The C Tarleton Hodgson Sponsored ladies’ league got their 2016 season under way on Wednesday 6 April, when although cold the weather was not too inclement. As was to be expected the best starts were made by the current champions, Port St Mary, and the team tipped as one of their leading contenders, South Ramsey.

Port St Mary played hosts to Onchan, who were unfortunately a player short. Maureen Payne was the lone winner for the visitors while three of the home players, Ann Maddrell, Tricia Bull and Margaret Tasker won to single figures. A depleted Mooragh Park, one player short and other key players missing, travelled across town to South Ramsey. With a win to Gill Morgan and Helen Martin reaching a hard-earned 19 against Shelley Kennish, the visitors could glean some positives and with a plethora of new players their rebuilding could be under way. Purt le Moirrey had a fruitful journey to Ballaugh, winning 7 of the 9 games. The two winners for the home side were Jenny Maddrell and Ellie Faragher while Ann Gale reached 19 against Chris Price. Noble’s against Marown gave us a mixture of close, and not so close, matches with three wins to single figures for the home side and one for the visitors. In contrast Sylvia Kennaugh and Celia Joughin went all the way with Sylvia just edging it 21-20.The closest match of the night was at Port Erin with the home side having a 5-4 advantage on games. Lynda Cadamy and Carol Kaye won to single figures as did Jan Osborne for Douglas .Brenda Williams took Jackie Elliott to the wire before going down 20-21.There were some good games between Castletown and Peel Sunset, although the visitors were always on the back foot, and althoughPeel lost by just the one game the home side had the distinct advantage on points.

The final matches in the C Tarleton Hodgson and Son Ltd sponsored ladies’ league took place on Friday 21 August. Port St Mary celebrated winning the league by producing a maximum against Port Erin, while South Ramsey did enough to cement second place, winning 6-3 against Purt le Moirrey whose three winners were Tracy Moore, Chris Price and Linda Dawson. A 7-2 win over Onchan, whose two winners were Libby Andrade and Marilyn Ellison, left Castletown just 40 points below South Ramsey but well clear of fourth placed Nobles, who lost out 5-4 to Mooragh Park on the night. Joyce Ogden came close to reversing the games score reaching 20 against Rosemary Quirk. Ballaugh finished the season on a high at Douglas, winning 6-3, with all 9 players scoring 16 or over and dropping just 11 points. Despite ending near the bottom of the table Peel Sunset rallied in their last match with Joyce Kelly and Heather Horsburgh winning to single figures while Cath Parker came through 21-19 after a tough battle with Lil Smith.

Congratulations go to Elaine Moore who won the league merit. She was closely followed by her South Ramsey colleague Lyn Bolton with Val Macfarlane of Port St Mary in third place.

Thursday 13 August

Rearranged match from Friday 7 August .

South Ramsey’s rearranged match against Marown took place on Thursday 13 August and although finishing a close 5-4  on games in the home side’s favour, winning four of those games to low single figures gave South Ramsey a win by a large margin on points, with all their players reaching double figures. Lil Smith and Lauren Groen had a tough battle with Lil coming through 21-20, while Jill Quayle reached 19 against Mary Alderson.

Friday 14 August

The penultimate match in the C Tarleton Hodgson and Son Ltd sponsored ladies’ league season took place on Friday 14 August, when South Ramsey were in imperious form winning 8 games, three of them to single figures, Wendy McDowell being the lone winner for the home side. It was a rare result at Purt le Moirrey, where the two sides recorded a draw on points despite the home side winning 6-3 on games. The three winners for Mooragh Park won to single figures, as did Tracy Moore for Purt Le Moirrey. Vicky Lloyd West had a good result reaching 19 against Roma Ware. Port St Mary travelled to Ballaugh, winning 5-4 on games. The home side fought well to keep the points deficit down to 10, the feature match seeing Ellie Faragher just lose out 20-21 to Katy Williams. At Port Erin the home side won 5-4 with a 15 point advantage, while Douglas had the advantage over Nobles 6-3, Sylvia Kennaugh coming closest to adding another game for the visitors reaching 19 against Wendy Cowin. Castletown had the better of their match against Marown, 5-4, with two wins to single figures – they also lost two games to single figures keeping their points total down.

