The final stages of the Canada Life International Manx Championship were played at Peel Bowling Club on Sunday afternoon, with the qualifying rounds having taken place the previous day, with 78 entries this year, a good increase on the 2023 entry, boosted by over 20 entries from the host club alone.

As is always the case there were high profile casualties on the Saturday, with the draw being played down to 16, the target being to navigate safely through the early rounds to reach finals day.

Matthew Quirk	21	16	David Bradford
Paul Quirk	10	21	John Kennish
Tony Carroon	7	21	Colin Kelly
Tom Kelly	7	21	Paul Dunn
Peter Jones	12	21	Trevor Quayle
Will Penhallurick	18	21	Dean Kinley
Jordan Cain	21	20	Peter Slinger
Neil Withers	21	16	Dave ‘Barney’ Kelly

Losing out at the quarter final stage were Matthew Quirk (Onchan) 12-21 to John Kennish (South Ramsey). Two Marown men faced off, as Colin Kelly looked to add to his seven championship wins with a 21-18 victory over Paul Dunn. In the other half of the draw it was a southern battle as Dean Kinley (Castletown) displayed good form to beat a previous finalist in Trevor Quayle (Port St Mary) 21-17. South Ramsey’s Jordan Cain having coming through a tough Last 16 game against Peter Slinger, couldn’t get the better of the current holder Neil Withers (Marown) as the latter prevailed 21-14 to reach the semi-final.

The first semi-final looked to be a blockbuster between Kennish and Kelly, and had been the final of the Manx Championship on five previous occasions, with the former having won all five finals. With the score tied at 7-7 Kennish shifted up a couple of gears seeing the game out scoring eight doubles, whilst keeping Kelly down to two doubles early in the game as he booked his place in the final with a 21-11 win.

The other semi-final saw Withers get off to a good start to build up a 10-1 lead, this was quickly extended to 15-2. Kinley started to get a foothold in the game as he closed the deficit to six chalks at 10-16, only for Withers to finish the match off with five chalks scored to seal a 21-10 win, to take his place in the final for a second successive year.

The final got underway with over 70 spectators still in attendance, they were treated to a match that had it all. With the jack cleared off the green by Withers on the first end Kennish had a game plan of heading for the corners, however forfeited the jack on more than one occasion due to sending the block off the green, with Withers preferring a mark over the middle of the green. The South Ramsey man looked like he could run away with it early on, as he built up a five chalk lead at 8-3. Withers responded to win four of the next five ends scoring three doubles to take the lead at 10-9.

This started a pattern of both finalists going on mini-runs, as a change in tactics saw Kennish pick up two doubles to re-take the lead 13-10. The Marown man hit back with six chalks over four ends to lead 16-13. Kennish got his nose in front once more to lead by a solitary chalk at 17-16 by the 24th end, with both players taking out their own bowl when playing through to go two down.

As the final approached the business end two-time Manx Champion Withers dug deep to score a single followed by a two to be the first man to be one end away from victory at 19-17. Three successive singles on a longer mark from Kennish got him one good bowl away from victory at 20-19, however a single from Withers, clipping off John’s lead bowl then connecting with the jack tied the score at 20-20.

The tension had built up nicely for the final end, and what an end this proved to be, as Withers played a great lead bowl just over a foot from the jack. Kennish left his lead bowl a yard short, with Withers beating his first bowl to count for two and doing everything he could to win the game. Kennish showing no sign of any pressure, changed his peg to play a superb reaching bowl, sitting out Withers closest bowl to rest next to the jack and seal a 21-20 win and with it his 12th Manx Championship in a thrilling finish to the game.

This success was his first Manx Championship title win on Peel, leaving Castletown and Ballaugh as the only (current) greens he hasn’t picked up a Manx Championship on, with all the other greens on the island ticked off, with Noble’s Two green being the only green he has won two Manx Championships on, as he continues to break his own records. Remarkably Kennish has never been beaten in the final of the Manx Championship.

The presentation was made by Association competition committee member Steve Moore, who introduced IOMCCGBA President Michele Cubbon to present the prizes. In his speech John thanked the Association for running the competition, reserving special praise for the team who look after the Peel green, which was playing and running superbly, with an incredible turnaround in less than two years.

John and Neil will both compete in the Senior Individual merit at Pennfields BC, Staffordshire on Saturday 27th July, with John also competing in the Champion of Champions at Owley Wood Recreation Club, Cheshire on Saturday 28th September.

After a week’s break for the Isle of Man June Festival the Canada Life International Division One got back underway on Monday evening, as the league season approaches the halfway stage.

