STEWARTRY V RENFREWSHIRE – KIRKCUDBRIGHT 22/05/10

After the high drama of last week the old saying of lightning never striking twice was blown right out the window. Renfrewshire came into the game with some problems of team morale and selection, but the directors must have got a real lift from their team’s performance.

Rink 1 Keith was on the show rink this week and was looking for an improvement on the first 2 weeks and certainly got it from his rink, not least from a few “Brucie Bonuses”. Although at times the front end was being pressurised Bruce and Keith played some big shots and ran out winners, but another great last bowl from Keith on the final end to lose only a one turned out crucial again!   

Rink 2 Alister Herries moved across to cover for the absent Martin McClymont, and his partnership with Alan McClymont was really good. Alan played some great drawing shots to change heads and “Flash” was back to his one bowl destruction of bad heads and his bowl on the 3^rd last end to trail into ditch knocked stuffing out of his opponents. Front end were up against it and will learn about jack control for future games.

Rink 3 George Brown continued his excellent form in this year’s series and was backed up by his young rink, with no real weaknesses obvious from the spectators’ point of view. George continues to pull out some cracking draws with only a few inches to work with and again thoroughly deserved his win and probably was our best player on the green.

Rink 4 saw Sharkey suffer the highs and lows within a week, when his rink struggled against an in form Jackie McNeil. Although Sharkey played some great conversion and draws, he was always up against it and did well to keep score as close as it was. Slight controversy at end when Sharkey had one bowl to come and team manager approached head to discuss overall situation. One or two players from other rinks started to get a bit boisterous and a few verbals were exchanged before umpire intervened. But it set last end of rink 5 up as game winner and got everyone right behind the Stewartry boys.

Rink 5 was a changed rink with Brian McClune coming in to skip and Stewart Gilmour coming in to cover for the absent Matteo and Gav. This again proved a frustrating game with the Stewartry lads setting up some good heads only for the skip to alter them with alarming regularity. This game though proved to have the defining last end and a great back toucher from Hoopy and a side bowl within 8 inches from Conc meant Stewartry were lying 2 with only skips to play. Big Brian played a blocker, opposing skip cleared it out on forehand, Brian put blocker back in, skip changed hand and tried to play a running bowl. Fortunately, this was an error in judgement and bowl was last seen heading up Kirkcudbright High Street.

Rink 6 once again this rink was changed to cover for absent players and Scott McCubbin came back in to sub Reech. Michael Turnbull again put in another sound performance as lead; with Stewart McClymont trying to back him up this was a good performance. Reech can consider himself unlucky that this was against another old stalwart of Renfrew in wee Michael. He consistently was up and changing good heads into losing situations, but Reech and Scott kept plugging away and kept game tight to ensure game overall would go to the wire.

The last end drama was not quite as intense as last week but nevertheless it still had a few elements of high drama. After the confrontation at the other end as Sharkey finished, team manager went right round the green to watch the last 4 bowls of the match. Despite one or two opposition players trying to block his access he got through (in a gentlemanly fashion of course!!). Having sprinted across the green last week it was a much more subdued, but still excited celebration, to congratulate his players. Once again I cannot thank my players enough, great spirit and desire to win after having led 23 – 1 early on to falling behind 110 – 99 with a few ends to go, superb display. Also big thanks to the girls from Stewartry Care who came to get some pictures with the players and stayed for the whole day, I think some of them are even considering taking up the game now, so thanks again ladies.

Castle Douglas beat New Abbey

Auchencairn beat Dalbeattie (second time in a week!!)

Final is at Castle Douglas on Friday night (28th May).

Stewartry 118 Renfrewshire  South 116

STEWARTRY V LANARKSHIRE – DALBEATTIE 15/05/10

After the disappointment of last week and going up against a Lanarkshire team smarting from a last bowl loss against Dumfries, this looked a very tough proposition. However whether it was the presentation of the scoreboard from McGaw Electrical, Poloshirts from Martin and Green and Zippers from Stewartry Care, but this was a much different Stewartry team who gave everything throughout the game.

Rink 1 saw Martin McClymont after last weeks unlucky draw; show great play throughout from all 4 players and big shots from Alan and Martin when it mattered. Slight change in front end seemed to settle young Ronan and ever dependable Ian gave the 2 Cly’s a good platform to work with and they were always in control and pulled away last 6 ends to produce a great win 23-11. 

Rink 2 and again Alister and Reech were up against an in form Robert Grant, this match could really have slipped away from the boys nut they dug in really well and a couple of turnouts worked against them or this would have been very close. But at the crucial last 3 ends they pulled back 4 shots which would a huge difference at the end.

Rink 3 was team captain Keith and Bruce up against John Simpson and he had a strong rink behind him. Despite some good heads being built Keith could never quite get any results and they struggled through the game. A big loss of 6 on the 3^rd last end seemed to have killed not only the rink but overall score. However more to come later.

Rink 4 was a really strange game with both sides playing well and the score swinging wildly. After 10 ends Alan and Conc had pulled out 11-5, but they then despite playing consistently saw their score remain on 11 for the next 8 ends and were down by 9, a good recovery in last 3 ends saw them pull back to 3 down. Front end have to be commended for keeping putting bowls in end after end without seeing any shots scored, but another good fighting performance.

