The final match in the Trend sponsored ladies’ over 60’s league was played on Tuesday 15 August. The positions at the top of the table had been already decided, with once again Port St Mary A taking the title followed by Peel Sunset in second place. The westerner’s final surge, when they dropped a total of four points in four games, was too little too late but did keep the difference between the two teams down to 47 points. Our congratulations go to Val Macfarlane, Port St Mary A, for winning the Merit, and commiserations to Mary Moffatt, who, as in the night league, was level on points scored but lost out on points against.

Peel lost out on a maximum at Ballaugh when a tough tussle between Mary Simmonds and Pat Robertson resulted in a 21-20 win for the home player, while at Onchan Sylvia Maddrell spoiled the party for Onchan when she won her game against Joyce Gardiner.The two winners for Port St Mary B at Port Erin were Roma Ware and Chris Holland, each winning to 18, while Pauline Worrall nearly levelled the score on games when she lost out 19-21 to Sylvia Shelbourne. Port St Mary A won 4-2 on games against Nobles with three wins to single figures, the two winners for the visitors being Pat Dacre and Lin Ruscoe while Marown had a successful visit to Douglas, also winning 4-2 on games. Jan Osborne and Brenda Williams were the two winners for the home side while Elaine Vincent almost gave them a third game reaching 20 against Margaret Scarffe. Mooragh Park had two winners in Anne Kean, to single figures, and Maureen Lacey, while Muriel Cain and Mary Black also won to single figures for Villa

Peel Sunset posted a maximum in the Trend sponsored over 60’s ladies’ league on Tuesday 8 August when they visited Douglas. Joyce Kelly and Heather Horsburgh won their games to single figures, but there was more resistance from other Douglas players, three of whom reached 17.Frances Radcliffe was the fly in the ointment for Port St Mary B as her 21-20 win over Roma Ware denied the visitors a full house. Maureen Lacey almost gave Mooragh Park a second game when she reached 19 against Chris Holland. Castletown won five of their six games, but their party was spoiled by Gwen Tuck winning her game for Breagle. It was a similar story at Port St Mary A. They won five games but were denied a maximum by Muriel Cain, while Maureen Payne was in devastating form at Onchan to prevent the home side being white-washed by Marown. Ballaugh managed two wins on their visit to Port Erin, but with the home side all scoring at least 16 and winning two games to single figures they finished with a strong points advantage.
Thursday 10 August
Mavis Franks won a close and exciting game against Cath Parker 21-20 to deny Peel Sunset their second maximum of the week, while Onchan fell short of a full house when Muriel Cain won her game for Villa. Joan Murphy almost gave the home side a second game, losing out 20-21 to Lynda Clarke. Port St Mary A made the short journey to Breagle where they won five games, two to single figures, while Jenny Cain was the lone winner for the home side. Mooragh Park had two winners at Marown, in Moira Anderson and Maureen Lacey while the home side won three of their four games to single figures. Douglas had a successful foray down south winning 4-2 on games, although there were some very close encounters with Dot Mylchreest losing out 19-21 to Kath King and Chris Holland getting even closer reaching 20 against Sue Caley. Nobles won four games against Castletown, the two winners for the visitors being Sue Peach and Ann Hollingworth, while Joy Stephens reached 19 against Pat Dacre.

Mooragh Park’s terrific run in the JMS Veteran’s shield finally came to an end when they faced a rampant Marown on Thursday 3 August. They did deny their opponents a full house as Peggy Freeman edged out Shirley Whelan 21-20, but although they fought well, with three of their players reaching double figures, they did not amass sufficient points for their handicap to pull them through .
Things were much closer in the other semi-final. Port Erin won four of the six games, but there were some very close games. Lin Ruscoe lost out 18-21 to Phil Dobson, while two games went all the way with Carol Kaye edging out Pat Dacre 21-20 and in reply Shirley Fargher coming through against Voirrey Curphey by the same score. The final score of 117-107 to the home side was not enough to see them through once Nobles’ 15 point advantage on handicap kicked in.
SEMI-FINAL: MOORAGH PARK 124, MAROWN 150: Handicap 50, Handicap 25; Peggy Freeman 21, Shirley Whelan 20; Moira Anderson 10, Mary Alderson 21; Ellie Cowell 15, Margaret Scarffe 21; Anne Kean 7, Philippa Taylor 21; Linda Morgan 9, Mair Moore 21; Frances Radcliffe 12, Celia Joughin 21;
PORT ERIN 127, NOBLES 132: Handicap 10, Handicap 25; Carol Kaye 21, Pat Dacre 20; Phil Dobson 21, Lin Ruscoe 18; Mavis Franks 21, Sylvia Kennaugh 15; Voirrey Curphey 20, Shirley Fargher 21; Sylvia Shelbourne 13, Viv Cook 21; Jacqui Elliott 21, Flo Price 12;

