance with the pertaining weather conditions, sweaters which conform to the above and/or wet weather gear may be worn.
    4. In team contests it is strongly recommended that uniform clothing is worn by all team members.
    5. Nothing in the above shall be interpreted to allow the wearing of track suits, shell suits or denims.
    6. In the events to which Rule 2 is applicable permitted practice on the day will only be allowed to those to this standard and any player transgressing will be dealt with under sub-clauses 2(g) and 2(h).
    7. Any player failing to conform to this standard will be prevented from playing (or continuing) in the competition and may be liable to forfeit any entry fee for, or prize money earned in, the competition.
    8. In the case of team contests any offending player must be substituted prior to the commencement of the game. However, if the player’s game has commenced, the player shall score nil and the opponent shall receive the maximum score.

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Ramsey Town Cups

Ramsey Town Cup Winners 2015

Mens: Dave 'Barney' Kelly presented by Mike Skelly
Ladies: Jenny Moore

North Ramsey Bowling Club hosted a men’s singles and a ladies’ singles played in tandem at Moorage Park on Saturday 11 July.  There was an amazing entry of 64 men and 34 Ladies sharing the green at one point utilising eight jacks.

The men’s competition, was sponsored by the Ramsey Commissioner’s who are celebrating their 150 years while the ladies’ was sponsored by the IOM bank who are also celebrating their sesquicentenary. The Commissioners and dignitaries gathered before play began and got things under way by doing the toss for the first two games.

Men’s Result

Isle of Man Captain Dave ‘Barney’ Kelly, who has seen a new lease of life since the national teams inclusion in the senior county championships, turned back the years to win the coveted trophy.

Kelly is still a force to be reckoned with and was at the top of his game this weekend with a 21-11 final win over Ramsey homester Geoff Porter. Porter had a red letter day himself by making it to the final taking some great scalps along the way.

In the Semi-finals Kelly overcame the spirited challenge of Dave Faragher 21-15 whilst our runner up eliminated stable mate Rob Monk 21-11.

Fallers at the quarter final stage were Tony Smart, Phil Kelly, David Thomas and Bernie Durcan.

North Ramsey should be praised for the effort and innovation they have put into this now rejuvenated competition. Players vote with their feet and the evidence that their hard work is paying dividends is the number and the quality of bowlers that they attracted. Keep up the good work.

Ladies Result

Quarter-finals: Jenny Maddrell 21, Alison Keggen 20; Paula Garrett 21, Lil Smith 12; Jenny Moore 21, Gill Morgan 10; Mavis Franks 21, Casey Bolton 15

Semi-finals: Paula Garrett 21, Jenny Maddrell 10; Jenny Moore 21, Mavis Franks 18

In the final Paula won the first two ends before Jenny took control, allowing Paula just three more singles during the game, running out a 21-11 winner.

The presentation was made by club competition secretary, Mike Skelly, who thanked those who had entered, those who had helped during the afternoon and particularly the sponsors, Ramsey Commissioners and the Isle of Man Bank.

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Spar Mixed Doubles

SONY DSC

SONY DSC

On Sunday Ballaugh Bowling club held the spar Mixed Pairs. With an entry of 44 pairs it was always going to be a long day but the weather kept fair and there was good bowling.

The final saw the husband and wife duo of Matthew and Alison Keggen in their first final against defending champions Trevor Quayle & Lyn Bolton. The Keggen’s raced into a 13-5 lead before a great bowl from Trevor under pressure got them on the score-sheet and with the block they had a run taking them into a 15-13 lead. Matthew & Alison regained the jack on a tight measure and with the jack back ran out to win 21-15 and their first mixed doubles.

The losing semi finalists were Ann Gale and John Breen and Elaine Moore and Stefan Kelly. At the conclusion Club Vice President John Keenan presented the prizes and thanked our sponsors spar for their continuing support, Richard Faragher & Paul Bradford for running the competition and the ladies of the Club for keeping us all fed and watered.

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Grimshaw 4’s

Grimshaw Fours Winners 2015

Jordan Cain & Matthew Quirk

The weather did nothing to dampen the spirits of the 27 pairs who made the annual pilgrimage to Marown for the infamous Tynwald Day Doubles Competition.

Matthew Quirk and Jordan Cain were left singing in the rain as they won their first men’s doubles competition after nine years of asking and just missing out on so many occasions.

They did so with a 21-14 win over father and son pairing Bernie and Steve Durcan who also handled the tricky conditions so well all day, and they should also be proud of their efforts.

Our eventual victors showed their pedigree in the wet in the Semi-Finals as they knocked out home pairing and pre-competition favourites Colin Kelly and Neil Wither 21-15. The Durcan’s had to hold their nerve at the same stage as they edged past Port St Mary’s Ewan Cooil and Wayne Roberts 21-19.

