Haggis report

Ailsa Anderson gives the low down on our red-blooded girlies chewing up all the men at the Haggis.

She reports:  “The Irish Ladies got together recently to commence their training head of their return to European action at the C-Division Championships in Ljubljana, Slovenia in April 2016. First to arrive all the way from the warmth and bright lights of Los Angeles was Katie. She along with Clare and Ailsa trained at Greenacres in preparation for the 4 Nations Competition being held there on 16thand 17th January. There were mixed results for the ladies at the 4 Nations. Following a good start against Scotland on the Saturday the Ladies (Ailsa, Katie, Jen and Clare) fell short and eventually lost their game. The second game on Sunday against Wales went much better where the ladies (Alison, Ailsa, Katie and Clare) dominated the game and secured the win. Ultimately, following the other lively games across the weekend, the Ladies formed part of the Triple Crown winning Irish contingence. Extra Team strength training came in the form of pushing Clare’s car which had gotten stuck in the snow on Saturday evening. The reward however was very much worth it as the Team enjoyed a visit to Krispie Kreme and indulged in doughnuts.

“Monday to Wednesday saw intense training with Coach, Martin Sutherland. Two sessions a day at Greenacres gave the Ladies plenty of time to brush up on their skills and execution. The Ladies also found time to establish whether lightsabers could be incorporated into the game of curling hoping that the force be with them in the days and months ahead.

During the Ladies down-time, curling was never too far from the agenda and on Wednesday evening travelled to Mauchline to visit Kays of Scotland. The Ladies found their trip very insightful and came away with new appreciation for the skill and craftsmanship involved in making curling stones. Special thanks goes to Bill Hunter for giving up his evening to show us round. Ailsa promised to stop kicking Bill’s “babies” round on the ice.  

“Thursday came, and so the departure of Katie who travelled on to Canada to take part in the Ship Hector Bonspiel with the Bond Girls (which they eventually won – Congratulations Katie and Team). Ailsa, Jen and Alison joined Johnjo and Eoin in Edinburgh for some late night practice.

“A final training session with Coach took place at Greenacres on Friday ahead of the Haggis Competition being held on 23rd and 24th January. This weekend the Ladies were joined for all of 50 hours by Hazel who travelled from Spain to take part in the competition.  Alison, Ailsa, Hazel and Jen took to the ice. After a defeat in the first game (against the Greenacres Young Curlers), the Schenkel based competition saw the Irish Ladies take on the Irish Men in the second round. With a great deal of bragging rights at stake, the Ladies led from the start and took the victory. This meant the Ladies would play Stuart Sutherland in Sunday’s 3rd round game. This game was most enjoyable for the Ladies and was close throughout and eventually resulting in a peel for the Ladies.  

“After 3 games, the Ladies narrowly found themselves qualifying for the Low Road Semi-Final by one shot. Sadly, Hazel was unavailable for this game as she had to catch a flight back to sunny Spain. With everything to play for, the obvious choice as sub was to call upon the Coach to step in and how us how it’s done. Again, a thrilling match against Bruce Bowyer saw the game going to an extra end before the Ladies taking the win to secured a place in the Low Road Final against Adrian Miekle. Well known to Irish curlers, the Ladies knew this would not be an easy match. However, the Ladies (and Coach) played well to secure the Low Road Title and went away with enough haggis to keep them going until next year!

“Overall, a fantastic week of curling practice and competition. It was great to see the Ladies coming together over the week. Special thanks goes to Coach, Martin for his continued support and hospitality.” 

 

 

Haggis low road winners are….Team Ireland!

Well done to the Irish girls at the Haggis at Greenacres at the weekend winning the Low Road final against Adrian Meikle 8-3.

 

Jen, Ailsa and Alison plus three huge haggi (?) Haz had vamos -ed it by that stage.

Jen, Ailsa and Alison plus three huge haggi (?)
Haz had vamos’d it by that stage.

