VENUE: FOOTBALL
progress to the next round with their eyes firmly fixed on the Grand prize.
On the night there were some very notable scores including Clive Powell 180 and Andrew Rough 2x180, 110 out, 124 out.
VENUE: PENYDARREN SOCIAL CLUB
AN interesting venue with several potential winners which eventually saw Brian and Kierion Meek of the Lord Raglan stay on course in their bid to become the first father and son combo to lift the pairs title.
On the night they counted former teammates and now Baili-Glas A representatives Viv Morgan and Brian Roberts.
VENUE: RED LION
THE defending champions Jeff Pearce and Geraint Thomas of the BailiGlas B started their campaign here in a very tough venue.
The Prelim game saw Liam Russell and Stuart Hughes of the Rose & Crown beat teammates John Wood and Phil John by a 2-0 margin in a well played game.
The next game saw Justin Davies and Phil Williams of the Guest Keen Bowls Club B despatch Jason Scanlon and Mark Evans of the Merthyr Football Club by a 2-0 score. The defending champions then got their charge under way with a 2-0 win over Liam Russell and Stuart Hughes and then in an excellent game Jeff and Geraint progressed to the next round with an excellent 2-1 victory over Justin and Phil in a thrilling final.
VENUE: RICHARDS ARMS
WINNERS here were the battling Adam Evans and Jason Castaldi of the Hills Plymouth Cricket Club who were in top form all night.
CLUB
A HIGH class venue with several potential winners here saw the experienced Roy Element and Jason Launchbury of the Grawen Arms come through the field to book their place in the next round.
VENUE: SILVER BULLET
JOY here for the Baili-Glas A with Hywel Llewellyn and Byron Jones holding sway to book their place in the second round.
VENUE: WHITE HORSE
THIS was a top venue featuring amongst others the highly fancied father and son duo Peter and Darren Locke of the Ye-Olde Express who have come close to winning this title on several occasions.
But they will have to wait at least one more season as their 2017/18 season bid has ended with Scott Bayliss and Andrew Coombes of the Guest Keen Bowls Club A taking the plaudits here and a place in the next round with an impressive display.
VENUE: MERTHYR CONSERVATIVE CLUB
ALL aboard the Tardis here for a trip back in time with some of Merthyr darts golden oldies dusting down the flares and slicking back the hair for another attempt at the pairs title and the sundial was really turned back in fine style.
First to fire up the old flux capacitor were Lance Thomas and Kevin Snowden of the Lord Raglan and Mark Virgin and Wayne Robinson of the Guest Bowls Club B with the Guest boys winning through 2-0.
The next game up saw Gary Champion and Tony Galliers of the Pentrebach Labour Club face off against Phil and Michael Bond of the Penydarren Social Club A with the old timers from Pentrebach winning through to the night’s semi-finals.
The first of the semis saw the Guest boys back in action and they maintained their good form with another fine win this time over Richard Calahane and Jack Bush of the Red Lion with a good 2-0 win.
The second semi-final saw mugs of Horlicks being brought in as the Pentrebach duo faced the Great Godfathers of darts Nigel Meek and Russ Matthews of the Baili-Glas B and in a great game the greater experience of the Baili boys showed through as they booked their place in the night’s final.
The final was another great game which saw the Baili boys say Good Nightol to their opponents from the Bowls and book their place in the next round.
Notable scores on the night came from Wayne Robinson 3x100, 121, Mark Virgin 4x100, 125, 140, 180, Tony Galliers 100, 2x125, 140, 83 out, Phil Bond 2x100, 121, 140 and Nigel Meek 2x100, 121, 140
VENUE: ABERFAN SOCIAL CLUB
THE long trip down the valley was very worthwhile here for Trad Davies and Iory Haines of the Heolgerrig Social Club who stood firm against all challengers to showcase their talents and book their place in the next round.
VENUE: MERTHYR VALE EX CLUB
THIS was another top venue which started with highly fancied Jason Woodford and Dean Lewis of the Hills Plymouth Cricket Club overcoming the challenge of Paul Scott-Thomas of the Red Lion by a 2-0 margin and then a 2-1 score line saw the home heroes Warren Rees and Lloyd Davies edge past Robert Pike and Nathan Morgan of the Penydarren Social Club C who put in a battling performance.
