Inter-club contests at Madeira bowls

It’s been another week at Madeira without friendly fixtures but with plenty of competitive inter-club matches for both men and women.
The men’s section did well last Monday, playing away against Topsham in the National Top Club and with dreadful weather - neither team were really sure they wanted to bowl and both teams had been affected for selection by covid isolation etc - but neither team wanted to concede.
Madeira were delighted to beat a very strong Topsham team by three disciplines to two. Nick Cole did particularly well to pull off the 4-wood singles by 1 shot on the last end. The next round will be played against Culm Vale.
The Madeira team were disappointed to lose the closest of games in the County Trophy against Ottery St Mary. They played two rinks at home and two away with both teams winning two each but Madeira lost by just one shot, 77 to 78, in the overall score.
Four of Madeira’s senior bowlers travel to Newton Abbot to defend their Bowls Devon Senior Rinks title from two years ago. Good luck to Martyn Eveleigh, Cliff Skinner, Bill Davis and Terry Reardon.
The ladies have not had their best season in representative games and this week saw the end of their run in all of them. On Tuesday, they lost at home to Torquay Belgrave in the 2nd round of the National Top Club with both clubs winning two disciplines each (Madeira winning the pairs and triples) but the Torquay team winning the match on shots.
On Wednesday, Madeira enjoyed their match again at home against Sidmouth in the Grace Mathews Top Club. There were some very tight games with wins for the 2-wood singles and the fours. All eyes were on the, triples, the last game to finish, which sad to say Madeira lost by 1 shot!
And like buses, three in a row, Madeira A lost on both rinks to Tiverton West End on Thursday at Exonia, but the teams did well against a very experienced team and it was good to see Ann Maloney, a two-year bowler but with covid in the way, do so well in her first representative game.
Madeira ladies enjoyed a whole day’s bowling in the internal Grace Mathews Triples Competition. The winners were Team A skipped by Sue Harriott playing with Myra Furminger and with new bowler Ann Maloney as lead. They won all three games for 6 points and a plus 20 shot difference winning 13 ends out of 18. A close second was Team C with Skip Carol Worth playing with Gloria Taylor and Eileen Burston.
They also did well to win all three games for 6 points and a shot difference of +12, winning 10 ends. The chocolate bars went to Team 4 Skip Joan Brinkworth, Ann Doidge and Sylvia Cook.
All enjoyed the cream tea following the game and the Grace Matthews Triples Trophy was presented by Liz Healy to the winners who also received engraved glasses and a bottle of wine. Many thanks to Liz Healy for organising this competition in memory of Grace Mathews for so many years.