BOBBY’S REPORT

Once again on Friday night, the CISWO were hosting their annual Summer Open Tournament and this was the halfway stage of the qualifiers being week number four. Numbers were consistently high and from all who entered, the board finalists were Andrew McDougall (Glenrothes) vs Alan Lillico (Dundee) and Stuart McGaulley (Cardenden) vs Colin McClements (St Andrews). Andrew won his tie while Stuart (who will be representing Fife at Bridlington in September in the international qualifiers of the World Championship) won his match to keep up the run of Lochgelly League players for Finals Night at fifty percent.

There are only four weeks remaining now to try and qualify and join those already through so anyone who wants to go along should be in the club for 7.30 if possible. Entry fee is only £1 and the winner will receive £450 so it is well worth the gamble. Last Friday at the Cleikum Inn, Ballingry, there was a doubles competition held and from a good sized entry, the pairs who made it through to the semi-finals were Gordon Donnelly and Billy Harper vs Danny Currie and Derek Wilson, with Danny and Derek winning 3-2 to reach the final. In the other semi-final, Craig Robertson and Joe Smith lost out by the same score line to Willie King and Lyndsay Ford. With the final being best of seven legs, the match went the distance and Danny and Derek held their nerve to win the deciding leg to win the match 4-3 to win the tournament and claim the prize of £150.

At the weekend the British Gold Cup Singles and Doubles finals were held at the home of darts, the Lakeside Country Club. Ian Cochrane was playing in the singles and Ian and Stewart Rattray were playing in the doubles.Unfortunately Ian lost out in the first round of the singles against his opponent Lee Mant (Kent) by three legs to one. The men’s singles title was won by Paul Brookes (Worcestershire) who beat Brian Woods (Grampian) 4-2 in the final. The women’s title went to Julie Gore (Pembrokeshire) following her victory over Mandy Solomons (London) by three legs to one.

In the doubles Ian and Stewart made it through to the last sixteen before bowing out in a closely contested tie which they lost in the deciding seventh leg against Mitch Butler and Gareth Holt. Their victors then lost out in the quarter finals to eventual winners Martin Adams and Paul Crawford (Cambridgeshire). The women’s winners were Dee Bateman and Karen Lawman (Yorkshire). Next Saturday (25^th), The Craigie Bar, Ballingry, is the venue for the first Rab Donnelly Memorial Tournament. Invitations have gone out to each team which took part in Lochgelly League last season and the winners and runners up from Cowdenbeath, Dunfermline, East Fife and Glenrothes leagues hoping to make a field of sixteen teams. All teams that will be participating are asked to get in touch with either Gordon Donnelly or Bobby Adamson to confirm their entry.

There is a show on after the darts has finished and Gavin Patrick is the guest artist so it should be a good day for all involved.