With just four league fixtures left in the C Tarleton Hodgson sponsored ladies’ league, the position at the top of the table is by no means decided. At the moment Port St Mary have a lead of 65 points, while a disappointing week for South Ramsey means that Castletown have overtaken them for second place and Nobles are edging ever closer to the top three. South Ramsey were unfortunately a player short in a low scoring match against Nobles although Jenny Moore and Gill Dixon both won to single figures, as did Sylvia Kennaugh for the home side. Marown had three winners at Castletown, and, apart from a stellar performance from Heike Perry, made the Castletown players work hard for five of their wins. Peel Sunset were unable to match the exploits of their over 60’s team earlier in the week but fought well to take four games. Good wins to single figures by Val Macfarlane and Ann Maddrell gave the league leaders the advantage on points. Top scorers of the night were Port Erin, who won 7-2 on games with three wins to single figures. The two winners for Mooragh Park were Caroline Parker, to single figures and Vicky Lloyd-West who edged out Carol Kaye 21-20..Purt le Moirrey were not far behind winning 6-3 with three wins to single figures, Douglas had the better of Onchan 5-4 with two wins to single figures. Onchan also had two wins to single figures, but the game of the night saw Sue Gawne come through 21-20 against Muriel Cain.
Games postponed from 23 June
The two games postponed from June 23 due to the Super 32 event at South Ramsey were played on Wednesday 26 July. The matches played that night were all interrupted by a short, but very intense hailstorm, but despite players coming off the green during the worst of the weather, play resumed and all matches were completed.
Nobles travelled to Port Erin where, apart from Caroline Whitehead’s win to single figures, the games were close with three going all the way, Carol Kaye for the home side just losing out 20-21 to Lin Ruscoe while in reply Viv Cook reached 20 against Phil Dobson and Debbie Leece reached the same score against Mavis Franks. Douglas could only register two wins at South Ramsey courtesy of Harley Garrett and Paula Garrett who won to single figures. Brenda Williams came closest to adding a third game, reaching 19 against Fiona Kennish.
Games postponed from 21 July
Port St Mary won 6-3 on games in their match at Marown, the three winners for the home side being Lil Smith, to single figures, Philippa Taylor and Shirley Whelan who edged out Katy Williams 21-20.Peel came off second best in a low scoring match at Purt le Moirrey, despite winning 5-4 on games, as the home side won three of their four games to single figures.

The wet weather on Friday 21 July meant that two games had to be postponed in the C Tarleton Hodgson sponsored ladies’ league. Despite the miserable conditions Port Erin found their journey north to Douglas to be well worthwhile, winning 8 of the 9 games, five of them to single figures. The lone winner for the home side was Brenda Williams, although Pat Kelly nearly added a second game, reaching 20 against Carol Kaye. Castletown travelled even further north and struggled at South Ramsey, winning just three games, Hannah Drewett to single figures, while the home side won three of their six games to single figures. There was a ding-dong battle between Fiona Kennish and Ann Hollingworth, with Fiona just coming through 21-20.Nobles also won 6-3 on games, four of the wins being to single figures while the three winners for the home side were Maureen Lacey, Julie Reilly and Diana White. Things were more evenly matched at Ballaugh where the home side led 5-4 on games with Brenda Bowyer and Alison Millard winning to single figures as did Jo Smith for the visitors.

