News: Reports
Haldane Fisher
Report by Mark Kneen
Douglas Bowling Club played host to the Haldane Fisher Mixed Doubles competition on Mad Sunday and a good line up of 19 pairs made it onto the grid despite the rearranges TT races. Matthew Keggen & Rachel Quirk notched up their second title of the season with a 21-14 final victory over Jordan Cain & Paula Firth.
Our winners were in control of the final throughout and found themselves in a 20-9 lead before the runners up staged a bit of a fight back. Both pairs played exceptionally well over the whole day however Keggen & Quirk were more consistent on the extremely tricky green, not necessarily playing many more good woods than their opponents, but certainly less wayward ones.
In the semi-finals our eventual victors but in a brilliant performance to see off Robert & Janet Monk 21-11 whilst Cain & Firth survived an epic tussle with Stuart & Paula Garret to emerge 21-20 winners and book their final birth. Fallers at the quarter finals stage were Glynn & Kim Hargraves, John & Fiona Kennish and Tim & Katy Williams.
At the conclusion of the competition Douglas Bowling Club President Roy Williams presented the prizes thanking everyone for their support of the competition and paid particular thanks to the sponsor Haldane Fisher.
Junior Championship
Report by Mark Kneen
Port St Mary’s Sam Palmer played exceptionally well to pick up the Island Junior title at Marown Bowling Club on Saturday beating defending champion Casey Bolton 21-4 in the final.
Palmer was simply imperious in the final and left Casey no place to hide as his bowls shadowed the jack throughout. Casey should be commended for reaching the final for a second occasion and it was a great attempted defence of her title. Both finalists have qualified to travel away to represent the Island in the British Junior Merit finals in August and I wish them both every success.
Tie of the competition came in the semi-finals with Palmer just seeing off hotly tipped home greener Luke Hyland in an epic encounter 21-20. Hyland should not be discouraged as he really did nothing wrong and played his part magnificently in making this a tremendous match. In the other semi Casey put out Manx Youth Games participant Edward Walker 21-5, Walker is younger than a lot of the field and a real talent and I am sure this is not the last we will see of him. The remaining quarter finalists were Jake Cade, Bobby Thorn, Thomas Curphy and Sam Stannard-Duke.
The future of our game looks in great hands and I hope to see the numbers growing in years to come but things are certainly moving in the right direction. The day though belongs to Sam, himself a Manx Youth Games Coach, and it is great to see him emulating the form of his head coach Glynn Hargraves who picked up the senior title just a few weeks ago. Actually we better watch out for these coaches from South and with George Peach set to take part in the over 60’s championships what are the odds on them doing a clean sweep?
R H Green Fours
Report by Mark Kneen
Colin Kelly won his third men’s doubles competition in as many outings as he this time paired up with Island Champion Glynn Hargraves to win the R H Green Fours at Finch Hill bowling club on Saturday. Kelly has won every competition with a different partner, so sorry Glynn it looks like he will be throwing you on the scrap heap!
They didn’t have it all their own way in the final and had a real battle on their hands just having enough to see of the challenge of Bob Clark & Nathan Cooil 21-19 in a great game. The calibre of bowling throughout the day, and in particular in the final, was of an exceptional standard with the green was running so well and so difficult to master.
In the semi-finals Kelly & Hargraves fought off the challenge of father and son Kevin & Matthew Quirk 21-15 whilst the team of Clark & Cool had a real battle on their hands winning 21-19 against home greeners Arthur Halsall & Jerry Wordsworth.
Manx Youth Games
Report by Mark Kneen
Crown Green Bowls featured in the Manx Youth Games for the first time in the sports history on Saturday 18th May with 50 children taking part on the day. Unfortunately due to the weather the programme had to be moved inside to the bowls hall at the NSC, and whilst this is not ideal unlike a lot of sports we are so lucky to have a facility like this that we were able to use as a contingency – and if I am honest it was great as the atmosphere inside the NSC on the day was, quite frankly, electrifying.
Some of the children that took part have not been able to compete in the Games before as they were unable to find a sport suitable due to conditions that they may have, their fitness levels or just one that they felt they could master so as well as this being a first for bowls it was also a first for some of them, which is magical. The format had to be slightly adjusted on the day as we had planned to use two greens at Nobles Park however coordinator Glynn Hargraves and his team thought on their feet brilliantly changing the schedule as they went along to suit the new venue. All of the competitors took part in some singles games as well as competing over various obstacles to amass points for their regions.
