Torbay have two good reasons to celebrate
It was serious stuff for Devon and Cornwall hopefuls in Area 18 of the men’s national Denny Cup as Exonia, Plymouth, Torbay and Carnmoggas kept their dreams alive.
In the equivalent ladies’ event, the Yetton Trophy, Honiton overcame South Hams 81-73, Plymouth beat Sidmouth 81-72, Isca saw off Mid-Devon 90-73 and Madeira beat Newquay 84-66, Torbay celebrated a fine double for the club with their ladies triumphing 106-45 over Bodmin.
Torbay won on three rinks and drew on another, with Mavis Hodgin, Jan Hutchins, Jenny Corps and Sue Devonport level with Barbara Jones.
“We were behind for most of the game,” Devonport said, “but rallied at 15 ends to score eight shots over the next five ends to finish 16-16.
The other away rink of Pat Phillips, Roz Cherrington, Jenny Moore and Jane Wray applied relentless pressure on Wendy Greig and her ladies to win 41-8.
At Torbay, the home rink of Marylin Symons, Margaret Griffiths, Sue Coffield and Anita Huxtable came from 6-0 down to beat Maureen Wilson, Fee Croft, Pat Richards and Shirley Coad 19-12.
Nearby, Sarah Vinnicombe, Pam Grant, Mo Thomas and Sue Bywaters beat Carol Kitt, Ginny Bate, Gill Brewer and Jenny Elliott 30-9.
Bodmin went into the match unbeaten in the Cornwall inter-club competition after victory over Caradon. Torbay were also unbeaten after Devon County Trophy wins over Torquay 79-70 (Foxlands) and 83-40 (Lane).
Five years after Torbay’s men beat a star-studded Torquay United team 72-65 en route to the last-16 stage, a repeat performance was always on the cards, given that so many big names left Plainmoor for Exonia this season.
In the away leg, Frankie Prince, Bob Gilpin, Gerry Coffield, and Duncan Summers beat David Coombes Bryan Coad, Mike Carroll and Danny Denison 22-16 but Ian Armitage, John Read, Dave Vinnicombe and Aland Bowden lost out to ex-international John Evans, 24-14.
At Torbay, debutant Steve Jenkins led for Graham Heaven, Phil Hackett and skip Graham Warren and they went 14-0 up against Robbie Murch, Bryan Kell, Geoff Bellamy and John Ridout in a 25-19 win.
Soon afterwards, a victorious Graham Warren was to witness a dramatic finish to the last match on the green.
Club-mates Ernie Knight, Andy Wickham, Kevan Davey and Rob Honeywell were fighting for control over Torquay’s Geoff Gay, Jeff Tolchard, Tom Davies and David Evans.
“At 19 ends it was 21-21 and on the next end Torquay picked up a single,” explained Warren. “On the last end, Rob moved the jack with his last bowl, leaving Torbay holding three shots, but Dave Evans was unable to change things with his last bowl.”
Torbay won 85-81 to earn a match with Carnmoggas in two-weeks’ time.
Carnmoggas beat Bodmin 88-70 (2-2 rinks) with skips Mike Austin and David Drew doing the damage. Bodmin’s Fred Purse won by two shots and club-mate Mervin Emment won 27-19. Denny Cup: Carnmoggas beat Bodmin 88-70 (2-2 rinks). Carnmoggas names first:
Home: Peter Moyle, Clive Edwards, David Grose Mike Austin beat Richard Jones 27-16; Pat Lawrence, Mike Chapman, Peter Heayns, Phil King lost to Fred Purse 17-19. Away:
Trevor Bateson, Mike Heard, Andrew Broad, Ian Drew lost to Merv Emment 18-27; John
Darling, Richard Rowe, Keith Blake, David Drew beat Richard Clark 26-8. Exonia beat Exeter rivals Isca 93-56 (3-1 rinks), with Ian Bond leading the way in beating Shaun Grice 29-11.
Sam Tolchard and Louis Ridout each skipped winning rinks but Isca’s Alf Parsons, John Ashford, Chris Ketye and Frank Skidmore fought out a draw with Ryan Whitlock.
Denny Cup: Exonia beat Exeter rivals Isca 9356 (3-1 rinks). Exonia names first: Kieran kniveton, Nathan Farrant, Ian Lesley, Ian Bond beat Shaun Grice 29-11; Paul Stone, Mick Powell, James Hampton, Ryan Whitlock drew with Alf Parsons, John Ashford, Chris Keyte, Frank Skidmore 21-21; Jamie Heard, Steve Parker, Simon Broom, Sam Tolchard beat Alan Thomas 24-9; Kieran Daniels, Matt Bass, Kevin Phillips, Louis Ridout beat Neil Thomas 19-15.
Exonia will play Plymouth Life Centre in the next round after their opponents beat Truro-based Veryan 118-55.
“We now play the favourites for the competition, Exonia, on November 17,” commented Plymouth captain Brian Adams. “Exonia have a number of England internationals in their side, so it will be a tough game for us.”
Plymouth won on three rinks against Veryan. Dave Mallett, Tony Salter, Olly Lucas and Stuart Evans won 34-9 but Brian Adams, Alan Demuth, Malcolm Griffin and Harry Goodwin struggled and lost 17-18. Away, Paul Daley, John Adams, Glyn Lawrence and Paul Bailey won 30-16 while Ken Litchfield, Andy Chapman, Mike Avent and Phil Downs won 37-12.
David Parr watched Newquay’s 94-62 win over South Hams in the Denny Plate, the tournament for first-round losers in the main draw.
“It turned out to be a comfortable 94-62 win for Newquay, although early on it did not look as if it was going to be this way,” Parr said. “The rinks away for Newquay managed to slowly build up a lead, with them finishing well.
“Tim Phillips beat John Harding 25-13 but Garry Frost lost to South Hams skip Barry Geldard 19-18. At home, Keith Corris was on level terms against Matt Hammett but finally ran out 26-13 up. The other rink skipped by Norman Coad was never really in trouble against Antony Hammett and won 25-17.”
Newquay’s next Plate match is against Duchy rivals Caradon, with both sides meeting today in the Cornwall inter-club competition.