The team were Alison Fyfe, Ailsa Anderson, Jen Ward and Hazel Gormley-Leahy. Martin Sutherland stood in for Hazel for the semi and final as Hazel had to catch her flight back to Spain.

Ailsa will give us a report of the on ice action shortly.

Senior playdowns – game 5 – THE DECIDER!

Team Wilson with the hammer after another convincing draw shot challenge.

Let the game begin!

Tetchy first end with no more than two stones in the house at any time resulting in Peter hitting a solitary stone to score one.

Wilson 1 Kenny 0

End 2 – Stones of both colours swapping prominence as the end developed.  Peter made a nice triple take-out to lie 4 shots and force JohnJo to draw 1′ to take one.

Wilson 1  Kenny 1

End 3 – A quick end resulting in a nose hit forcing Wilson to to take 1

Wilson 2  Kenny 1

End 4  –  Time saving in the previous end allowed much deliberation over the last few shots of the end.  Lots of stones in play behind the T.  Wilson tried to take double to lie 4 resulting in JJ having a shot to do the same!  The played shot stayed straight down the centre line and only feathered the shot, not moving it far enough and giving up a steal of 1

Wilson 3  Kenny 1

End 5 – Good hit and roll behind cover from Ross leaves Pete lying  two / Neil draws second shot behind a guard / PJ ticks second shot and gets tidy roll  behind the shot / front getting cluttered as both teams look for the angle or the cover / Bill goes full boar for the raised double but it draws too far and doubles two guards / Pete  hits two reds but one roll on top of front second shot  / JJ plays barrier to try to plant the front shot onto the back second shot but stays it stays high and wrecks / Pete tries to get into top 12 to take the angle away from JJ but it stops six inches short and the sweepers get the death stare / JJ has a  complicated raise onto a plant for a multiple end but get the first stone on the high side and doesn’t get the action to move the granite as planned and after the first measure of the championships picks up a single.

Wilson 3 Kenny 2

End 6 – JJ lying three but PJ lifts a double with his first / Bill draws again / PJ goes for glory again but catches his own stone high of the rings / JJ draws for three but they are all lined up like washing and Pete removes two / JJ still lying shot so elects to hit Pete’s shot but rolls out / Pete takes out the only opposition counter for the blank.

Wilson 3 Kenny 2

End 7 – Early doors and Pete lies back eight as JJ gets centre guards up / Tony draws the top four and Neil  wrecks when asked to corner freeze it / Ross heavy so Neil gets another bite at the cherry, he gobbles up the double and rolls behind the guards. Round of applause for that one / Ross catches guard on hit attempt and Bill lands a tidy second shot right on top of first shot  – frozen solid. PJ hits to get space between the stones but bumps opposition into a blanket of cover / PJ can only try and open it up but no much daylight when it’s over / JJ  has an open hit on a stone at four o’ clock for two but no draw there and there’s a blast of fresh air  / Pete’s  tap back on the shot wrecks leaving JJ lying two / He tries to guard shot but doesn’t draw leaving door wide open for Pete to play gentle weight take out for the one.

Wilson 4 Kenny 2

End 8 – TT puts his two in the house and David W draws onto the button on top / Ross nicks it off the button but Neil replaces it / Ross plays the same weight and keep his nerve to get the same result Pete now lies four so Neil gets his throwing arm loaded but just gets one away / Team Wilson have a conference call. PJ lifts the only red guard stone but still stays out front with his own stone / Bill  draw behind this to back eight but Pete still shot stone / PJ draws the button / Bill’s beezer of a shot lands plum on top of it / Pete wicks it out to lie three / JJ freezes perfectly to back button forcing Peter to follow suit and he plays it, and then helps sweep it to its target.

JJ has a hit to force Pete’s stone off the button to lie two but doesn’t quite move it far enough only lying one after the dust settles.

 

Wilson 4  Kenny 3  FINAL RESULT

Senior playdowns – game 4

Start time moved to 8pm to allow for work on the ice.

