Polmaise’s treble yell on championship finals day
Doune Castle duo land title after singles disappointment
BOWLS BY JOHN MILLER
Silverware ended up at Doune Castle, Polmaise, Bonnybridge, Bainsford and Burnhead clubs following Saturday’s sun-drenched Stirling County championship finals at Polmaise.
For the host club it was another outstanding treble success, following their earlier Central haul as they recording victories in the fours, senior fours and triples.
Doune Castle’s Murray Falconer and Jamie Mckenna won the twobowl pairs and their team-mate Steven Shreter went down in the singles final.
Bonnybridge provided the new singles champion in Michael Harris who got off to a flyer against Shreter carding three twos and held a 7-3 lead after five ends before holding an advantage for almost the entire 19-end match finishing strongly with a three and two to take the title.
The two-bowl pairs title went to the Doune Castle club’s Murray Falconer and Jamie Mckenna who led for the entire match and finished with a deserved 23-12 victory over Billy Munn and Derek Wright.
Burnhead’s Jordan Mcfarlane struck top form in the junior singles and raced to a highly convincing 21-9 victory over Callum Johnstone from Allandale.
First success for the Polmaise club came in the senior fours where Peter Smith, Lawrence Begg, Peter Black and Danny Mccormick led 12-1 at the halfway stage and held out to win 17-8 against Zetland’s Ian Fraser, Ian Blair, Ronnie Mckinnon and John Bachelor.
Bainsford pair Barry Phillips and Jim Ormand were also in top form racing to a commanding 20-4 lead after 10 ends and wrapped things up with an end to spare winning 23-11 against Willie Laird and Alistair Penn from Carron and Carronshore.
It was likewise in the fours final with Polmaise players Billy Armitage, Martin Hearns, Bobby Donaldson and Aaron Hazel always in control and finishing 18-8 winners, with an end to spare, against Cambusbarron’s Allan Wray, Garry Stevenson, James Wray and David Ferguson.
It took an extra end to decide the triples after an entertaining contest. Polmaise trio James Brown, Rab Johnstone and James Brown led 17-10 after 10 ends only to be pulled back after losing an eight to Denny’s Graham
Dawson, Willie Hutchison and Stuart Hogg to make the remainder very interesting. Locked at 20-20 after 15 ends it was the Polmaise team who survived the extra end to take the tile 22-20 thereby securing their club’s third success of the day.
SCOTTISH CHAMPIONSHIPS
Local players will descend on Ayr’s Northfield greens next week as play gets underway in the national chanpionships.
Alva’s Neil Dewar leads the gents’ charge in the singles when he lines up in the first round against Hyndland’s Darren Gualtiera, while junior singles hopeful Mitchell Wilson (Menstrie) takes on Stuart Farmer (Abbey).
Bridge of Allan’s Andy Sneddon and Billy Guy face Parkside opponents in the pairs contest with Alloa’s David Craig, Andrew Kennedy and Kris Storf facing the Hillside Club in the triples.
Fours representatives Brian Craw, Robert Hunter, Greg Rosebotham and David Melvin (Cambus and District) take on Aberdeen’s Westhill Club in the fours event.
Senior fours Peter Smith, Rab Johnstone, Danny Mccormick and Sandy Deans (Polmaise) play
Blagownie opposition while John Blake from Patons BC takes on Stranraer West End’s Brian Kyle. Mixed pairs Ann Stark and James Wray (Cambusbarron) face Castle Douglas.
In the women’s events Margaret Reid from Spittalmyre plays Carron’s Vikki Leishman in the singles while in junior singles Causewayhead’s Morgan Williams lines up against Greenfauld’s Dionne Clark.
Former champion Jean Fisher (Bridge of Allan) plays Fort Matilda’s Elinor Dunn in the senior singles before teaming up with clubmate Becky Craig in the pairs where they will play Stonehaven opponents.
Kippen’s Sandra Hillhouse, Glenn Hughes and Eileen Mayhew take on the Gala Waverly Club in the triples and in the senior fours Isobel Dodds, Rachel Fairbairn, Jean Wallace and Ema Simpson (Tulliallan) play Galston BC.
Fresh from their British success Alloa East Ends’s Pamela Kenny, Gillian Kirk, Rebekkah Weir and Elidh Weir line up against Milton of Campsie opposition.
LEAGUE FINAL
Doune Castle won the Stirling District League title last Friday on their home green.
Drew Murdoch, Scott Mcdonald, Paul Monteith and Craig Watson won 26-21 against Daniel Mccann, Joe Traynor, Joe Kigannon and Kevan Frogley while Scott Shreter, David Mcewan, Jamie Mckenna and Ally Mcfarlane scored a 15-14 victory over Borestone’s Paul Brown, Eric Morrison, James Stanfield and Dougie Kerr. Totals: Doune Castle 41 (4), Borestone 35 (0).
STIRLING
Winners of Saturday’s J&W Builders triples competition at the Stirling green were Jim Mclachlan (Stirling), Norrie Gimour (Cambusbarron) and Bruce Mclachlan (Stirling). Runners up were Willie Robb, Tom Selbach and Tony van Heusden (Stirling).
Losing semi-finalists were Stephen Hogg, Dougie Kerr and Kevan Frogey (Borestone) along with Willie Nicol (Stirling), Willie Duffy (Borestone) and Stevie Stuart (Bridge of Allan).
DISTRICT 9 LADIES TOP 5
Latest results (points): Section A Doune Castle 2-2 Dunblane; Tulliallan 4-0 Sauchie; Alloa 2-2 Cambusbarron. Section B - Bridge of Allan 2-2 Alloa East End; Stirling 0-4 Bannockburn; Causewayhead 0-4 Orwell.