The closest match in Division One was between Castletown A and Peel A at the Crofts, as the town men beat fourth placed Peel A 6-4, although the Town men won comfortably on chalks (146-119). For the visitors Dave ‘Barney Kelly leads the way in the merit as he maintained his unbeaten start to the season, with a 21-7 win over David Quayle. The other three wins for Peel were close, as Ste Kelly won 21-17 against Nathan Cooil, Tony Carroon beat George Foy 21-18, whilst Peter Greenless held his nerve to beat Ian Watson 21-20. The home team wins were all comfortable with Aaron Richardson beating Pip Pemberton 21-3, whilst Nathan Hamilton also won to single figures 21-9 against David Proctor.

Onchan A took on Douglas A at home, with the Onchan men winning 7-3. Kevin Quirk was the only single figure on the night, as he beat Mark Kneen 21-3, whilst Will Penhallurick held off Gordon Wynne-Smythe 21-19. Winning to the same score for the visitors were Mervin Sayle and Dave McCabe against Neil Dunwell and Phil Kerruish respectively.

North Ramsey A picked up their third win of the season at home to Port St Mary A. For the home team captain Rob Monk beat Chris Lever 21-7, whilst Steve Walmsley went one better with a 21-6 win over Tom Collins. The three wins for the Port men was enough to keep from off the foot of the table, although they are now eight points adrift of the Mooragh Park men.

League leaders South Ramsey A took on Marown C, with the Crosby men managing to take a vital point as Steven Rough performed well to win 21-11 against Peter Collister, however five single figure wins from the home team ensured a 9-1 win for the South men, keeping the visitors down to 77 chalks.

Marown A ensured that South Ramsey didn’t extend their lead as they beat their lower ranked B team 9-1. Karl Parker was the lone winner for the B, with a 21-8 victory over Glenn Boland. John Gelling was the only other potential winner, however he just lost out 20-21 to Colin Kelly. Winning to single figures for the A team were Peter Jones and Tom Kelly over Phil Kelly and Juan Killip respectively.

In Division Two Peel B show no sign of taking their foot off the gas, with a 9-1 home win over Castletown B, with Andy Mackie and Jimmy Corlett sitting in second and third place in the individual merit.

South Ramsey B are in second place eight points behind the league leaders, they have a five-point cushion on third placed Ballaugh A who they beat 4-6 away from home. Tony Dugdale made it eight wins from eight games played with a 21-7 win over Mike Spooner.

Port Erin A make the trek north to Mooragh Park as the Breagle men came away with a 3-7 away victory, edging the aggregate by two chalks (146-148), with David Cain just missing out on an extra point for his side as he slipped to a 20-21 defeat to Brian Colquitt.

Noble’s A closed the gap on Finch Hill A to a single point with a 6-4 home win over the Finch men, with Mark Bradshaw beating Mark Taylor 21-4, with Mike Caley stepping up from the D team he won 21-10 against Brian Aspden.

Douglas B would have been disappointed to slip to a 3-7 home defeat to Onchan B, with their fate sealed on the aggregate as Colin Spence stunned David Pease 21-1.

Over to Division Three, Noble’s C used home advantage to beat South Ramsey D, edging the aggregate by seven chalks (141-134). The match did see a battle of the Juniors as Kian Bradford picked up his first ever league win for South Ramsey, as he beat Max Johnson 21-17, with the latter making his league debut.

South Ramsey C beat high flying Noble’s D 7-3 at home, with Lee Price winning 21-2 for the visitors.

Elsewhere Marown D slipped to a 3-7 home defeat to Peel C, with the visitors claiming two single figure wins, whilst Ballaugh B also suffered the same fate with a 3-7 loss to Noble’s B, as they lost out on the aggregate by a solitary chalk (140-141).  Onchan C were well beaten 1-9 at home to Port St Mary B.

In Division Four it was Ballaugh C who took their turn to sit out this round of fixtures, giving the teams below them an opportunity to close the gap. North Ramsey C took home a good 8-2 win over Douglas D at Mooragh Park, whilst Peel D hosted Castletown C in the Sunset City with the home team taking home a 7-3 win. Elsewhere Noble’s E were at home to Douglas C, with the Villa men taking a 4-6 away win.

Friday evening saw the return of a post festival invitational competition, with Marown Bowling Club hosting the event and 32 bowlers accepting the invitation to play, with the competition featuring 16 of the top local bowlers, and 16 visitors who had taken part in the Isle of Man June Bowls Festival.

The competition was put in place in memory of the late Sheila Freeman, who visited the Island for a number of years with her partner Derek Halsall who sponsored the competition.

The format was 21 up with 5 on the card for visiting bowlers and 3 on the card for home greeners, with the draw taking place earlier in the afternoon from two pots with visiting bowlers playing local players in the first round.

With a strong field taking part, it proved tough for the local bowlers, with only three of the 16 locals winning their first round games, with Jordan Cain (South Ramsey), John Kennish (South Ramsey) and home greener Colin Kelly going into the second round.

