Maureen Payne spoiled the party for Port St Mary on Friday 3 July in the C Tarleton Hodgson and Son Ltd sponsored ladies’ league, winning her game to deny them a maximum score. The home side won 8 games, four of them to single figures. South Ramsey were second highest scorers on the night, winning 7-2 on games with Lin Ruscoe and Clare Cooper, to single figures, being the two winners for Noble’s. Rhona Argallon came closest to adding a third game reaching 19 against Moira Anderson. Things were close at Peel, where Purt le Moirrey won 5-4 on games with Pauline Worrall winning to single figures. Mary Moffatt and Heather Horsburgh also won to single figures for the home side, while the match of the night saw Dot Mylchreest lose out 20-21 to Shirley Corrin. Douglas came through by 2 points against Marown, winning 5-4 on games. Apart from Rosie Winckle winning to single figures there were several close games, three ending 21-19. Castletown dropped just two games to Mooragh Park, Janet Monk and Rosemary Quirk being the two winners for the home side while at Ballaugh Port Erin had the better of it 5-4 on games. Apart from a master-class by Christine Macdonald the other eight games all went to double figures

Only four matches took place in the C Tarleton Hodgson and Son Ltd sponsored ladies’ league on Friday 26 June. The men’s Super 16 was taking place at South Ramsey and I believe Noble’s went to watch. Could I please ask captains to keep me informed of changes and let me know, as soon as possible, the dates that the matches are going to be played.

Of the four matches that were played Port St Mary won by the biggest margin, 6-3 on games with three wins to single figures. The three winners for Marown were Rosie Winckle, to single figures, Pat Withers and Mary Black. Despite winning 5-4 on games, Castletown found themselves seven points adrift of Purt le Moirrey. The closest game of the night saw Roma Ware just lose out 20-21 to Joy Stephens. Port Erin had the edge 5-4 on games with Voirrey Curphy and Kay Primrose-Smih winning to single figures. With all their players reaching double figures they came away with a comfortable points win. It was close at Onchan the result showing the value of fighting for every point. Although only winning four games the Peel Sunset girls all reached double figures giving them victory by a mere five points.

Port St Mary were too strong, and determined, for their fellow club colleagues in the first semi-final of the Jean Kelly memorial team handicap competition. Purt le Moirrey had two winners in Chris Price and Pauline Worrall but Port St Mary won the other seven games with ease three of them to single figures, so that even a healthy handicap of 40 points was not enough to rescue their hapless opponents.

It was a similar tale at South Ramsey with the home side winning seven of the nine games. The two winners for Onchan were Rita Callan and Maureen Payne, Rita having a tough tussle with Bethany Kennish before coming through 21-18.With South Ramsey winning two games to single figures and the highest losing score for Onchan being 13 an advantage of 40 points on handicap was not enough to affect the result.

The Final, between Port St Mary and South Ramsey will be played on Thursday 9 July, venue to be announced.

There were only two high scores in the C Tarleton Hodgson and Son Ltd sponsored ladies’ league on Friday 19 June, but one of the two was a maximum by Port St Mary against Port Erin. With the visitors winning all nine games, four of them to single figures, only Voirrey Curphey threatened to spoil the party reaching 18 against Alison Keggen. Castletown dropped just 10 points as they won 6-3 on games at Onchan with Kim Foy and Anne Oates winning to single figures. Rita Callan put up a good fight against Hannah Kermode, reaching 19 while Joy Stephens just lost out 20-21 to Wendy McDowell.It was a close fought thing at Marown where Peel Sunset, winning 5-4 on games scraped victory by 2 points. Two games went all the way, Heather Horsburgh edging out Elaine Dewhirst 21-20 while Mary Black came through against Cath Parker by the same score. Ballaugh lost on games, 4-5, to Douglas but triumphed by 5 points. The highlight of the evening was a “ding-dong” battle between Christine MacDonald and Kath King, Kath taking it 21-20.Despite having six wins, one to single figures for Lin Ruscoe, and a 19 by Paula Firth against Janet Monk, good wins to single figures by Lilian Slinger and Kim Hargraves kept Noble’s total down while two wins to single figures for each side meant that the Purt le Moirrey match against South Ramsey was also a low scoring affair.

Ballaugh could only muster two winners in their match against the reigning champions in the C Tarleton Hodgson sponsored ladies’ league on Friday 29 May. Jenny Maddrell had a comfortable win to single figures, as did four of the Port St Mary team, while Barbara Graham came through 21-20 against Alison Keggen. South Ramsey also won seven games with four to single figures, the two winers for Onchan being Marilyn Ellison and Jo Smith who also won to single figures. Despite Margaret Scarffe and Lil Smith winning to single figures Marown fell just short of the 100 point mark when Castletown won 5 of their 7 games to single figures, the highest losing score of the match being 13, achieved by both Mary Alderson and Rosie Winckle. Peel Sunset entertained Port Erin and came out ahead by 5 games to 4, Joyce Kelly and Mary Moffatt both winning to single figures, while at Noble’s four of the home side had single figure wins the game of that match being Lynne Mansley’s 21-19 victory over Lin Ruscoe. It was a low scoring affair at the Mooragh Park, the home side being unlucky to have Rosemary Quirk injure herself as she played her first end. Mooragh Park won four games, Caroline Parker almost adding a fifth as she reached 19 against Debra Cooper.

