Joan Murphy spoiled the party for Peel Sunset on Thursday 23 July, winning her game to deny them a full house against Villa, on a morning when Ballaugh also passed the 120 point mark. Edwina Reid and Pauline Worrall, who edged out Ann Gale 21-20 were the two winners for Port St Mary B, while Chris Holland almost levelled the game score, just losing out 20-21 to Mary Simmonds. Port St Mary A won four games at Onchan B, the two winners for the home side being Barbara Kennaugh and Wendy McDowell who just pipped Margaret Tasker 21-19. Three wins to singles figures gave the visitors a strong points lead. It couldn’t have been much closer at Port Erin where it ended level on games with a win to single figures for each side, the visiting side coming through by just one chalk. Onchan A had a 5 point advantage over Marown in another close match while Douglas had the advantage against Nobles, Sue Caley winning to single figures for the home side as did Lin Ruscoe for the visitors. Pat Robertson came close to making the match 3-3 on games reaching 20 against Moire Turner.

Although there were no maximums in the Trend sponsored over 60’s league on Tuesday 21 July two teams came very close. Carol Kaye spared Port Erin’s blushes as her 21-20 win against Maureen Payne denied Onchan A a full house, while Roma Ware’s 21-19 win over Wendy Kennaugh prevented a whitewash for Port St Mary B. In contrast only two points separated Villa and Castletown in a match that ended level on games with each team having a win to single figures, courtesy of Pat Kelly and Ann Hollingworth. Mooragh Park and Douglas ended level on games, with Moira Anderson winning to single figures for the home side as did Lynne Mansley and Jan Osborne for the visitors, giving Douglas the advantage on points. Nobles put on a strong performance at Peel winning five of the six games, Joyce Kelly being the lone winner for the home side. Onchan B also won five games on their trip to Breagle. The home side fought well and all reached double figures, Kay Primrose- Smith winning to single figures and Gwen Tuck reaching 20 against Eileen Killey, to take their total past the 100 mark. The match at Ballaugh also ended 3-3, with Ann Gale for the home side and Mary Alderson for the visitors winning to single figures. Peggy Griffin and Mary Black had quite a tussle with Peggy coming through 21-20.

Two games in the first round of the JMS Veterans’ Shield took place on Thursday 16 July, both being very close when the handicaps came into play. At Marown, Port St Mary A won six of the seven games, the lone winner for the home side being Mary Alderson. Battling performances by Shirley Whelan, reaching 19 against Margaret Tasker and Celia Joughin, just losing out 20-21 to Tricia Bull made things tense, with the score before handicap giving Port St Mary a comfortable win. However, adding in Marown’s 25 point handicap meant that the visitors came through by a mere two points.

In the second match things were closer on match play, Port Erin leading 4-3 on games. Jenny Maddrell won to single figures for Ballaugh, while Jackie Elliott and Peggy Griffin’s game could have gone either way, Jackie coming through 21-20. On straight points Ballaugh had a 121-115 advantage, but the handicap made it too close for comfort, Port Erin’s extra five points had Ballaugh winning by a single chalk.

ROUND 1: MAROWN 137, PORT ST MARY A 139:

Handicap 25, Handicap 0; Shirley Whelan 19, Margaret Tasker 21; Mary Alderson 21, Kath Looney 13; Margaret Scarffe 5, Val Macfarlane 21; Mary Black 15, Wendy Kennaugh 21; Celia Joughin 20, Tricia Bull 21; Maureen Quilliam 17, Wyn Collister 21; Bunty Corkhill 15, Rita Callister 21;

PORT ERIN 140, BALLAUGH 141:

Handicap 25, Handicap 20; Carol Kaye 21, Ann Gale 14; Jean Thackrah 6, Jenny Maddrell 21; Mavis Franks 21, Jane Teare 10; Jacqui Elliott 21, Peggy Griffin 20; Sylvia Shelbourne 21, Mary Simmonds 14; Voirrey Curphey 13, Voirrey Oates 21; Audrey Gardner 12, Ellie Faragher 21;

Three teams reached the 120 point mark in the Trend sponsored over 60’s ladies’ league on Tuesday 14 July. Top scorers were Port St Mary A posting yet another maximum, this time at Marown. Mary Black came closest to preventing the full house reaching 20 against Kath Looney. Castletown won five games against Peel Sunset, with Jean Quine preventing a whitewash for the visitors, while in a high scoring game at Port Erin, Ballaugh won four games to reach 120 points. A feature of the match was the game between the two Voirreys, Voirrey Oates just pipping Voirrey Curphey 21-20.Lynne Mansley was the only winner for Douglas against Onchan A, Sue Caley almost giving them a second game as she reached 19 against Flo Kelly. At Nobles Lin Ruscoe won to single figures as did Lilian Slinger for Mooragh Park, whose other winner was Mary Kinrade. The other two matches were much closer, Onchan B just having a one chalk advantage over Villa, who were a player short. In the match between southern neighbours, Port St Mary B had a two point advantage against Breagle in a match that ended level on games.

Tuesday 7 July

Port St Mary A scored another maximum, this time at Douglas who were unfortunately a player short. Joyce Gardiner was the party-pooper for Castletown against Onchan B, winning her game to sigle figures to deny them a full house. Breagle had two winners against Port Erin, Kay Primrose-Smith and Sylvia Maddrell who crept past Mavis Franks 21-20. Nobles had the better of Onchan A 4-2 on games, the game of the match being Flo Kelly’s 21-19 win over Shirley Fargher, while Marown also won 4-2, the two winners for Villa being Brenda Williams and Pat Kelly. Lilian Slinger, to single figures and Maureen Wright were the two winners for Mooragh Park against Ballaugh while Port St Mary B and Peel Sunset drew on games, The visitors having the advantage on points with all their players getting well into double figures.

Thursday 9 July

There were no maximums in the Trend over 60’s league on Thursday 9 July, but several clubs got close. Port St Mary A won five games but were denied their full house by Jean Thackrah, while Eileen Killey was the fly in the ointment for Peel Sunset. In that match Theresia Britten almost gave Onchan B another game, reaching 19 against Joyce Kelly. Onchan A fell one short of the 120 point mark, winning four games, Flo Kelly to single figures, while Hazel Hughes just lost out 20-21 to Mary Kinrade.Port St Mary B won 4-2 on games with Gill Aughton and Pauline Worrall winning to single figures. The two winners for Villa were Brenda Williams and Kay McKiernan while Pat Kelly just lost out 20-21 to Edwina Reid. Ballaugh put in a good performance against Douglas whose two winners were Wendy Cowin and Jan Osborne who prevailed over Mary Simmonds 21-20.Castletown and Noble’s ended level on games without any of the games being particularly close, the visiting team ending with a 9 point advantage. Marown had the better of Breagle in a close match which they won 4-2 on games, which all went to double figures, and a margin of four points.