Nobles had a successful trip to Ballaugh in the C Tarleton Hodgson sponsored ladies’ league on Wednesday 12 July, winning seven of the nine games. The two winners for the home side were Brenda Bowyer and Christine Macdonald, while Jane Teare and Barbara Graham reached 19 against Sylvia Kennaugh and Debbie Leece respectively. Top scorers on the night were Castletown at Douglas, the home side, in the person of Brenda Williams, taking just one game off them, Jan Osborne nearly adding a second as she reached 19 against Ann Hollingworth. South Ramsey played host to Marown, finishing with 7 games, three to single figures. The visitors two winners were Shirley Whelan, to single figures, and Philippa Taylor. Port St Mary had a tough battle at Mooragh Park, losing 4-5 on games, but winning the match by 7 points. Both sides had two wins to single figures, but the game of the match saw Vicky Lloyd- West come through 21-20 against Kellie Maddrell- Reeve. Port Erin were in ruthless form at Purt le Moirrey, winning 5 of their 6 games to single figures, while Peel Sunset had a 6-3 win over Onchan. There were some close games in this match, two going all the way as Sarah Quirk pipped Joanne Kelly 21-20 which was balanced by Jean Quine coming through against Pat Robertson by the same score.
Friday14 July
The top three teams had very similar scores on Friday 14 July, leaving the way open for Nobles to close the gap in fourth place. They dropped only one point in their match against Douglas as Lin Ruscoe lost out 20-21 to Kay McKiernan. Another game to go the full course saw Lisa Boland with a 21-20 advatage over Sue Caley. The top of the table battle at Port St Mary saw the home side win 6-3 on games, with Kellie Maddrell-Reeve winning to single figures. However wins to single figures by Elaine and Jenny Moore saw the league leaders take the match by a single point. Castletown were unable to take advantage of the situation at Mooragh Park, gaining just one point on Port St Mary. Despite winning six games, two to single figures, good wins by Caroline Parker, Ellie Cowell and Janet Monk kept the home side’s total down to 151
Elsewhere, on a miserable wet night, Port Erin had a good win over Ballaugh winning 6 games, three to single figures, Peel Sunset went down to Marown 4-5 with a deficit of nineteen points while Onchan lost on points to Purt le Moirrey, despite winning 5-4 on games. .

It was a night of devastation and destruction, if not quite murder and mayhem, in the C Tarleton Hodgson sponsored ladies’ league on Friday 7 July. Douglas travelled to Port St Mary where the reigning champions, buoyed by their cup win the previous day, were in ruthless form, winning all nine games, five of them to single figures. The visitors’ main resistance came from Jan Osborne who reached 19 against Margaret Tasker. Ballaugh put up a bit more resistance on their visit to Castletown but still ended on the wrong end of a full house. Six of their players reached double figures, with Voirrey Oates reaching 15 against Kim Foy and Alison Millard taking Hannah Drewett all the way before going down 20-21.Onchan were another team who failed to pass the 100 point mark when faced by a rampant Port Erin who won seven games, five of them to single figures. Onchan avoided a white-wash with two winners in Libby Andrade and Sue Gawne. Nobles Also won 7-2 on games, with Paula Firth and Rebecca Teare winning to single figures, while Purt le Moirrey had two winners in Roma Ware and Lesley Coker and very nearly made it four as Edwina Reid and Tracy Moore both lost out 20-21 to Debbie Leece and Clare Cooper. Mooragh Park entertained Marown and won 5-4 on games with Julie Reilly winning to single figures. The closest match-up saw Aalish Hawarth just lose out 19-21 to Margaret Scarffe. Peel and South Ramsey squared up at Peel, but the visitors had the better of the encounter 5-4 on games. A win to single figures by Jenny Moore was balanced by one to Joyce Kelly, but most of the other games were more closely contested , with Jill Quayle reaching 19 against Lynda Wilson and Mary Moffatt coming through 21-20 against Fiona Kennish

Nobles were top scorers in the C Tarleton Hodgson sponsored ladies’ league on Friday 30 June, dropping just three points. The two winners for Onchan were Libby Andrade, coming through 21-19 against Lisa Boland, and Marilyn Ellison who was taken all the way by Joyce Ogden before taking the game 21-20.Another game to go all the way saw Clare Cooper edge out Maureen Payne. South Ramsey and Castletown also took seven games, but with Helen Martin and Janet Monk having good wins to single figures, as did four of their players, South Ramsey had to settle for a relatively moderate total score while, despite Edwina Reid having a win to single figures for Purt le Moirrey, Castletown managed to pass the 170 point mark. Port St Mary won 6-3 on games and with all of their players scoring 17 points or more dropped only ten points, the winners for Ballaugh being Jane Teare, Barbara Graham and Christine Macdonald. Peel‘s visit to Port Erin saw them come out second best , losing 4-5 on games and by a deficit of 7 points. How well-matched the two teams are is highlighted by looking at their performances this season where they have ended level on points over their two games. Marown travelled to Douglas, winning 5-4 on games, but with Philippa Taylor and Rosie Winckle winning to single figures they came through by a comfortable points margin.