The standard of bowling on the day was exceptional considering it was the first time most of the children have ever played on the artificial indoor surface, it cannot be overstated enough how different this is to the outdoor greens they have practiced on and the way they adapted to their new surroundings over the day was simply mesmerising. They were magnificent. I think what worked exceptionally well is that as well as ensuring there was an element of competition the main focus was on fun and this shone through on the day as all of the children left with smiles on their faces, at one time all of the parents got involved and had a go which was certainly one of the highlights of the day, and I am sure they now appreciate that bowls isn’t as easy as their talented children made it look.
The overriding message to be taken away is that Crown Green Bowls in not an old persons game, it is a sport for all ages and we are now in the age of the Manx Youth Games. It is very fitting that the next day coordinator Glynn Hargraves retained his Manx Championship and that this current champion is helping spearhead an initiative that will almost certainly be the birthplace for the champions of the future.
As development officer for the sport it is hard to put into words how important this initiative is for us and whilst it might not be the most important development for the sport in my lifetime it is certainly in the top 1
Any Port in a Storm
League Week 6 Report by Mark Kneen
Port St Mary A stole the headlines last week is Isle of Man Banks Men’s Division 1 as they defied logic and form beating Peel A 2-8 in the Sunset City. Port have been below underachieving until now but they proved they can still be a destructive force in the top flight as they crushed the Govags and left them no place to hide or take shelter. This win drags them off the bottom of the pile and they will be hoping they can gather momentum and that the remainder of their season will be a little more plain sailing from now on.
Onchan A returned to the top of the tree after an 8-2 home win over Ballaugh A. They are now 2 points clear of early pace setters Marown, although they have played a game more that their rivals. There is a fixture break now until after TT but all eyes will be fixed on the park on 10th June as the Champions host the Crosby outfit in a top of the table shoot out which is too close to call. If Marown win they will return to the top of the table with a game in hand and be in a great position however if they lose they will want to get as close as they can to the mighty Champions to keep them in the hunt and be afford them the opportunity of cashing in the extra game they have in their bank.
Third placed Douglas A kept things moving along nicely as they dispatched Nobles Mixed 8-2 at the Villa Marina. Fourth placed Castletown A picked up a good 8-2 win over their B team keeping them just two points behind the Elixir Drinkers. Town are set to host the Douglas Men out and you really cannot predict what is going to happen. This fixture has the potential to overshadow the scheduled main event and if both team are on their games and come out all guns blazing there will certainly be fireworks. Whatever happens the victors of this highly anticipated showdown will find them in pole position for the hotly contested third place.
South Ramsey A won the Ramsey derby with a solid 7-3 win over North Ramsey A to keep themselves in the hunt for a rostrum finish come September. South will be hoping their rivals can cancel each other out and if they can pick up some good away at Ballaugh A they could find themselves closer to the action than they are now.
I think when I next write my league report things will be a little clearer, both at the top ant the bottom of the table. Division One has provided everything this year in terms of excitement and we are still on course for the most enthralling closely run contests in over a decade, however the next set of fixtures gives all the main contenders a chance to throw down the gauntlet to rest and make a statement.
It is easy to continually focus on the top of the table but things are even more finally balanced at the bottom with only three points separating the bottom six teams, they are so close you could throw a blanket over them.
Port Erin A bounced back in spectacular style in division 2 taking out Douglas B 8-2 to return to the top of the table. I still believe they are in line for promotion however they will need to find some consistency and start stringing some results together to keep themselves at the summit.
Port St Mary B maintained their unbeaten record with a 7-3 victory over Peel B. They are on equal points with their rivals and if they keep stringing the results together they are the more likely to take top honours at the end of the season. The only question mark surrounds their firepower, do they have enough to pick up the big wins usually required to win a championship? A tricky trip to Castletown D next time out could go somewhere to answering that question.
Castleotown C have now strung 3 wins in a row together and they finally leapfrog their D team into third place after beating them 8-2 at the Crofts. They are only two points off the lead and they certainly do have the potential to pick up big wins, consistency is the key for Town if they want to try and become the first club in history to have three teams in the top tier, promotion is not out of reach.
Division Three leaders Onchan C lost the only remaining 100% record from any division as they fell 6-4 away at Peel D. They are still four points clear at the top and favourites to pick up the trophy however this will have brought them down to earth a little after a brilliant start.
Nobles Park A are still in second and had to work hard for their 6-4 victory away at South Ramsey C. Port Erin B are the team on a charge and a great 8-2 result against North Ramsey B sees them move into third spot equal on points with Park. Park host Port B when we return after the fixture break with the result being crucial in the battle for promotion.
Port St Mary Trophy
Report by Sean Lilley
The Port St Mary Trophy, sponsored by Isle of Man Farmers Ltd, was played for on Port St Marys Bowling Green on Monday the 27th May and attracted a very good entry of 30 pairs. The weather at the beginning of the Competition was to say the least not very good, rain and a cool wind, but it improved as the afternoon wore on. The Green was as usual in excellent condition, thanks to the hard work put in by the Greenkeeper, Ray Watterson.
