Sandy Bay through to GF in a thriller
Premier Division Preliminary Finals report
by Peter Kirby
Sandy Bay through to Premier Division Grand Final in a thriller
With Bowls South’s Saturday Pennant Preliminary Finals action completed, six of the seven sides made good use of their second chance to qualify for the Grand Finals, after having lost their respective Qualifying Semi Finals the previous week. The only side to win an Elimination Semi Final and a Preliminary Final is Rosny Park, in Division 2, with a solid 34 shot victory over Sandy Bay, 84-50.
At Sandy Bay, the Derwent Eye Specialists Premier Division Preliminary Final between Sandy Bay and Glenorchy Rodman was an exciting, close contest with two of the rinks ending in draws, and the other two rink wins being shared between the two sides. Sandy Bay managed to survive the onslaught from a very determined Rodmans side, with Andrew Norris’ 5 shot victory over Luke Turner, 20-15, proving to be the difference between the two sides.
Cam Tegg won for Rodmans by 3 shots against Josh Lording, 19-16, but this proved to be too little for his side to claim an upset victory over their hosts. Sandy Bay’s Keghan Booth drew with Tony Vince, 22-all, while Rodman’s Jack Ellis was tied with the Bay’s Justin Plumber, 21-all.
At Kingborough, the home side claimed the vacant Grand Final spot in Division 1 with a convincing 20 shot, split rinks victory over Rosny Park. Maddie Johnston’s rink, with excellent performances from all team members, set up the win with her twenty-one shot victory over Andrew Blake, 33-12. Gavin Cleary, with some excellent conversion shots, won the other rink for Kingborough, defeating Darren Monks by four shots, 21-17.
Rosny’s two rink wins came from Peter Bannister, using weighted shots into the head to great advantage, defeating Heath Seabourne by one shot, 23-22, and Dale Maundrill, winning by four shots against Mark Crawford, 22-18.
In the lower divisions, Sandy Bay advanced with its defeat of Bruny, 95-65, Howrah stays alive in Division 4, defeating Rosny, 87-76, Glenorchy City won against Howrah, 75-37, in Division 5, and Franklin won against Sandy Bay, 69-45, in Division 6.
Beltana and Rosny Park Bowls Clubs will host Bowls South’s Saturday Pennant Grand Finals on Saturday, 15 April, with Kingborough and Sandy Bay meeting in both Premier and Division 3, while Kingborough’s Division 1 side will play Howrah. In Division 2, Rosny plays Orford, Division 4 will be contested by Cygnet and Howrah, Division 5 between Claremont and Glenorchy City, and Division 6 between Glenorchy Rodman and Franklin.