Isle of Man County Crown Green Bowling Association

The Islands premier doubles competition was hosted by Peel Bowling Club on Sunday on a much slower green than that enjoyed for the recent Peel Town Cup. The competition was played 21 up off a handicap of +3 for all competitors. The event was well supported with 32 pairs entering in a bid to win the coveted title.

An all South Ramsey affair had Lee Dawson and Tony Hart lose 9-21 to Glynn Hargraves and David Bradford, while Port St Mary duo Wayne Roberts and Trevor Quayle were 14-14 against Dave ‘Barney’ Kelly and son Stevie Kelly (Peel) before losing 14-21. An all Marown tie was won 21-15 by Neil Withers and Paul Dunn against Colin Kelly and Juan Killip, while South Ramsey’s Tony Dugdale and James Teare lost 12-21 to Matthew Keggen and Paul Kelly (Marown).

In the semi-finals Hargraves and Bradford got off to a good start taking an 8-3 lead over Barney & Stevie Kelly with the latter pairing getting a run of ends playing along the edge in front of the clubhouse to turn the game around to lead 16-8. Hargraves and Bradford dug in to recover the score to just one point behind at 16-17, only to concede a double and a single, then picked up a single themselves and were lying one only for Stevie to play a great reaching bowl to win the game 21-17. The other semi-final was much more straightforward with Withers and Dunn winning comfortably 21-8 against Keggen and Kelly.

In a repeat of the 2020 final Withers and Dunn won six of the first seven ends to lead 10-4, with Withers playing over the middle of the green. The Peel pair responded with two doubles to sit just two points behind at 8-10, this kicked the Marown men into gear as they scored a three, two doubles and a single to take control of the game 18-8. A huge comeback appeared to be on the card as a single allowed Barney to get into the corners with two successive ends scoring three pulled the score back to 15-18, however Withers and Dunn dug deep to take a double and a single to win 21-18 as they retained the title they won at Port St Mary last year in another entertaining final.

The presentation was made by Association Competition Secretary Steve Moore, who thanked Peel Bowling Club for the use of the green and its members for providing helpers throughout the day. Upon accepting the prizes Paul Dunn thanked everyone involved in the running of the competition, their opponents and also his playing partner.