Rink 5 saw the Shark and Pres. Natch up against Scottish captain Ian Campbell and one of last years skips Andy McIntyre. This was another very good contest and for those who were able to watch it, you could see why big Ian is Scottish skipper. He constantly encouraged his players and gave precise instruction on what he was looking for. But all credit to Sharkey his concentration was superb and he was able to capitalise on wee Tam who played like he was 15 years younger – great leading. This game was looking a Stewartry win all the way, when Sharkey stretched out to 8 up but by end 18 it was down to 3 but a good finish saw Scott pull out a 7 shot win.

Rink 6 once again the Kirkcudbright rink played very well and worked hard for one another. They were well in front most of the game and that was despite dropping a 5 with 3 ends to go. Skip Geordie played an absolute belter when lying 6 down to draw the shot, on any other day Geordie – that would have been the shot of the day – but more later. George also kept encouraging his younger teammates and gave them a gee up when they needed it – well done lads.

I must comment on the end of the game, Stewartry lost a 5 and a 6 at the same time to fall 11 behind, this could have been the end right there with only 6 ends to go, but a 1 from Marty, 2 from Alan, 3 from Geordie, 4 from Sharky   2 from Keith and and suddenly it is pressure on. 2 ends to go Stewartry one up. John Simpson is looking at a head with only 2 Stewartry bowls in it and he has 5 around jack. Sharkey is lying one with a slim possible take out of a bowl to make 5. John Simpson plays weight drives out Stewartry bowls, Lanarkshire lie 5. Sharkey tries the take out misses 1 to Stewartry. Now 2 up with a bowl to come facing 5 down. Up come team captain to try and make second or third shot, perfect weight and line draws second shot – yours truly takes off up the green (sorry greenkeeper) place erupts great win. Fantastic performance boys hope you all had a good night, now let’s get ready for next week, I will announce team in next few hours, once I have spoken to all concerned.

Stewartry Team v Renfrewshire – 22/05/10

RESERVES (in alphabetical order):  Chris Coates CD, Hamish Sinclair Spalding, and Ralph Richardson New Abbey.

Stewartry get a great result against Lanarkshire after a poor start last week.

Stewartry v Lanarkshire South

Rink 1 M McClymont 23 S Harrison 11

Rink 2 A Herries 17 R Grant 27

Rink 3 K Shuttleworth 11 J Simpson 25

Rink 4 A Davies 17 S Forrest 20

Rink 5 S Davies 25 I Campbell 16

Rink 6 G Brown 21 J Meikle 14

Castle Douglas  beat  Kirkcudbright

New Abbey  beat  Creetown

Auchencairn w/o against Gatehouse

Friday 21st May

Castle Douglas v New Abbey @ Dalbeattie

Auchencairn v Dalbeattie  @ Kirkcudbright

FRIDAY 14th MAY

KIRKCUDBRIGHT   V  CASTLE DOUGLAS @ GATEHOUSE

NEW ABBEY            V  CREETOWN  @  CASTLE DOUGLAS

GATEHOUSE           V  AUCHENCAIRN  @  KIRKCUDBRIGHT

DALBEATTIE     Bye

WIGTOWNSHIRE V STEWARTRY – HAMILTON TROPHY 08/05/10

First Hamilton Trophy match of the season was away to a new look Wigtownshire team at Stranraer. The Stewartry team was vastly changed from the original team selected, with 6 players absent from the manager’s first team. The game was quite a good game from a spectators point of view and a lot of good conversion shots played, unfortunately most of the went against Stewartry.

Across the green, Rink 1 with Scott Davies in his first game as skip had a very difficult start and was 14-1 down with 6 ends left a great fightback only just failed and he went down by 2 shots. This game was actually quite fascinating, after losing a 4 the next 11 ends saw only one shot being scored each end. Both leads were playing well and it set a very high level of play from both rinks.

Alan Davies also in his first game as skip, had a very difficult baptism against an in form “Popeye” Arnott. Both 3rds in this game played really well and when Stewartry did build decent heads “Popeye” managed to burn ends twice when 4 down with his last bowl, and then to further rub salt in again 4 down he played a short bowl onto closest bowl to jack and turn jack through to make a 3. As D-Ream sang Alan things can only get better.

Martin McClymont had another good game in his second year as a skip and was unlucky not to record a victory. Along with brother Alan, they pulled out some big shots when required and kept their rink going. Towards the end in particular Alan facing 5 shots against drew shot to change head completely and then Martin on next end facing 4 down burst head open with first bowl and   Lost a one on last to deprive them a deserved victory.

Alistair Herries also had a right tussle on his hands and while he was unable to get a victory, it was through no lack of effort on behalf of his rink. In particular his lead played really well to put pressure on Wigtownshire and this game turned on a lengthened jack when Stewartry lost a 5. But again no poor performances good rink effort.

George Brown and Stevie Johnstone were moved to cover for the late withdrawal of Brian McClune and battled on well to again post a good performance and after clawing their way into this match, they cruelly saw a lie of 6 disappear when “Pandy” drew a brilliant shot to make a 1 with his last bowl. This took a bit of the stuffing out of the Kirkcudbright boys but overall this relatively young rink (always an exception George), played well.

Team Captain Keith Shuttleworth also was behind early on then got back to level at 12s, this game always looked tricky on the outside rink and was tight through to last couple of ends when an unfortunate loss of a 6 put the result beyond doubt. Again though it was a case of what might have been for this rink. Young Ronan Crossan, Auchencairn, will learn from this game and I am sure that the experience of Tom and Bruce will bring out the best in him before series ends.