Lynne Mansley was the hero for Douglas on Friday 22 May, her win denying Port St Mary a full house. The visitors won eight games, four of them to single figures leaving Douglas just short of a three figure total.Castletown put in a strong performance at Port Erin winning 7 games, three to single figures. The two winners for Port Erin were Carol Kaye and Mavis Franks who edged out Marie Ashurst 21-19.Onchan were a player short against Mooragh Park who won 6-3 on games, the match-up of the night being Vicky Lloyd-West’s 21-20 win over Joyce Gardiner. Ballaugh also won 6-3 on games against Peel Sunset, but the visitors fought well to end up level on points, Rose Corfield reaching !9 against Peggy Griffin and Joyce Kelly 20 against Christine MacDonald. Purt le Moirrey struggled against Noble’s but had three winners in Chris Price, Edwina Reid and Pauline Worrall while Roma Ware reached 19 against Julie Macleod. South Ramsey were another team with a 6-3 games advantage, the three winners for Marown being Pat Withers, Mary Alderson and Rosie Winckle, to single figures. Lil Smith nearly added a fourth game, reaching 19 against Jill Quayle.

South Ramsey were top scorers in the C Tarleton Hodgson sponsored ladies league on Wednesday 20 May, winning 8 games, 3 of them to single figures. Jean Thackrah was the lone winner for Port Erin. Onchan were affected by sickness and could only field five players, who fought well to win three of their five games, Eileen Thomas winning to single figures as did Debra Cooper for the home side. Ann Gale and Christine McDonald, to single figures, were the two winners for Ballaugh at Castletown, the home side winning 4 games to single figures. Mooragh Park are beginning to look dangerous again, winning seven games against Marown whose two winners were Margaret Scarffe and Lil Smith, while Port St Mary had the edge over Noble‘s winning 6-3 on games. The closest match of the night was at Peel where Sunset won 5-4 on games and by a single chalk. Two of the games could have gone either way with Sue Jones losing out 19-21 to Joan Murphy while Rose Corfield holding off Brenda Williams to win 21-20.

It was not a good week for Peel Sunset in the C Tarleton Hodgson sponsored league as, after their debacle at Noble’s on Tuesday, they faced a rampant Port St Mary on Friday night. The home side won the first eight games, four to single figures, and at one point Joyce Kelly, in the last game, was 15-2 down before coming through to win 21-18 to give the home side a three figure total. It was also a last game for Connie Pettegrew before she returns to America-we all wish her well for the future.It was a hard fought battle at Marown, where all 9 games went to double figures, the visitors having the advantage 5-4 on games, although it could have been the other way round with Irene Corlett reaching 20 against Gill Aughton and Margaret Scarffe 19 against Roma Ware. South Ramsey had the better of things at Ballaugh, winning 5 games with Elaine Moore doing so to single figures, while Port Erin had a good win in a low-scoring match against Mooragh Park, winning 6 games, three of them to single figures. Noble’s put up a strong performance against Onchan, winning four of their six games to single figures. The game of the match saw Marilyn Ellison edge out Sylvia Kennaugh 21-19.At Douglas the home side won three games, two to single figures by Paula Garrett and Pat Kelly and in the third Lynne Mansley pipped Ann Hollingworth 21-20. In reply Castletown won six games with Kim Foy winning to single figures.

It turned into a bitterly cold night on Thursday 14 May for the quarter-finals of the Jean Kelly team handicap knockout competition.

At Ballaugh the home team won only three games to Onchan’s six, but with those three games being to single figures, as was Maureen Payne’s for Onchan, they had the advantage on points, 148-142, before the handicaps kicked in giving the visitors a 187-173 win.

It was another close match at Castletown, the home side losing out 4-5 on games to South Ramsey, although Sue Peach did win to single figures. The visitors won 156- 147 without the handicap which stretched their lead by a further 5 points.

The closest match of the night was at Noble’s where the home side won five of the nine games with Rebecca Teare winning to single figures. However Port St Mary won three of their four games to single figures to lead 149-132 which was a bit too close for comfort as Noble’s +15 handicap brought them within 2 points of their visitors.

Douglas struggled on their trip south to Purt le Moirrey, the home side winning 5 games with Chris Price winning to single figures. The visitors wins included one to single figures by Muriel Cain, while Joan Murphy edged out Dot Mylchreest 21-19 and Harley Garrett was taken all the way by Chris Holland before coming through 21-20.The home side were 164-145 and also had the advantage on handicap so ended with a comfortable points win.

The match between Noble’s and Peel Sunset, postponed from Friday 8 May due to the weather conditions, was played on Tuesday 12 May. Peel were left wondering whether having four out of their nine players reaching a score of 4 was some sort of a record! The visitors did take three games with Joyce Kelly winning to single figures.