Wednesday 5 August

Despite the wet weather the matches in the C Tarleton Hodgson and Son Ltd sponsored ladies league on Wednesday 5 August were all played. Top scorers of the night were Castletown, winning 6-3, two of the wins to single figures. The match-up between Ann Gale and Anne Oates was closer, the visiting player coming through 21-19. The Peel players had problems with the wet conditions at Douglas, with three players losing to single figures and only three winners, Sue Jones, Philippa Taylor, to single figures, and Joyce Kelly who edged out Paula Garrett 21-20. It was a low scoring match at Marown, the home side winning four games, two of them to single figures courtesy of Celia Joughin and lil Smith, while three of Mooragh Park’s wins were also to single figures, while things were close at Port Erin where South Ramsey won 6-3 on games. Mavis Franks’ win to single figures together with Carol Kaye’s 20 against Casey Bolton kept the points difference down to 6 points. At Port St Mary Jayne Kneen won to single figures,as did Rebecca Teare for their visitors the rest of the games being hotly contested, but a 6-3 win on games gave the home side a clear win on chalks. Purt le Moirrey were another team who won 6-3 on games in a relatively low scoring match with both teams winning two games to single figures.

Friday 7 August

Jan Osborne saved Douglas’ blushes on Friday 7 August, denying Port St Mary a full house as the home side won 8 games, four of them to single figures. Castletown had three wins to single figures as they came through 7-2 against Port Erin whose two winners were Lynda Cadamy and Carol Kaye. Ballaugh put up a strong performance at Peel, winning 7 games with Pat Mason winning to single figures, while the two winners for the home side were Mary Moffatt, to single figures, and Joyce Kelly. Despite losing 4-5 on games Purt le Moirrey, with Chris Price winning to single figures, and Debra Cooper reaching 19 against Flo Price, the visitors finished with a 10 point advantage. The Mooragh Park match against Onchan was rearranged and played on Tuesday 4 August. Onchan were unfortunately a player short, and won just two games thanks to Ann Rooney and Jo Smith while Libby Andrade almost added a third game reaching 19 against Kim Hargraves.

A maximum score of 189 is a rare thing in the C Tarleton Hodgson and Son Ltd sponsored ladies’ league, but Castletown achieved one on Friday 31 July against Douglas. It was unfortunate that Douglas were a player short, but the eight that did played put up a spirited show, all reaching double figures. Jan Osborne came closest to giving the visitors a game reaching 20 against Ann Hollingworth. South Ramsey were another high-scoring team, winning seven games, Lyn Bolton winning to single figures. The two winners for Ballaugh were Brenda Bowyer and Ellie Faragher. Peel Sunset had a tough time against Port St Mary, winning only three games, courtesy of Joyce Kelly, whose battle against Val Macfarlane went her way 21-19, Philippa Fletcher and Heather Horsburgh. Sue Jones almost added another game losing out 20-21 to Tricia Bull. Port Erin did not enjoy their journey north, as Mooragh Park won 6-3 on games, three of them to single figures, the winners for the visitors being, Di Benson, Caroline Whitehead and Lynda Cadamy who also won to single figures. Purt le Moirrey had the better of Marown 5-4 on games with two wins to single figures. In reply Lil Smith also won to single figures but it was not enough to deny the home side the advantage on points. It was unfortunate that Onchan were a player short as, apart from Pat Dacre’s win to single figures, there were some very close games.

South Ramsey were top scorers in the C Tarleton Hodgson and Son Ltd sponsored league on Friday 24 July, winning 7-2 on games with three wins to single figures. The two winners for Douglas were Pat Kelly and Jan Osborne who pipped Jill Quayle 21-20.Peel Sunset had their third 5-4 win in a row, but this time also managed to win on points ! Rebecca Teare’s win to single figures was matched by Cath Parker and Philippa Taylor, while Debbie Leece made a strong come back before losing out 20-21 to Heather Horsburgh. It was a close, if low-scoring, match at Ballaugh where the home team won 6-3 on games with two wins to single figures. In reply Mooragh Park’s three winners, Helen Martin, Janet Monk and lilian Slinger also won to single figures. League leaders Port St Mary A won five games, three to single figures, against Castletown while there were also some very close encounters in the match, while Marown had the better of Onchan 6-3 on games, the feature match seeing Lil Smith just edge out Dee Lewis 21-20.Carol Kaye had a good win to single figures for Port Erin against Purt le Moirrey, where the other games were much closer with a 21-19 to each team and Linda Dawson losing out 20-21 to Voirrey Curphey.

Match postponed from 26 June

Nobles 153 (5), Ballaugh 143 (4)

This was a close match with the advantage going to Nobles by 10 points. Both teams had two wins to single figures while, in contrast, Peggy Griffin reached 19 against Sonja Lees and Debbie Leece just lost out 20-21 to Ellie Faragher.

