2014 Palace Cup report & Photgraphs

The Palace Cup Handicap Cup was supported well with thirty-four players taking part. This year we went back to updating the calculation of the handicaps by a system where all members were given a handicap base on five inputs from the committee. 

 The winner was Reg Birmingham playing off scratch, who was successful over last year’s winner, John Fitzgerald also on a scratch handicap The Final was played on Tuesday afternoon 16^th December and it was great to see so many spectators looking on and supporting both players despite the inclement cold weather. As expected this game went to the wire. Both players played superb quality bowls throughout despite suffering with the very cold weather. Reg surged into a good lead on the fifteenth end with the score at 18-7. John then appeared to wake up and started playing as we are used to seeing him in action. Reg, was still ahead on the twenty-first end at 19-16 although he hadn’t scored for five ends. John then went ahead scoring two shots on the next two ends at 20-19, but was unable to contain Reg who scored two shots on the next end, to give him a well-deserved championship. By this time it was close to needing floodlights!!!

To reach the semi-finals stage both players had to continue to play at the top of their game. Reg was against Christina Fitzgerald and John against Siobhan Herrity. Both girls had battled their way to this stage beating some very good players. These games were abandoned on Sunday 14^th because of intense rain and continued on Tuesday 16^th.  Before the final took place. Although the girls lost their games, one must take their hats off for the determined effort both gave girls despite the unpleasant weather.

The quality of bowls was superb throughout the four days and produced many exciting games for the supporters watching. Thanks go to the markers who without, the competition could not happen, Roy Tonkin doing his usual theatrical but professional job marking the Final. Because the competition finished late although yours truly presented the trophy and took photographs in the dark the photographs did not come up to the quality expected. This was repeated in daylight the next day at the roll up.

Vic Parsons

ALBC Press Officer- Deputy Chairman