The final of the JMS Veteran’s Shield will take place at Finch Hill on Thursday 17 August starting at 10.30am, with both teams playing off their home handicaps.
Marown (+20) v Nobles (+20)

Peel Sunset fell just two points short of a maximum in the Trend sponsored ladies’ over 60’s league on Tuesday 1 August, when Moira Anderson came from behind to pip Lynda Wilson 21-19. Anne Keane was the other Mooragh Park player to reach double figures scoring 15 against Cath Parker. Port St Mary A had a tough struggle at Marown, winning 4-2 on games, the two winners for the home side being Mary Alderson and Philippa Taylor. Val Macfarlane had a good win to single figures, but with the other three Marown players reaching high double figures the winning margin was just 6 points. Nobles had two winners in Lin Ruscoe and Shirley Fargher, to single figures, when they travelled south to face Breagle, but with four winners, two to single figures, the home side took the match, passing the 100 point mark. Ballaugh also won four games against Douglas whose two winners were Sue Caley, to single figures, and Jan Osborne. Ann Gale and Kath King had a ding-dong battle with Ann coming through 21-18.With Onchan unfortunately being a player short their match with Port St Mary B was drawn on games. With Pauline Worrall winning to single figures, and Onchan only able to record five scores, the home side had a comfortable points win. The match at Villa was also drawn on games. Two of the games were close with Sue Peach reaching 19 against Pat Kelly and in reply Kay McKiernan scored 18 against Anne Oates, but with Ann Hollingworth and Barbara Young winning to single figures, Castletown had the advantage on points.

Port Erin celebrated the fine weather on Tuesday 25 July in the Trend sponsored over 60’s league wit a maximum against Mooragh Park, winning four games to single figures. Anne Kean fought well to reach 19 against Voirrey Curphey, while Moira Anderson came even closer to giving the visitors a game as she lost out 20-21 to Jackie Elliott. Ballaugh seem to be making a habit of close matches, this time coming through by one point against Onchan. There were some close games with Brenda Bowyer reaching 19 against Libby Andrade, and Rita Callan getting even closer in her game with Maureen Trustham. Nobles struggled at Marown winning just two games courtesy of Lin Ruscoe and Pat Dacre to single figures. Marown won three of their four games to single figures and took the match by 30 points. Port St Mary B had a good win against Castletown, the two winners for the away side being Ann Hollingworth to single figures and Sue Peach who came through 21-19 against Dot Mylchreest. It was 4-2 in the home team’s favour at Villa as they played host to Breagle and won by a margin of 13 points. Last, but not least, was the top of the table clash which saw Port St Mary A travel to Peel Sunset to find their opposition in top form. Rita Callister spoiled the party for the home side (which is not fair after all the nice write-ups I have given her recently), winning her game to deny the westerners a full house. With four of their players winning to single figures, the margin of victory may show that all is not yet decided in this league !
Thursday 27 July
It was local derby day at Port St Mary, as the B team travelled to take on the A team. Brenda Hawkard spoiled the party for the league leaders, winning her game to deny them a full house. Casletown played host to Marown, winning five games, two to single figures, with Mary Alderson being the lone winner for the visitors. Jean Quine was the fly in the ointment for Peel Sunset, denying them a maximum as she won her game to single figures. Wendy McDowell almost gave Onchan a second game, reaching 19 against Mary Moffatt. Mooragh Park are continuing to improve, drawing on games with Ballaugh, Peggy Griffin‘s win to single figures giving the visitors the advantage on points. Douglas won 4-2 on games, but good wins to single figures by Mavis Franks and Jackie Elliott gave Port Erin a 20 point win. The two winners for Nobles at Villa were Lin Ruscoe, to single figures, and .Viv Cook, while Muriel Cain also won to single figures for Villa.

