Neilson’s behaviour should be stamped out by refs
Kerr rages at antics from Jambos boss Neilson
GOLF
The Ladies section at Troon Welbeck Golf Club has announced Mary Senior as their new Captain for 2021.
Mary, who has been a member of Troon Welbeck for a number of years, hails from Halifax in West Yorkshire.
She spent her career as a teacher in home economics.
Her late husband, Ken, was a mathematics teacher and they had two children.
Her love of golf began at Bingley St Ives Golf Club and following retirement, she and Ken moved to Ayr and Mary took advantage of the fantastic golf courses in South Ayrshire.
As well as playing with Troon Welbeck, she also joined the clubs at Belleisle, Seafield and Dalmilling.
Mary claims that what she may lack in golfing skills, she makes up for in dedication and commitment to both the game and her Clubs.
She is a past Lady Captain of Dalmilling in 2008 and Belleisle in 2011, and feels honoured to take on the role of Captain at Troon Welbeck Ladies.
She is keen to attract and encourage more ladies to start playing golf and take up the opportunity of joining a club like Welbeck.
Mary describes Troon Welbeck as a friendly and innovative club, promoting a full ladies programme of both fun and competitive activities, welcoming golfers of all abilities.
Ladies competitions are normally played on Wednesday and Saturday mornings throughout the year.
Enquiries about membership are always welcome and can be made by emailing twgc.ladysecretary@gmail.com.
Throughout her year as Lady Captain, Mary will be supported by the new Troon Welbeck Ladies Vice Captain, Margaret McConnell.
DALMILLING
With the Annual General Meeting being unable to held because of COVID, the Committee have taken the decision to remain in Office during 2021.
A competitive fixture list has been compiled for 2021, with a stroke play competition every Saturday from March until October along with multiple match play competitions. With the winter works course improvements being completed and the forthcoming improvements to the clubhouse facilities, it augers well for the coming season with membership fees being fixed at £55.
New Members are welcome, and whilst the Clubhouse is closed (COVID) membership application forms can be had by email from the Secretary at robertdgreen69@yahoo.co.uk
HORSE RACING IAIN FERGUSON
While the racing purists drooled over the Dublin Festival card at Leopardstown on Sunday featuring four Grace 1 contests mystery punters were planning a massive gamble that could have netted them millions of pounds.
When markets opened for Sunday’s racing on Saturday night Fire Away was 22-1 for the opening novice handicap chase at Musselburgh, Gallahers Cross was 33-1 for the concluding stayers’ hurdle at the same track and Blowing Dixie was 9-1 for a low grade 1m 4f handicap at Southwell.
But when the three horses lined up for their races their odds were evens, 4/5 and 4/6.
Fire Away cantered to a 19 length win for trainer Laura Morgan and jockey
Richie McLernon, while after a sluggish start Blowing Dixie blew his rivals away with Midge Mullen riding and trainer Iain Jardine looking on from Musselburgh.
That left Gallahers Cross and jockey Alain Cawley to land the final leg of the treble and take millions from the bookies but sadly it was not to be as the Darragh Bourke trained horse fluffed his lines after looking to have every chance four furlongs out and trailed in fourth.
So who was behind the gamble and how did they go about executing their audacious coup ?
Well the answer to the first part of that question is nobody knows who engineered the plan although there were strong rumours on Sunday in racing circles that legendary Irish punter Barney Curley was the brains behind it.
It was obvious the horses had been carefully chosen.
Fire Away had been off form since finishing second in a maiden hurdle in Ireland in the summer of 2019 but had previously won a bumper while Blowing Dixie was bought for 50,000 guineas
last August after winning four times at Southwell for Jane Chapple Hyam and was dropped into Class 6 company on
Sunday for the first time in 18 months.
The highlight of Gallahers Cross’s back story is being sold for £260,000 to race for Nicky Henderson after winning a bumper in Ireland before exiting Seven Barrows for Bourke’s small yard on the outskirts of Lockerbie only a few miles from Jardine’s Carrutherstown base.
His five previous runs for his trainer had all been abysmal.
But all three horses had form on show – albeit way back in time – that could make a case for them winning on Sunday but to have them all primed to be ready to strike on the same day would take meticulous planning and it oh so nearly came off.
I’m reliably informed the punters who took part in the coup weren’t out of pocket as they had a near 500-1 double on Fire Away and Blowing Dixie as a ‘saver’.
But it was still a case of what might have been.
CURLING
Ayrshire curlers have raised £7,500 for
Hansel after organising a hugely successful virtual auction and raffle for
the local charity.
Unable to run their annual Bonspiel competition due to the pandemic, the group put their heads together to come up with an alternative with prizes including a week’s tractor hire, weekend breaks and a fitness membership.
The most popular item with bidders was a Fourball at Old Prestwick Golf Club which went under the hammer for £650.
Agnes Paton, Hansel Fundraising and Communications Manager, said: “People have been so generous by donating prizes, bidding in the auction, buying raffle tickets and donating the entry fee they would have paid for the Bonspiel despite the event not taking place.
“We certainly missed the camaraderie of the curling this year but are so inspired that even when forced to stay apart the curling community have come together and raised a fantastic amount of money.”
