Isle of Man County Crown Green Bowling Association

Peel Bowling Club held the pre-festival Autumn Shield on Sunday, with an entry of 96 taking part on a blustery day with the competition running like clockwork throughout the day with the days bowling getting underway at 10:00 in the morning. The Peel green has improved considerably over the past two months, with a surface suitable for a day of top bowls.

With some players having to win four games just to reach the quarter final stage, Callum Briddon (Fairfield) lost out to Marown man Colin Kelly 16-21. Marown’s Neil Withers lost 16-21 to South Ramsey’s Glynn Hargraves. In the bottom half of the draw Kev Kelly-Walley (Belvedere) made light work of Castletown captain Nathan Hamilton with a 21-13 win, while the last home greener standing Stevie Kelly played Paul Kissock (Netherfield) in a repeat of the 2019 final, which Kelly won in a thrilling finish to win his first open 21-20. This may well have been in the memory of the Kissock, as this time round the Cumbria man won 21-19 to take his spot in the semi-finals.

Colin Kelly took on Hargraves in the first semi-final, with the Marown man building up a 15-10 lead, with Hargraves closing the deficit to two chalks at 17-19. Two singles were enough for Kelly to ensure safe passage to the final. In the other semi-final Kissock ended the challenge of Kelly- Walley with a 21-14 win to progress.

The final played under the floodlights went one way, and then the other with the wind still a factor in the final, however it did seem to tail off from what it had been in the earlier rounds. After 10 ends Kelly had got himself 14-10 ahead, with Kissock responding to win five of the next six ends to edge ahead 16-15.

By the 19th end it was all square at 17 across, with the so finely matched there were just three two’s scored all game, the last of these scored by the 12th end. Kissock helped in part by his ability to strike to get himself out of trouble, mixed in with his ability to play good bowls won four of the last five ends to see the game out 21-18 to make up for 2019 defeat in the final.

In addition to securing the Autumn Shield Kissock took home £400, while Kelly could console himself with the runners up prize of £220.

The presentation was made by Peel competition secretary Pip Pemberton who thanked the sponsors Peveril Hotel, Island Civils & Plant, and Utmost International for their support. Robert Cottier presented the prizes on behalf of Peveril Hotel, and Island Civils & Plant.