The winners were the team of Trevor Quayle and Lyn Bolton who beat Arthur Moore and Jenny Maddrell 21 – 9 in the final. In the semi finals the team of Quayle and Bolton beat Ray and Ann Maddrell 21 – 13 and the team of Maddrell and Moore beat Paula Firth and Jordan Cain 21 – 17. Losing out in the quarter finals were the teams of Derek Allen & Caroline Whitehead, Alec Taylor & Phillipa Fletcher, Mathew Quirk & Jean Radcliffe and Zoe Bolton & Steve Moore.
At the conclusion of the competition the prizes were presented by Mike Caley of Isle of Man Farmers Ltd.
Onchan Ladies Singles
Report by Heather Horsburgh
The weather did not look promising on Sunday 26 May when a field of 32 gathered to contest the Ladies’ singles open at Onchan. However the clouds cleared to give a glorious afternoon where the standard of bowling matched the occasion. There were some very close games, particularly in the quarter-finals where three of the four games were won to 19.
Quarter-finals: Lilian Slinger 21, Chris Price 19; Shirley Whelan 21, Lil Smith 19; Theresia Britten 21, Rita Callister 13; Heather Horsburgh 21, Maureen Payne 19.
Semi-finals: Lilian Slinger 21, Shirley Whelan 15; Heather Horsburgh 21, Theresia Britten 7.
Heather got of to a flying start in the final, taking the first four ends to lead 13-6. In reply Lilian won 7 of the next 8 ends to go ahead 15-14.The players then won alternate ends to 19-18 in Lilian’s favour, before Heather took the final three to win 21-19 and get back the trophy she last won nine years ago !
The presentation was made by club Chairman Heather Reynolds who thanked everyone who had helped with the smooth running of the event.
Veterans Merit
Report by Mark Kneen
Stuart Garrett was a class apart as he won the revitalised Veterans Merit competition on Saturday at Port St Mary beating home greener Ron Maycox 21-14 in the final. Garrett asserted himself from the off in the final playing exceptionally well to build an unassailable 18-8 lead. Maycox who is a great competitor did not give in and dug deep to claw his way back into the game, however the bridge was far too big for him to build and he went down to a worthy victor.
It is fantastic to see this competition running again after being cancelled in recent years due to lack of numbers, and with entry numbers being above the required minimum next year’s winner should qualify to travel to the UK to play in a national competition. With all the recent success of junior initiatives it is great to see the more senior side of our sport go from strength to strength.
Garrett made the final thanks to a strong 21-11 victory over Douglas stable mate Ken Williams in the Semi-Finals with Maycox dispatching fellow Spaniard Ray Maddrell 21-12. Fallers in the quarterfinals were Mike Hargraves, Louis Callister, Ann Maddrell & Rita Callister.
At the conclusion of the competition IOMCCGBA Vice President Phil Kerruish presented the prizes and thanks Port St Mary for the excellent condition of the green and all their support in running the competition and catering.
Hargraves Retains Manx Championship
Report by Mark Kneen
Glynn Hargraves picked up his second Canada Life International Manx Championship in as many years as he defeated Onchan team mate Kevin Quirk 21-16 at Castletown Bowling Green in a repeat of last year’s final to retain his title. Hargraves was in spectacular form all day playing with the experience and composure of a seasoned champion, and even on the rare occasions that he found himself in trouble he never seemed to lose focus or belief and just played his own game.
Quirk himself a double champion, also played his part in making this a magnificent championship and put in some excellent performances on his way to the final. If anything though his success over the day is a testament to his resilience as despite not always being at his brilliant best he managed to grind out wins and almost pull off his third championship victory, falling at the last. In the final though, after initially falling a few points behind, Hargraves found his form and never allowed his opponent to fully settle, keeping him out of his devastating rhythm and in turn finding his own. Both finalists have been at the top of their games in recent seasons and you wouldn’t bet against either of them completing their hat-trick of titles next year.
To reach the final both players had to dig deep in the semis as they both trailed moving into the closing stages of their encounters. Hargraves found himself 17-14 behind against former champion Phil Kerruish (Onhan) but had the wherewithal to see the game out finishing it off 21-18. Quirk as mentioned above showed the resilience of a great champion to overturn a similar deficit to beat Paul Skelly (Douglas) 21-19.