Janice Shepherd, one of the organisers, said she was overwhelmed by the amount of support for the event.
She said: “I would like to thank everyone who took part and the many people who donated prizes – we had 13 auction lots and 64 raffle prizes, we really couldn’t have done it without the help of the local community.
“When we started organising the Bonspiel in November we thought we would be on the ice.
“When it became apparent the restrictions wouldn’t allow that we came up with a plan B but we never thought it would such a success and beat last year’s total by more than £2,000!” Co-organiser Douglas Reid agrees. He said: “It shows that in times of adversity the curling community comes together.
“While a virtual auction isn’t unheard of a raffle was a whole new experience, with people having to drop off prizes at a social distance and transfer money for tickets electronically.
“We hope to be back on the ice next year but we may run the online auction and raffle concurrently as we were able to reach more people through social media channels.
“Hansel is a charity very close to our hearts and we are so pleased to be able to help support them.”
The money raised will be used to continue to adapt Hansel’s services in Ayrshire to comply with the current Covid restrictions and takes the total raised by
the charity Bonspiels over the last 32 years to more than £107,500.
Fuming Mark Kerr reckons refs need to get on top of touchline antics from opposite number Robbie Neilson.
The frustrated Ayr boss pulled no punches in the aftermath of United’s narrow defeat to the champions-elect.
A bizarre penalty call by Steven McLean came just moments after the whistler was tracked down by Neilson in the Somerset centre circle.
That followed an earlier booking for the Jambos boss, who had spent the first half barracking McLean and his team of officials.
And Kerr said: “It’s not a penalty and it’s not a great decision to say the least.
“The behaviour on the sidelines and everything going on before that was poor.
“I’m not saying it has influenced the decision for the penalty.
“But it’s hard to take. “Behaving like that sometimes goes against you but here it’s gone for them.”
Kerr added: “Robbie was at it the whole first half and got his booking.
“I thought with Steven being one of the more experienced refs he would knock it on the head.
“That’s the way to deal with it, but unfortunately it was allowed to go on.
“However, it’s not something we can dwell on as the game was still there for us.”
The hotly disputed spot kick just three
minutes after the break settled this one as United skipper Jack Baird was penalised when a cross from Andy Halliday bounced up off his thigh and struck his arm.
Liam Boyce slammed home the kick to settle the game as Hearts moved one win closer to sealing an immediate return to the Premiership.
The Jambos, who now sit 12 points clear at the top, were the better side here without ever moving out of second gear and although Viljami Sinisalo had little to do in the Ayr goal, it was a night of limited chances for both sides.
Kerr had stuck with the side that trounced Alloa 4-1 last week and they
looked in confident shape during the early stages.
However, they did have to survive an early penalty shout of their own with the game just five minutes old when Boyce saw his run into the box checked by Corrie Ndaba, with the loud appeals were waved away.
But United showed they were more than up for a contest and they should have been in front with the game 15 minutes old.
A poor kick out by Craig Gordon went straight to Tom Walsh and when he centred, Andre Wright couldn’t get the ball out from under his feet as the chance
was lost.
Ayr continued to press and were on the hunt again in the 23rd minute when Cammy Smith broke from midfield but his left foot drive from just outside the box drifted just wide.
But it was Hearts who struck the game’s killer blow with the goal just after the restart and they survived a late scare when Ayr sub Mark McKenzie saw a shot charged down with appeals for a penalty waved away.
Jambos boss Neilson claimed: “Ours was a stonewall penalty.
“The ball came in from 40 yards away, it’s not like it was two feet from him.”
Mark Kerr reckons Ayr’s crack at the top four hinges on his new-found formula of a settled side.
The boss admits he is now selecting a consistent line-up for the first time this season.
New boys Corrie Ndaba and Andre Wright have given Kerr a boost, along with the returning Tom Walsh.
And he insists Ayr – who have conceded just a 50-yard free kick and hotly-disputed penalty in three games – are looking far more solid.
He said: “It’s the first time this season I’m able to put out a consistent side and we’re seeing the benefit of that.
“We look far better for it all over the pitch and the boys know exactly what’s being asked of them.
“We’ve managed the injury situation well so far, and having Tom back is a big bonus.
“If we can keep him fit and he gives us that width, our shape will hopefully trouble a lot of teams.”
Kerr knows a lot rides on this Saturday’s trip to Raith, with both sides harbouring promotion playoff aspirations.
He said: “Raith have done what we did in our first season in this league and all credit to them.
“They play a good brand of football and are easy on the eye.
“But we’ll go there confident that we can take the points and we know it’s an important game in the context of the season.
“We talked at the start of the season about how strange this one would be because of fewer games and everything that’s going on.
“And it’s turned out to be a real leveller, the league is so tight.
“But we’re definitely looking up and we know we need a couple of quick wins to get moving in the right direction again.”
Last night’s trip to Dundee was called off for a third time after heavy snow hit Tayside.
That leaves United clear to focus on Kirkcaldy, with Jordan Houston still a week away from being fit for a return to the squad.
Craig Moore has returned to light training as he continues his recovery from a serious knee injury.