Kay Primrose-Smith spoiled the party for Port St Mary B in the Trend sponsored over 60’s ladies’ league on Tuesday 18 July, coming through 21-20 against Chris Holland to leave the home side just one point short of a maximum. Steff Swift came closest to giving Breagle another game, reaching 18 against Dot Mylchreest. The games were shared at Peel Sunset, but with all six players on the home side scoring 17 points or more, and Joyce Kelly winning to single figures, they ended with a comfortable points advantage over Nobles. Matches don’t come much closer than they did at Ballaugh, when visitors Castletown fell one point short of their hosts, despite winning 4-2 on games, in a high scoring game where all twelve players reached double figures. Douglas and Onchan also shared the games, 3-3, but a win to single figures by Lynda Clarke gave the visitors the advantage on points. Marown had the better of Villa 4-2 on games, but with Muriel Cain winning to single figures and everyone on the away team reaching double figures the difference was only 14 points. Port St Mary A travelled to Port Erin where they won 4-2 on games with Margaret Tasker winning to single figures, the two winners for the home side being Jean Thackrah and Sylvia Shelbourne.
Thursday20 July
Douglas recorded a maximum on Thursday 20 July when they journeyed north to Mooragh Park. Sue Caley and Brenda Williams both won to single figures, but the improvement in the home players was evident in the resistance they showed. Port St Mary A were denied a full house by Brenda Bowyer with Peggy Griffin almost adding a second game for Ballaugh as she just lost out 19-21 to Kath Looney. Port St Mary B’s good week continued when they visited Nobles. Despite winning only two games, their two winners, Edwina Reid and Roma Ware, both won to single figures while their other players all reached double figures, to give them victory by 10 points. It was a high scoring game at Onchan, with all twelve players reaching double figures. The home side had the advantage on games, 4-2, and finished with a twenty point lead. Mary Alderson and Shirley Whelan both won to single figures when Marown visited Breagle whose two winners were Kay Primrose- Smith and Jennie Cain. Peel Sunset had a successful trip to Castletown, although the games were shared the visitors all reached at least the 15 point mark, while good wins by Cath Parker, to single figures, and Joyce Kelly gave the visitors the advantage on points.

Peel Sunset were not daunted by having three games this week and faced Villa with all guns blazing. They took all six games, four of them to single figures, the greatest resistance for the visitors coming from Kay McKiernan who reached 15 against Pat Robertson. Port St Mary A also had a good result after their long trek “up north” to Mooragh Park, where Maureen Lacey denied them a full house. Frances Radcliffe almost gave the home side a second game, reaching 20 against Win Collister.It was a close game between Port St Mary B and Marown, ending level on games with all twelve players reaching double figures. The visitors just had the edge on points coming through 112-108.Breagle can thank Gwen Tuck for upsetting Ballaugh’s apple-cart, her win, to single figures, denying the home side a maximum although they did win five games, three to single figures.In the other two matches the visiting side won 4-2 on games, Sue Caley and Kath King being the two winners for Douglas against Castletown, Carol Kaye and Sylvia Shelbourne were the two winners for Port Erin against Nobles.
Thursday 13 July
It was Port St Mary A’s turn to register a maximum on Thursday July 13, as Douglas struggled to get to grips with either the green or the players, there best performance seeing Moire Turner reach 17 against Win Collister. Castletown had the better of Port Erin, 4-2 on games, in a high scoring match where every player reached double figures, the closest tussle seeing Voirrey Curphey come through 21-19 against Joy Stephens. Ellie Cowell spoiled the party for Onchan as her win saved Mooragh Park being white-washed, but things were closer in the other three games. Peel Sunset had a successful foray down south winning 4-2 on games while for Breagle Gwen Tuck came closest to levelling the game score in a tough battle against Heather Horsburgh. Villa played host to Port St Mary B and won by three points in a match that ended level on games, Roma Ware just failing to give the visitors a fourth game as she lost out 20-21 to Kay McKiernan. In the final match Nobles ended with a 2 point advantage over Ballaugh depite losing 2-4 on games.
Games played Monday 10 July
There were three games played on Monday 10 June, two to catch up on games postponed because of inclement weather, and one brought forward because of the unavailability of the Port St Mary green due to the mens’ Dreswick Open taking place on that day.
Nobles played host to Onchan and won four of the six games, the two winners for the visitors being Lynda Clarke and Rita Callan. There was a ding-dong battle between Sylvia Kennaugh and Maureen Payne with Sylvia eventually coming through 21-19.Pauline Worrall spoiled the party for Peel Sunset, winning her game to prevent them posting a full house, while Brenda Bowyer was the fly in the ointment for Port St Mary A, winning her game to deny them a maximum. Peggy Griffin almost added a second game for Ballaugh reaching 19 against Kath Looney.

