Gower digs deep in Allan Cup tussle at Thurso
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There were early baths for some of the fancied players with Ronnie Bain, Brian Tewnion and Steven Buttress all falling at the first hurdle.
After disposing of Tewnion, Peter Dymond jnr reached the quarter-final with a victory over Keith Boden but that was as far as he would go when he came up against Charlie Newlands who, after earlier beating Brian Cormack, continued his good form.
In the semi-final Charlie found Douglas Morrison waiting for him after the latter had made his way impressively through the field. It was Douglas who came out on top in a close game, 21-18.
The standard of play was just as good in the bottom half of the draw. Peter Dymond snr found himself in a ding-dong battle with gents’ captain Peter Knapp and after an excellent game Dymond came through 21-20.
His opponent in the semi-final was Nigel Gower who saw off Alan Morrison’s challenge 21-16. Nigel started the better but Peter fought back well and led 17-16. However, Nigel wasn’t to be denied a final spot and rallied to see off Peter 21-18.
The final proved to be an engrossing affair with Nigel building a 9-3 lead after nine ends. Douglas eventually got into his game and produced some great bowls to take an 18-15 lead but again the resilient Nigel dug into his reserves and closed out the match 21-18 to become the 2012 Allan Cup winner.
Thurso’s men had a successful week in the Scottish district play-offs with all seven representatives making it through to the quarter-final stages. They will be joined there by Peter Dymond jnr in the junior singles.
The Thurso ladies’ triples of Jillian Tewnion, Marina Bain and Lorna McDermid, along with Marie MacKay, Joan Bridge and Nancy MacAdie, start their district play-offs on Saturday when they travel to Invergordon, while the Thurso rink of Judy Mowat, Joan Elder, Betty MacDonald and Liz Rhodes make the journey to Alness in their quest to make the national finals.
Janet Sinclair failed in her bid to take the Northern Counties Champion of Champions’ title North when she narrowly missed out on a final place in Inverness.
At the halfway stage of the Munro Shield, Thurso hold a five-shot lead over Wick’s St Fergus, with Lybster a further seven points back and Wick’s Rosebank one point behind them. Lybster and Rosebank have played a game less after their match against each other was postponed, so it is all to play for in the return legs.
Tomorrow the McIntyre round-robin pairs takes place in Thurso with members reminded to be at the green by 9am for the draw.
Sunday sees the Thurso green host the county singles competition with play beginning at 11am.