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Port St Mary Win Jean Kelly Memorial Trophy

Jean Kelly Winners 2015 - Port St Mary

Port St Mary have won the Jean Kelly Memorial Trophy for the third time defeating South Ramsey by 5 chalks.

With South Ramsey starting with a 5 point handicap Port St Mary needed to get out of the traps early and Trish Bull got them off to a flying start winning 21-3. South replied first with a 21-12 win for Gill Dixon against Katy Williams before Elaine Moore and Fiona Kennish won to 16 and 15 respectively. Jayne Kneen completed the first 5 jacks winning 21-14 against Shelly Kennish meaning at the halfway stage the match was all square at 85 points each.

Jenny Moore was first off the second half with a brilliant 21-13 win over Margaret Tasker before Alison Keggen hit back with a 21-10 win meaning Port had a slender 3 point advantage with two games left on the green.

Both teams knew they were in for a tight finish with Lyn Bolton 19-17 up on Wyn Collister and Val Macfarlane level pegging with Jill Quayle in the mid-teens. Winnie battle hard but Lyn came off winning 21-19 and all the attention turned to the final game between Jill and Val who were both playing well under pressure. The game rocked back and forth but Val managed the crucial break away beating Jill to 17 and securing a 5 chalk victory for Port St Mary.

Both set of players should be commended for the standard of bowling on what was a well prepared and good playing surface at Onchan. South Ramsey will go home having won the battle on games but Port St Mary won the war and picked up the trophy on what was the closest final for a number of years.

At the conclusion of the competition Pat Robinson (Ladies President) thanked Heather Horsburgh for running the sheet and Moore Kelly and his family for the prizes and lovely food for the players and spectators.

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Isle of Man vs Lancashire

Isle of Man vs Lancashire

The Isle of Man did themselves and the Island proud on real Tynwald Day as they recorded their first ever home leg win in the Senior County Championships, and fell just six points short of an overall win.

It’s hard to quantify how brilliant this performance is and also the scale of improvement they have shown in each of their three matches in the Crosfield Cup this season.

Every single one of the Manx team left everything they had on the green, both home and away and some of the performances were some of the best ever seen by players wearing their national covers.

Dean Kipling’s 21-1 inhalation of one of the games finest players, former Waterloo champion Alan Broadhurst, away from home is arguably the best ever individual showing by an Island player and as the first game off either green set the Manx men up for an historic day. Kipling’s performance earned him the Endsleigh Insurance man of the match award.

Over at Nobles part things were also going the way of the Island as they chalked up six winners, three to single figures, to beat Lancashire by 21 points in the home leg.

Peter Slinger, Ian Moore, John Kennish, David Bradford, overall man of the match Jordan Cain and Glynn Hargraves were all victorious but this was a real team performance with every player fighting for every point to ensure the win.

Phil Kelly and Colin Kelly chipped in with wins away from home as the Island came within six points of winning the overall match, just dipping out as they lost by 27 chalks away from home.

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Peel Town Cup

There was a stellar line up of 50 of the islands top bowlers at Peel on Saturday to contest the Town Cup.

Glynn Hargraves made it through a loaded top half of the draw to win the magnificent trophy with a 21-11 final win over homester Alec Taylor.

Hargraves, who was recovering from a spell out with a back injury, will be very pleased with his day as he picked up some magnificent scalps along the way including Peel legend Barney Kelly in the first round and Island regular Neil Withers in the semi-final.

Taylor should be very pleased with his days work to make it to the final as he fell just one short against a double Island Champion who was at the top of his game.

Peel Town Cup Winner 2015

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Isle of Man vs Lancashire :: Blog


Kennish is the King of Crown

John Kennish became the first Manx Man ever to win back to back main festival titles, as he added the coveted June title to the one he won last September, and his two previous September wins.

What makes this achievement even more breathtaking is that he was handicapped from his previous victory and giving the field a three point start in most games he played.

It’s hard to put into words how amazing this feat is, especially with arguably the strongest line up in recent memory out to stop him.

If truth be known it was a workman like performance from the South Ramsey man for most of the week, finding crucial bowls when he needed them and doing enough to keep him in the competition ahead of Friday’s finals day.

Friday was a different story however, with him moving through the gears and finding his absolute best. His 21-20 quarter final victory over three time’s winner Ian Nicholson (Victoria) must be a contender for game of the tournament. Kennish led like a champion and Nicholson was determined not to let him have it his own way striking him off on no fewer than six occasions, before he managed to edge home.

He ramped it up another notch in Semis taking out one of the pre tournament favourites John Bailey (Conwy BC) 21-11 to move to within touching distance of his first June title.

In the final he played another Welshman Leighton Roberts, a stable mate of Bailey’s, and was simply mesmerising and in control from the start as he notched up another 21-11 victory to end his wait for the prestigious June crown.

