The Jean Kelly Memorial Handicap team knock-out competition got under way on Wednesday 20 April. Douglas did not have too far to travel for their match at Noble’s, but the home side had the upper hand, leading 5-4 on games, although once the handicaps kicked in they won by a narrow margin of 7 points. The battle of the Smiths saw Julie have the better of Jayne by 2 in the closest game of the match.

Onchan could only field eight players to give Castletown an advantage that they didn’t really need, as the visitors won six of the eight games played, Hannah Drewett and Kath Kinley winning to single figures. The two winners for Onchan were Maureen Payne and Lynda Clarke while Dee Lewis reached 19 against Kim Foy.

Port St Mary were in imperious form for the visit of Ballaugh winning seven games, five of them to single figures. The two winners for the travellers were Jenny Maddrell, to single figures, and Pat Mason who edged out Tricia Bull 21-20.

South Ramsey were another team not to be denied on the night, their form making short work of Marown’s handicap. Five of their seven wins were to single figures, as was Shirley Whelan’s for Marown. The other winner for the visitors was Mary Alderson, while Rosie Winckle fought hard to reach 18 against Lyn Bolton.

Libby Andrade saved Onchan’s blushes in the C Tarleton Hodgson sponsored ladies’ league on Friday 22 April, as her 21-20 win over Anne Oates denied Castletown a full house. Dee Lewis almost gave the home side a second game as she lost out 20-21 to Ann Hollingworth. Despite the visitors winning three of their games to single figures, Onchan managed to push their score over the hundred point mark. Port St Mary also won eight games, three of them to single figures, the lone winner for Douglas being Muriel Cain, while Kath King came close to adding another game when she was edged out 21-20 by Katy Williams and like Onchan Douglas also pushed their score over 100. Port Erin had two winners in Voirrey Curphey and Mavis Franks, but this was not enough to stop South Ramsey’s impetus, as they won five of their seven games to single figures. The closest match of the night was at Noble’s where Ballaugh had a 5-4 advantage on games, but Kim Hargraves reaching 19 against Barbara Graham and Flo Price’s 20 against Alison Millard, together with Clare Cooper’s win to single figures, gave the home side victory by 2 points. Peel Sunset travelled South to play Purt le Moirrey, and came away 5-4 up on games. Two games of note saw Joyce Kelly and Chris Price in a tussle which went Chris’s way 21-19, while Lynda Wilson kept Roma Ware on 20 for five ends as she came back from 12-20 to all-but across before Roma claimed the final point. Mooragh Park made a fight of it when they visited Marown, winning four games and losing by just 9 points. The battle of the night saw Lil Smith lose out 19-21 to Rosemary Quirk.

It is a very rare event for a team to score the maximum 189 points in the C Tarleton Hodgson sponsored ladies’ league but it was a feat achieved by two teams on Friday 15 April. Port St Mary won all nine games against Marown with three players winning to single figures, while Mary Alderson came closest to spoiling their party, reaching 19 against Kath Looney.. Five Ballaugh players won to single figures when they recorded a full house against Onchan whose best scores were achieved by Rita Callan, who reached 18 against Ann Gale, and Leslie Nicholl who scored 19 against Alison Millard. Last year’s runners up, South Ramsey, were in no mood for leniency towards the team who finished just behind them. Castletown could manage only two wins, by Hannah Drewett and Hilary Kermode, both to single figures, while their opponents won five of their seven games to single figures. It was closer in the west where Peel Sunset won 5-4 on games against Douglas. Some of the games were very close, and Sarah Quirk. making her second appearance of the year for the westerners played particularly well to reach 19 against Paula Garrett. It was also 5-4 at Port Erin where all the home players reached double figures, the toughest game of the match saw Lynda Cadamy come through 21-18 against Chris Price. Mooragh Park had a tough struggle against Noble’s, winning just three games, but with so many new players the rebuilding of the team must be on the way up.

It was a miserable night on Friday but all games went ahead despite the rain which got heavier as the evening progressed. Leading scorers were South Ramsey, 6-3 ahead on games with four of their players winning to single figures. The three winners for Ballaugh were Ann Gale, Mary Simmonds and Christine Mc Donald. Mooragh Park also passed the 170 point mark against a depleted Onchan side, with the home side having two winners in Maureen Payne, to single figures, and Rita Callan. Despite a narrow 5-4 win on games, with three of their players winning to single figures, and Wendy Cowin reaching 20 against Celia Joughin, Douglas had a comfortable win on points against Marown. Over in the west, Peel Sunset won 7 games, Joyce Kelly’s win to single figures being balanced by Lynda Cadamy’s for Port Erin. The rest of the games were close with Jackie Elliott beginning to make a habit of taking her opponent to the wire, this time just losing out 20-21 to Sue Jones. The two winners for Noble’s against Port St Mary were Rebecca Teare and Clare Cooper who both won to single figures, as did Val Macfarlane and Jayne Kneen for the visitors. Purt le Moirrey won 5-4 on games against Castletown, but with three wins to single figures and Ann Hollingworth scoring 20 against Edwina Reid the points victory went to Castletown.

The C Tarleton Hodgson Sponsored ladies’ league got their 2016 season under way on Wednesday 6 April, when although cold the weather was not too inclement. As was to be expected the best starts were made by the current champions, Port St Mary, and the team tipped as one of their leading contenders, South Ramsey.

Port St Mary played hosts to Onchan, who were unfortunately a player short. Maureen Payne was the lone winner for the visitors while three of the home players, Ann Maddrell, Tricia Bull and Margaret Tasker won to single figures. A depleted Mooragh Park, one player short and other key players missing, travelled across town to South Ramsey. With a win to Gill Morgan and Helen Martin reaching a hard-earned 19 against Shelley Kennish, the visitors could glean some positives and with a plethora of new players their rebuilding could be under way. Purt le Moirrey had a fruitful journey to Ballaugh, winning 7 of the 9 games. The two winners for the home side were Jenny Maddrell and Ellie Faragher while Ann Gale reached 19 against Chris Price. Noble’s against Marown gave us a mixture of close, and not so close, matches with three wins to single figures for the home side and one for the visitors. In contrast Sylvia Kennaugh and Celia Joughin went all the way with Sylvia just edging it 21-20.The closest match of the night was at Port Erin with the home side having a 5-4 advantage on games. Lynda Cadamy and Carol Kaye won to single figures as did Jan Osborne for Douglas .Brenda Williams took Jackie Elliott to the wire before going down 20-21.There were some good games between Castletown and Peel Sunset, although the visitors were always on the back foot, and althoughPeel lost by just the one game the home side had the distinct advantage on points.