Heavy rain on Tuesday 27 June saw just one match being played as Mooragh Park made the long journey south to Port Erin to play Breagle. Both teams are to be commended for playing in the inclement conditions. Moira Anderson won her game for the visitors to deny the home side a maximum score
Monday 3 July
Villa and Douglas played their match, postponed from Tuesday 27 June on Monday 3 July. The “visiting side“ had the better of the encounter, winning 4-2 on games, with three of their wins being to single figures. Pat Kelly and Muriel Cain were the two winners for Villa, Muriel winning to single figures, while Pat came through a tough tussle against Patsy Rush 21-19..
Thursday 6 July
After the chaos caused by the weather the previous week, it was a relief to get back to normal with all matches being played on Thursday 6 July. The only complaints about the weather were that it was “too hot” ! Top scorers of the morning were Nobles, who were denied a full house by Jan Osborne, while Port Erin won 4-2 on their travels to Breagle, three of their wins being to single figures. They did not have it all their own way as Sylvia Maddrell and Gwen Tuck posted good wins for Breagle. Onchan recorded two wins, courtesy of Libby Andrade and Maureen Payne against Port St Mary, while Lynda Clarke reached 18 against Val Macfarlane The match between Marown and Peel was a high scoring battle with all twelve players getting into double figures, the visitors just having the advantage 4-2 on games and a lead of 12 points. Castletown won four games, two to single figures, while Mooragh Park had two wins by Ellie Cowell and Linda Morgan to single figures. It was a nail-biter at Villa with the home side winning three games, one to single figures and the visitors, Ballaugh doing the same. The closest game of the match saw Ann Gale come through 21-19 against Pat Kelly. In the end Villa snatched victory by just 3 points.

The quarter-finals of the ladies’ over 60’s JMS Veteran’s Shield took place on Tuesday 4 July. The very wet conditions meant that only three of the four games took place, with the Mooragh v Villa match to be played at a later date. Last year’s winners, Port Erin, were ruthless in their match with Castletown, winning five of the six games, three to single figures. In reply Ann Hollingworth was the lone winner for the visitors although Anne Oates almost added a second game, reaching 20 against Mavis Franks. Perhaps the surprise result of the morning occurred at Marown. Although the home side won four games, with Tricia Bull and Val Macfarlane winning to single figure for the visitors it meant that without the handicap Port St Mary A had an 11 point advantage. Marown’s 20 point handicap then kicked in giving them the match by 9 points. It was very tense at Port St Mary for the match between Port St Mary B and Nobles. The home side won 4-2 on games with Chris Holland and Lesley Coker winning to single figures. The two winners for Nobles, Lin Ruscoe and Sylvia Kennaugh were in devastatingly good form, with a total of 1 point scored against them. Both teams then had a total of 85, but with Nobles having a five point advantage on handicap, as the away team, they go through to the semi-finals.

Tuesday 27 June
The weather played its part in the Trend sponsored ladies’ over 60’s league with only one game taking place on Tuesday and three on Thursday.
Mooragh Park made the long journey down to Breagle on Tuesday, and must have wondered was it worth it as conditions can not have been easy, and both teams are to be applauded for going ahead with the game. The visitors had one winner in Moira Anderson who scuppered the home side‘s hopes of a full house..
Thursday 29 June
The weather again took its toll on Thursday with only three matches taking place. It was also a morning where the home side did not come out on top in any of the games. Top scorers were Marown on their visit to Ballaugh, with five winnere the lone winner for the home side being Jane Teare. Mary Simmonds almost added a second game, reaching 19 against Mary Alderson. Onchan and Castletown had a good tussle with a win to single figures for each side, courtesy of Lynda Clarke and Joy Stephens. The away side won 4-2 on games although several of the games could have gone either way. Breagle completed a good week with a 4-2 win at Douglas, Gwen Tuck winning to single figures as did Moire Turner for the home side.