Kerruish and Skelly both played magnificently all day and Kerruish’s crushing 21-11 quarterfinal victory over competition favourite and seven times Champion John Kennish was just one of the days many highlights. In the other quarter finals Skelly eliminated Chas Grills (South Ramsey) 21-6, Hargraves progressed with a good 21-13 win over perennial quarterfinalist Mike Cain (Marown) and Kevin Quirk just managed to see off the challenge of Neil Withers (Marown) 21-19.
The whole weekend was one of personal achievement for Glynn who had the previous day coordinated and administered the sports inaugural inclusion in the Manx Youth Games, which was a massive success. Few people know this but just four years ago he seriously contemplated packing in the sport as he was becoming frustrated and disillusioned with it, and it was actually his success in this very same competition, just losing out in the final, which gave him the impetus to carry on and go from strength to strength. It would have been a total travesty for bowls if he had decided to quit and his decision to carry on has been invaluable for the development of the game due to his work off the green, which incidentally seems to have improved his form on it!
At the conclusion of the competition Isle of Man County Crown Green Bowls President Steve Moore presented the prizes and thanked both Castletown Bowling club for their assistance in running the championship and Canada Life International for their continued support of the Islands premier completion. I would also like to thank new Association Competition Secretary Matthew Keggen who did a magnificent job of organising the competition at the first time of asking. And his continual work behind the scenes is dragging our sport kicking and screaming into the 21st century. At the end of the day however this weekend belongs to Hargraves and the only thing left to say is “well done mate, you deserve it”.
Town but Not Out
League Week 5 Report by Mark Kneen
Castletown A travelled to Isle of Man Bank Mens Division One Champions Onchan A last week and gave their all in an epic tussle near the top of the table. They left everything they had on the green, they came, they saw and they fell just short. Score lines rarely tell the full story and when you look back at the record books you will just see a 7-3 victory to Onchan, you will not see the drama that went into making this one of the most toughly contested encounters in recent memory.
Like I always say there are 3 sides to every story, yours, theirs and the truth. The Castletown version will be one of heartache and hard luck and what could have been. With the last game on the green they trailed 4-3 with their man needing to win 21-19 or better to seal the points for his team and an historic 6-4 win for the visitors, and with the leg finally balanced at 16-16 anything looked possible.
The victor’s story will be one of resilience, strength in depth and the emergence of a new hero. Despite leading 3-1 at the half way point they surrendered the lead to tie going into the last two blocks and an unthinkable defeat at their usually impenetrable fortress loomed on the horizon. With the seventh game sealed the weight of expectation rested firmly on the shoulders of the new kid on the block, Jordan Cain who in only his 5th league game for the champions showed composure beyond his years to bring home the tie for his team and more than justify his place in their stellar line up.
The truth as always is somewhere in between and there are two major truths I have gleaned from this result. Town may not have left with a victory but they left Onchan Park with something more than that, they left hurt. This is because for the first time since their championship winning team of the 90’s they have genuine belief that they belong at the games top table, that they can beat anyone. This pain will help them as they will not want to feel it again going into tonight’s big clash against South Ramsey A. The Onchan story is far more frightening however as despite not firing on all cylinders yet they are still capable of dishing out that pain and any doubts on whether this year’s line-up has what it takes have been quashed, well for now at least.
The other major contenders in the division had things more their own way. Leaders Marown continued to top the tree and pulled another point away from Onchan with an 8-2 home win over North Ramsey A. The only thing I would say is that although this is a good result, they were winning games like this 10-0 a few weeks ago so maybe there is a chink appearing in their armour? Douglas A leapfrogged town back into third place with a solid 8-2 win over Peel A at this Villa, whilst South Ramsey remain in fifth place, tied on points with Town, thanks to a 7-3 win over Nobles Mixed.
Port Erin A have finally managed to reach the summit of division 2 after a crushing 10-0 defeat of Peel C. On this evidence I think they may pitch their tent and remain there for the remainder of the expedition. As I have said before they are a class outfit and will take some shifting in this tier. Castletown D remain on course for a shock promotion and they picked up another big win to find themselves in second spot, just one point adrift.
Port St Mary B are now stringing some form together and in reality are likely to soon surpass Town D and move into a promotion place and their 7-3 win over Finch Hill B will do their chances no harm at all. The only other outfit I see with a realistic chance at promotion are Castletown C and their superb 9-1 win away at Port St Mary C keeps them in the hunt. There are a lot of teams in this division capable of taking points of each other and this championship race really could come down to the wire.
Division 3 leaders Onchan C have settled nicely into their groove and a comfortable 8-2 win against Douglas C sees them four points clear of Nobles Park A in pole position. I was at the Villa Marina for that game and it was amazing to see a handful of new young bowlers on the display. The future of our sport certainly is in good hands.
Nobles Park A won the derby against their B team to keep them in second spot and in line for promotion at the end of the season.