There were only three matches played in the C Tarleton Hodgson sponsored ladies’ league on Friday 23 June, with the South Ramsey green being used for the Super 32 event, members of Nobles wishing to attend the event and the match at the Mooragh being rained off.
Unfortunately Ballaugh were a player short for their journey to Marown and a match which turned out to be a low scoring affair. The eight games played were shared, but with Ann Gale and Pat Mason winning to single figures, Ballaugh ended just eight points adrift despite giving a game away. Port St Mary had the better of their “local derby” against club mates Purt le Moirrey, winning seven of the nine games. The two winners for the “home side” were Brenda Hawkard against Margaret Tasker, 21-17 and Edwina Reid who had the better of Ann Maddrell 21-19.Debra Cooper almost gave them a third game reaching 20 against Wendy Kennaugh. Onchan put up a spirited performance against Castletown, just losing out 4-5 on games – it was unfortunate that four of Castletown’s wins were to single figures, giving them an advantage of 50 points.

The semi-finals of the Jean Kelly team handicap took place on Thursday 15 June. At Port Erin visitors Nobles had the better of the encounter winning 6-3 on games with a big enough points margin for the handicap not to effect the outcome. The three winners for the home side were Carol Kaye, to single figures, Sylvia Shelbourne and Caroline Whitehead who edged out Sylvia Kennaugh 21-19. In reply Joyce Ogden also won to single figures for Nobles.

At Peel, taking the handicap into account there was only one point, in Port St Mary’s favour, in it after the first block of 5 matches, and up to the last two games it was still theoretically possible for the home side to win. However by the end of the match the visiting side won 7-2 on games and by a margin of 17 points. Tricia Bull and Val Macfarlane won to single figures , while Joyce Kelly and Mary Moffatt were the two winners for the home side. Peel players resisted well with Rose Corfield reaching 18 against Wendy Kennaugh and Heather Horsburgh just losing out 20-21 to Jayne Kneen.

After the break for the TT the C Tarleton Hodgson sponsored leagur resumed on Friday 16 June, this match being the final one in the first half of the fixture list.
The battle for this year’s honours would appear to be going to one of three teams. Reigning champions, Port St Mary have a slender 13 point lead over South Ramsey while Castletown are not far behind in third place. These three are drawing away from Nobles who are in fourth place with a fair lead over the following group.
Port St Mary were taking no prisoners winning all nine game against Onchan. Dee Lewis put up the greatest resistance for the visitors, reaching 17 against Kellie Maddrell-Reeve. South Ramsey won seven games, five of them to single figures, the two winners for Ballaugh being Ann Gale and Christine Macdonald, while third placed Castletown reached 170 points winning six games to three, with Ann Hollingworth almost adding a seventh game when she lost out 21-20 to Di Benson. At Peel, Sunset won by 9 points despite losing 6-3 on games. For the home side Joyce Kelly won to single figures, while three players, Shirley Corrin, Cath Parker and Heather Horsburgh lost out 20-21. Heather’s game against Joyce Ogden may also be the longest game of the season, lasting 38 ends. Despite Tracy Moore winning to single figures Purt le Moirrey struggled at Marown although they had two more winners in Debra Cooper and Rita Callister, while Mooragh Park won six games, three to single figures, against Douglas who also had a win to single figures courtesy of Jan Osborne.

It does not happen very often but in the C Tarleton Hodgson sponsored Ladies’ league on Friday 26 May the match between Peel Sunset and Douglas ended drawn on points, despite the visitors winning 5-4 on games. Three wins to single figures by the home side balanced out the one by Jan Osborne for Douglas, the result showing the value of fighting for every point even if you still end up losing your game. Mooragh Park had a successful journey to Ballaugh, where they won 5-4 on games, but there were some very close match-ups with Gill Morgan reaching 19 against Ann Gale and in reply Pat Mason just losing out 20-21 to Ann Chapman. Purt le Moirrey were up against it when South Ramsey won seven games, four of them to single figures, but managed to register two good wins by Linda Dawson and Tracy Moore. Port Erin were also under the cosh when hosting Port St Mary, who also won seven games. The two winners for the home side were Caroline Whitehead and Lynda Cadamy who won to single figures, while Mavis Franks and Carol Kaye both reached 20 against Katy Williams and Win Collister respectively. Nobles went down 4-5 to Castletown. Rebecca Teare won to single figures, as did Kim Foy and Hannah Drewett for the visitors. Marown were another side with a ruthless streak, winning seven games at Onchan, four of them to single figures. The two winners for the home side were Libby Andrade and Marilyn Ellison..