Purt le Moirrey were top scorers in the C Tarleton Hodgson and Son sponsored ladies’ league on Friday 17 July, with five wins and two scores of 20 as Roma Ware and Pauline Worrall were just pipped by Jane Teare and Christine Macdonald respectively. Onchan won 6-3 against Port Erin but a win to single figures by Carol Kaye together with Jackie Elliott’s 20 against Marilyn Ellison kept the home team’s lead down to 12 points. South Ramsey had a 5 point advantage over Port St Mary despite losing 4-5 on games, while Castletown also won on points despite losing 4-5 on games to Peel Sunset. Nobles won 6-3 on games with Clare Cooper and Debbie Leece winning to single figures as did Rosie Winckle for Marown. The battle of the match saw Mary Black just lose out 20-21 to Julie Macleod. There was not much separating Mooragh Park and Douglas despite the home side winning 5-4 with two wins to single figures. Douglas also had a win to single figures but a feature of the match was the two games which went all the way, Julie Reilly coming through 21-20 against Harley Garrett and in reply Sue Caley pipping Rosemary Quirk by the same score

Match postponed from Friday 8 May

Muriel Cain saved Douglas from a whitewash, being their lone winner, to single figures, in the match postponed from 8 May. With Moira Anderson and Lyn Bolton also winning to single figures South Ramsey had a convincing points win.

SOUTH RAMSEY 177, DOUGLAS 114:

Fiona Kennish 21, Harley Garrett 16; Nicola Kneale 9, Muriel Cain 21; Moira Anderson 21, Sue Caley 2; Gillian Dixon 21, Jan Osborne 15; Jenny Moore 21, Brenda Williams 16; Lyn Bolton 21, Joan Murphy 5; Jill Quayle 21, Kay McKiernan 11; Elaine Moore 21, Lynne Mansley 11; Casey Bolton 21, Pat Kelly 17.

Match postponed from Friday 10 July

The postponed match from Friday 10 July between Mooragh Park and Peel Sunset was played on Tuesday 21 July, the fist block surviving the wet conditions. Although Peel won 5-4 on games wins to single figures by Helen Martin, Janet Monk and Julie Reilly gave the home side the victory on points.

MOORAGH PARK 156, PEEL SUNSET 138:

Helen Martin 21, Pat Robertson 0; Janet Monk 21, Joyce Kelly 9; Lilian Slinger 11, Heather Horsburgh 21; Kim Hargraves 19, Philippa Taylor 21; Rosemary Quirk 21, Cath Parker 15; Julie Reilly 21, Lynda Wilson 9; Vicky Lloyd West 10, Mary Moffatt 21; Caroline Parker 15, Jean Quine 21; Gillian Morgan 17, Sue Jones 21.

Port St Mary showed little mercy against Mooragh Park in the C Tarleton Hodgson and Son Ltd sponsored ladies’ league on Wednesday !5 July, winning seven of the nine games, four of them to single figures. The two winners for the visitors were Lilian Slinger and Helen Martin. Castletown also won seven games, two to single figures, against Nobles whose two winners were Sonja Lees and Paula Firth. The other games were all closer, Port Erin winning 5-4 against Marown with three wins to single figures. Shirley Whelan also won to single figures for the visitors while the tussle between Lynda Cadamy and Lil Smith went Lil’s way 21-20.At Peel South Ramsey won 5-4 on games with Elaine Moore and Lyn Bolton winning to single figures, as did Heather Horsburgh for the home side, while there were only 8 points between the teams at Douglas where Chris Price and Tracy Moore won to single figures for the visitors as did Lynne Mansley for the home side. Brenda Williams lost 20-21 in a battle with Roma Ware. Onchan were unfortunately a player short when they travelled to Ballaugh. Despite losing 5-4 on games, a win to single figures by Marilyn Ellison together with Rita Callan’s 20 against Barbara Graham kept their deficit down to 13 points

Only five games took place in the C Tarleton Hodgson and Son Ltd sponsored ladies’ league on Friday 10 July as Mooragh Park had members “across” representing the island. Their match against Peel Sunset will be played on Tuesday 21 July.

After their exploits in the Jean Kelly final on Thursday night, South Ramsey had another close encounter _ this time against Castletown. The visitors had the advantage 5-4 on games with Kath Kinley winning to single figures. Gill Dixon also won to single figures for the home side, the rest of the games going to double figures with South Ramsey losing out by 4 points. Top scorers of the night were Onchan who had the better of Douglas 6-3 on games. The visitors three winners were Paula Garrett, to single figures, Pat Kelly coming through 21-19 against Libby Andrade and Muriel Cain who just pipped Dee Lewis 21-20. Port St Mary also won 6-3 on games ,with three wins to single figures, the three winners for Purt le Moirrey being Tracy Moore, Pauline Worrall and Gill Aughton. Marown could only garner two games against Ballaugh, their two winners being Rosie Winckle and Pat Withers, while Port Erin had the better of Nobles 5-4 with Lynda Cadamy winning to single figures. There were some very close games in the match, the pick of the bunch being Clare Cooper’s 21-20 against Di Benson.