McIlroy out to win first bowls singles title

LOCAL INTEREST IN FINAL: Nelson-based Shannon McIlroy, who learned his bowls on Gisborne-East Coast centre greens, will be trying for his first national men’s singles title when he plays Tweeds Heads-based Paul Girdler in Christchurch on Monday. McIlroy defeated last year’s singles champion, Dunedin’s Mike Kernaghan, in one semifinal and Girdler beat Ali Forsyth in the other. All four semifinalists are New Zealand squad members. Picture supplied

FORMER Gisborne bowler Shannon McIlroy will contest the final of the national men’s bowls singles in Christchurch on Monday.

Nelson-based McIlroy will play Tweeds Heads-based Paul Girdler. Neither finalist has ever won the title. Both McIlroy and Girdler were up against New Zealand teammates in yesterday’s semifinals.

McIlroy was up against defending champion Mike Kernaghan of Dunedin. He jumped out to an early 9-1 lead in the race to 21, and was never headed by Kernaghan, who could not get his normal precise draw game going. McIlroy was the deserved winner, 21-14.

In the other semifinal, Girdler, playing Ali Forsyth, jumped out to a handy 18-12 lead. But back came Forsyth to score on five consecutive ends for a 19-18 lead. Forsyth held the two winning shots when a Girdler drive dislodged the scoring bowls to give him a three with an umpire’s measure to take out the semifinal 21-19.

The New Zealand selectors would have been delighted to see the current Kiwi squad provided all four semifinalists.

The women’s singles post-section play got under way yesterday and the last eight were found after some tight games.

Australians snatch victoriesNew Zealand international Jo Edwards was up against Australian world champion Kelsey Cottrell in the round of 16 and after the lead changed several times, Cottrell won 21-20.

Defending champion Leigh Griffin of Wellington beat 16-year-old Raglan player Ashleigh Jeffcoat 21-19 but the youngster was not overawed in a tight match.

New Zealand representative Val Smith was beaten by Australian rep Chloe Stewart of Victoria 21-12.

The last eight in the women’s singles will have Tayla Bruce of Canterbury up against current New Zealand rep Sandra Keith, Sarah Boddington of New South Wales playing Dale Rayner of Wellington, Cottrell playing Griffin, and Katelyn Inch of Canterbury playing Stewart.

Post-section play in the men’s and women’s pairs was to be held today, while the last eight of the women’s singles were to do battle for places in the big finals day at Burnside on Monday. — NZ Herald