Let’s not take anything away from Roberts though he was brilliant all week ending the challenge of all that stood in his way, before falling at the final hurdle. In the Semi-Finals he ended the challenge of Port St Mary’s Ewan Cooil, who himself had a tremendous week, 21-12 after knocking out Ryan Prosser (KVG) in the quarters.

In the ladies main event Tracy Wraight (Kirkham Cons) surpassed all expectation with a simply brilliant day in the sun, and rain, to lift the trophy. In the final she was on top of her game as she saw off the challenge of last years winner Alexi Lunn-Gadd 21-13.

Mooragh Park’s Janet Monk was picked up the trophy for furthest Manx woman in the competition with another great showing, losing out 21-16 to Lunn-Gadd in the semi-finals. Lets also spend a moment to congratulate the evergreen Lillian Slinger, Janet;s mum, on yet another finals day appearance as she made it to the quarter finals.

There was more local success the day before with South Ramsey’s Jenny Moore, Kennish’s niece, keeping it in the family as she was on fire to take the ladies tourism title with a 21-15 victory over visitor Veronica Lyons. Jenny picked up some great scalps along the way and was in imperious form throughout. She was joined in the last eight by teammate Lyn Bolton who narrowly lost out 21-17 to Jackie Owne (Whitfield BC).

Bookies favourite Callum Wraight from Shropshire took the men’s tourism title to set up another family affair, with his mum taking the main title the following day. In the final he beat Chris Kelly (Thongsbridge) 21-14 after getting the right side of a 21-20 after a ding dong battle with Owen Jackson (Kirkam Cons) the previous round. Onchan man Kevin Quirk was the only local to make it to the latter stages going out 21-11 to Jackson in the quarters.

The open double as always proved one of the most popular competitions of the week with entries selling out within minutes of opening. This year’s winners were Warwick & Worcester pairing Jon Palmer & Gareth Herbert who were victorious with a 11-7 win over Gaz Lalley & James Wilcox (Crossgates).

All of the other doubles competitions also proved as popular as ever with Ryan Prosser & Tom Prichard (KGV) winning 11-7 against Harry Hargreaves (Rishton) & Stuart Garrett (Douglas). The mixed doubles were won by Grahem Moore & Alexus Lunn-Gadd who saw off the challenge of Vinnie O’Donnell & Veronica Lyons 9-5.

Matthew Keggen (Onchan) put in a great performance in the consolation competition getting to the semi finals before losing out to Jon Marshall (Callow BC) 21-18. The competition was won by Nigel Hughes (Wirral) who beat Marshall 21-18.

Thanks as always got to Steve Moore and his team who did a great job in organising the best festival in the bowls calendar. Thanks must also go to the Department of Economic Development and Manx Telecom for their continued support of the competition. There really was an electrifying buzz of anticipation and excitement all week and with numbers fifty up on last year, and the reach of the Island lengthening it seems these tournaments are set to flourish in coming year.

When all is said and done there were plenty of other great performance, some of which I couldn’t mention, from both visitors and locals alike but all of the plaudits surely belong to John Kennish, who was quite simply brilliant. It is almost impossible for me to quantify quite how hard it must have been to win off a handicap and how strong the line was this year. If he wasn’t before he must now be regarded as the greatest Manx Bowler of all time. What ever era or what ever school of thought you belong to you must now take your hat off and applaud John Kennish – the King of Manx Crown.

June Festival Winner 2015

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Douglas Deliver Maximum Game 12

With Onchan A sitting out it was time for chasing pack to put on a show and Douglas A did so with devastating ease as they brushed Castletown B aside 10-0 at the Villa.

This win has seen them move back into second place on equal points with Marown A, however they sit out next time and should realistically slip down to fifth position if everything goes to plan for their rivals.

Third placed Marown A will be disappointed not to have made more ground up on the leaders and will be disappointed to have only won 8-2 at home over a battling Port Erin A side.

Port St Mary A are next just two points behind Douglas & Marown and will be pleased to have caught another point up on the Crosby boys thanks to a 9-1 win over Finch Hill A, who have been causing a few surprises in the top flight.

South Ramsey A were everybody’s tip to push the top two all the way before the season started and despite a shaky middle they are now back on track and will be delighted to have demolished their northern rivals North Ramsey A 10-0.

Castletown A will be pleased to have climbed to sixth place and will be very happy with their work seeing off Nobles A 8-2 at the Crofts.

Second Division leaders Douglas B had an excellent result to keep their title aspirations intact as they travelled to Onchan B and came away with an 8-2 result.

Despite winning 6-4 away at Peel B south Ramsey B have lost more ground and will need to start closing the gap on the Douglas side soon.

Third place Port St Mary B kept things on track with a 7-3 victory over Nobles B to stay in the hunt for top honours.

Onchan C’s 7-3 win against Port Erin B keeps them at the top of the division 3 tree.

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