Isle of Man County Crown Green Bowling Association

Marown Bowling Club hosted the Juan Kelly Cup, with the competition attracting 46 as the curtain was brought down on the 2024 bowling season.

The competition was played over two qualifying nights (Monday and Tuesday), with four pairs qualifying each night to qualify for the finals night on Wednesday evening. The format was any combination doubles, played over 15 ends with ends 5, 10 and 15 played as ‘power’ ends with the points scored counting double. The pairs were given a handicap based on their rankings in the Men’s and Ladies game. If scores were tied after 15 ends a one bowl shootout would take place to decide the winner. For finals night a re-draw took place to determine who the pairings would play on the night, with a good mixture of high and low handicaps still in the competition.

Losing out at the quarter final stage were home greeners Glenn Boland and Peter Jones (SCR) 10-19 to teammates Colin Kelly and Tom Kelly (SCR), whilst the 2023 winners Paul Dunn and Stevie Kelly (SCR) (Marown/Peel) managed to see of the +8 handicappers of Paul Moore and Lee Price (Noble’s) 21-13. In the other half of the draw Kim and Glynn Hargraves were off a +2 handicap (South Ramsey) as they beat Peel pair Tony Carroon and Dougie Allan (+3) 18-10, whilst Phil Kelly and John Gelling (+2) won the all-Marown battle as they beat Debbie Leece and Neil Withers (+1) 18-14 in the closest tie of the round.

The Kelly father and son combination progressed to the final with a 19-14 victory, despite conceding eight chalks to Dunn and Kelly on the first power end, as they won the last two power ends with eight chalks of their own. The South Ramsey combination reached the final with a 19-16 win over Phil Kelly and John Gelling despite losing two of the power ends themselves.

The final got underway with the South Ramsey pair scoring a three on the first end, they then conceded a single, were lying one on the following end only for Tom to take the jack off the green. Another single followed for Kim and Glynn. The game swung on its head on the first power end as a four scored by the Marown men turned a 1-6 deficit into a 9-6 lead.

The home greeners went onto score a two on the following end with another great bowl from Tom just tipping the jack going into the river corner. Kim and Glynn pulled a two back on the following end in the corners, then conceded a two and a three to trail 8-16. The second power end was won by the visiting bowlers with a single, with a bigger scoring end needed to close the deficit. A single on the following end proved to be their last point as Colin and Tom scored two doubles, and a single on end 14 was enough to lift the title for the first time to put the game out of reach at 21-11.

At the conclusion of play the presentation was made by Marown Club President Peter Kelly, who thanked Juan Kelly for once again sponsoring the competition, Brian Kelly for running the sheet, the Ladies for the refreshments over all three nights, everyone who entered, and all those who came to support. Juan Kelly was then introduced to present the prizes.