The first semi-final saw the Cric scrape into the final with a hard fought win over Wayne Morgan and Shaun Price of the White Horse and in the final they would face Ron Morgan and Rob Evans of the Merthyr Labour Club who edged past local heroes Warren and Lloyd by the same 2-1 margin.
The 2-1 scoreline was repeated in the final in a great game which saw the up town boys from the Labour Club secure a place in the next round.
Ron Morgan of the Merthyr Club recorded a 180 on the night.
VENUE: GRAWEN ARMS
A HARD-TO-CALL venue saw Chris Price and Jonathon Davies of the Merthyr Conservative Club come successfully through the field to book their place in the next stage.
VENUE: MERTHYR EX CLUB
FOLLOWING a great night of action Paul Thomas and Dean Thomas of the Ye-Olde Express and Gareth Dunn and Jason Baynham of Merthyr Labour made it through to the final and in a thrilling contest it was the Labour lads who made it through to the next round.
VENUE: MERTHYR LABOUR CLUB
ANOTHER venue that was hard to call saw Bobby Terrett and Karl Manns of the Merthyr Vale Ex Club B somewhat surprisingly beaten early on 2-0 by Steve Hamer and Gary Price of the White Horse.
The night’s final saw the White Horse with Gary 2x100, 105 out in good form edge past the Imperial Hotel duo of Anthony Prosser and Paul Prosser 100, 109 by a 2-1 margin to book their place in the next round.
VENUE: BAILI-GLAS
TWO home pairs, two from the Merthyr Labour Club and three other possible winners, were drawn here so everyone had to be on their game.
The opening preliminary game could not have gone any worse for the Baili with teammates from the A side Alan Mee and Terry Morgan being drawn against B side players Rhys Llewellyn and Ian Thomas. In an exciting game, the more experienced Terry and Alan held firm to take the game 2-0 and advance further to face a Labour Club duo later in the night.
The first of the semifinals was a cracking game which saw potential Pairs champions Kevin Forbes 2x100, 121, 139,and Chris Galleozzie 4x100, 136, 2x140 edging past Rhys Lee 137, 140 and Craig Clayton 4x100 by a 2-1 score to reach the final where they would face teammates Wayne Davies and David Rowlands who beat the Baili’s Alan and Terry 2-0 in the other semi.
The final was a nip ’n’ tuck affair with Kevin hitting a 180 for his “team” but a fine 92 out from Wayne Davies helped him and partner David Rowlands to a 2-1 win and a place in the next round.
VENUE: DOWLAIS CON CLUB
THIS action-packed venue featured plenty of challengers for the title including two-time former champions Derek Dobbins and Dai Phelps of the Merthyr Ex Club B.
The battles began here with Andrew and Luke Davies of the Merthyr Ex Club hitting a ton apiece with their first throws as they won their opening game 2-0 over the Silver Bullet in a good quality game. Steve Haman and Kevin Roberts of the BailiGlas B were in action next and a fine showing from both helped them to a comfortable 2-0 win over Ian Goode and Ian Liang of the Merthyr Football Club who, much to their credit, never gave up and battled right to the end.
In the bottom half of the draw Dale Pinch and Steve Thomas of the Guest Keen Bowls Club A battled past Andrew Morgan and Tim Charleston of the Baili-Glas A with Dale finding some big shots at the right time in a 2-0 win. Former champions Dai Phelps 121, 180, 160 out and Derek Dobbins hit a brilliant 15-dart first leg to welcome Aaron Howard and Jamie Chamberlain of the Red Lion to the party and they then went on to take the game 2-0 despite a very spirited effort from the young lions who can take heart from a great effort and good sportsmanship.
The first semi saw the Bail duo of Steve and Kevin outclass Andrew and Luke with a 2-0 win to book a place in the night’s final where they would face former champs Dai and Derek who beat Dale and Steve 2-0 with the Guest guys unable to pick the shots like earlier in the evening.
The final saw another 2-0 result with the Baili boys in full flow to book their place in the next round.
VENUE: PENTREBACH LABOUR CLUB
ANOTHER class venue which saw the likely lads of Wayne Titcomb and Steve Nicholas of the YeOlde Express prevailing in some tough battles to book their place in round two.