Cain won his first game 21-17 against Richie Goddard (Shropshire), John Kennish edged through 21-18 against Ryan Clark (South Yorkshire), whilst Colin Kelly made light work of Dave McDermott (Merseyside) with a 21-11 win.

Cain was knocked out in the second round with a 12-21 defeat to Billy Speed (Lancashire). With the rain well and truly set in at the quarter final stage it left Kennish and Kelly as the last locals in the competition, with the former winning 21-17 against one of the top bowlers in the game Callum Wraight (Shropshire), as the South Ramsey man started to show signs of his old form returning having not played regularly since 2018. Conor Chamberlain (Derbyshire) progressed with a 21-14 win over Speed. In the other half of the draw Kelly disposed of Josh Mordue (Yorkshire) with relative ease with a 21-12 win, whilst Joe Cranston (Yorkshire) had to work for his 21-17 win over Matt Gilmore (Merseyside) to progress to the semi-final stage.

The first semi-final saw Kennish breeze through with a 21-12 victory over Chamberlain, whilst Kelly was comfortable in his game to book his spot in the final with a 21-15 win over Cranston.

The final got underway labelled as ‘El Clasico’ by one spectator with the finalists having played each other in countless finals over the years, with both men winning most of the top titles in Manx Bowls over the past 30 years. Kelly may have been fancied to take the win with home advantage and the conditions perhaps favouring him, however Kennish rolled back the years putting in a superb performance, scoring five doubles on his way to a resounding 21-9 victory to pick up the first prize of £500, keeping the Marown man down to six singles and never allowing Kelly to win two consecutive ends.

At the conclusion of play the presentation was made by Marown club Chairman Peter Kelly and competition organiser Paul Dunn who thanked everyone had had accepted the invitation to play, the ladies for providing the refreshments, all the club members who had helped in any way, along with competition sponsor Derek Halsall who was introduced to present the prizes, as he pledged to sponsor the competition in 2024.

The ever-popular pre-festival Ballacashtal Cup was held on Sunday attracting an entry of 84 bowler, which was an increase on the 2023 entry, made up of local and visiting bowlers. The Castletown green was in good condition, the competition was once again sponsored by ABS Solutions.

At the quarter final stages it was the end of the road for three locals as Marown’s Tom Kelly lost out 20-21 to John Clarke (Wrockwardine Wood), with Glynn Hargraves (South Ramsey) defeated 14-21 to Peter Jones (Marown).

The third local to dip out in the quarter finals was Kelly’s Dad Colin, as he also lost out 20-21 to Jamie King (Wrockwardine Wood) after leading 20-15 only for King to hit some vital strikes to keep him in the game, with the last game being won by Martin Gaut (Wrockwardine Wood) with a hard fought 21-18 win over Paul Bradley (Fairfield).

At the semi-final stage Jones kept his opponent Clarke to six singles as the Marown man won 21-12, scoring five doubles and five singles on the way to booking his place in the final.

The other semi-final was an all Wrockwardine Wood affair with King and Gaut battling it out for a place in the final, with King having won this competition two years ago. It was Gaut who got off to the better start taking a 14-7 lead, swiftly extended to 17-8. King hit back with two doubles and a single in between conceding a single to close the deficit to five chalks (13-18). It looked all over barring a miracle on the next end with Gaut scoring two to lead 20-13, however King had other ideas as three consecutive doubles playing along the edge on the road side of the green put the score at 19-20. On the next end King was counting two for game, with a play through by Gaut saving one. With the score now 20-20 on the deciding end, King played back along the edge however he didn’t send his jack far enough, being just under the 19 metres required after a measure it allowed Gaut to set the mark. With King lying game once again Gaut held his nerve to seal the win with a good last bowl to take his place in the final.

The final was a good watch for the spectators with neither player being able to get away from the other as they drew level on 11 occasions throughout the final, rather bizarrely each time the players card markers checked the score, it was level to prove how close this final was with there never being a run of two winning ends for either player or a gap of more than two points all game. It was Jones who made the first move to go within touching distance of the title in his third final in this competition as he scored a single to lead 20-18. Gaut responded with a two to level the game up at 20-20, he headed into the corner to play a good lead bowl, with Jones just failing to beat it as he clipped the wrong side of the bowl. Gaut then doubled up to apply the pressure, leaving Jones no option other to strike, which didn’t make the right connection for Gaut to pick up the famous old trophy for the first time, whilst Jones lost out for the third time in the final of this competition.

The presentation was made by Castletown Club Chairman Phil Taubman who thanked the sponsors ABS Solutions for their continued support of the competition, the ladies for the refreshments and Kath Kinley for running the competition. Upon accepting the trophy Martin commented that it was great for both players to have support around the green.