Hammer goes to team Kenny

End 1 – JJ  has open hit for a three but get it too high, only gets one.

Kenny 1 Wilson 0

End 2 – JJ good hit and roll onto Pete’s shot at back 12. Pete’s attempted hit catches a front stone. / JJ raises his own front stone to lie two / Pete hits for one.

Kenny 1 Wilson 1

End 3 – Pete lies one with two opposition shots behind on four foot./ JJ tries a tricky angled raise but catches a front stone / Pete plays onto his own shot to lie two but lies open for the hit / JJ nails the hit for the three.

Kenny 4 Wilson 1

End 4 – PJ nice tap up behind guard / JJ first stone double misses shot stone / Pete draws for  two right to back of the button / JJ heavy  with his draw / Pete draws for three.

Kenny 4 Wilson 4

End 5 – It’s all happening here… lots of great shots round a couple of centre guards, Pete lying well but PJ is unlucky with a hit and roll and JJ has the initiative. But Pete makes a stupendous hit and roll to lie behind cover… 3 stones to come… over to you JJ. He has the 4 foot in his pocket but its sticking out there – what can Pete do?  He’s jammed it on his own stone so JJ has draw for 2 or hit Pete’s second shot for 2. He calls the latter as it’s an easier shot.  But he can only half it out, 1 to JJ

Kenny 5 Wilson 4

End 6 – David Hume has the luck of the Irish. A wide take out catches a guard and ends up as a perfect hit and roll! Pete going gamble crazy – 4 against at the half way point.  But Pete is cleaning up quicker than a Dyson….now he has a chance to bury a draw behind cover. Not quite, but good enough as JJ catches the guard trying to remove Pete’s stone. Draw the house for 2 – thanks very much – the casino has paid out.

Kenny 5 Wilson 6

End 7 – Half way through and nothing to report….yawn.  One corner out there covering the edge of the 4. Woken up as Neil plays a peach round it,  Pete can’t reply but Neil’s second runs too far back  -still lying 1, all behind the tee. Enter PJ!!  A little wide but the leprechaun has jumped ship. After a bit of pinball PJ ends up with a perfect freeze on JJ’s stone. Bill rescues the situation with a perfect draw to the front of the tee. Pete can’t reply and worse….he guards the way in. JJ – is that a game winning double on Pete’s back stones? Now lying 2 on the four foot.  Huge shot for Pete coming up. Cold freeze needed round a guard or its a 4 to the ex-world champs……draw catches and JJ plays easy double for 4.

Kenny 9 Wilson 6

End 8 – routine cleaning up – hand shakes all round. Off to bed for the decider in the morning which should be finished by the time Andrew Marr appears.

FINAL SCORE  –   Kenny 9 Wilson 6

2 games each with 1 to play.

 

Senior playdowns – game 3

sp 16 team KennyHammer goes to Kenny. No David Whyte today (down with Stranraer Scurvy) so David Hume is leading.

End 1 – JJ attempts a split on a front stone for two but got it too thick, but does punt it into the house  for one.

Kenny 1 Wilson 0

End 2 – good double raise with PJ’s first to lie 3 / Bill’s hit takes one away / PJ draws for three / JJ triple attempt takes two out / Pete draws to back 12 to lie two / JJ hit and rolls to 8 foot for shot  / Peter’s hit runs  too straight and he takes his own shot out at the back, Kenny steal two.

sp 16 team WilsonKenny 3 Wilson 0

End 3 – When JJ plays his first stone he is lying two so he guards the shot stone on the back four / Pete raises the guard right back onto the shot and splits it out / JJ takes the angle away from Peter who had a straight raise for two / Pete plays  a tap up from outside the rings for one.

Kenny 3 Wilson 1

End 4 – Pete hits shot on four foot to roll to lie two behind the tee at 2 o’ clock / JJ hits one out to lie shot / Pete hits to lie two again  but sets up double / JJ hits them both out for his two.

Kenny 5 Wilson 1

End 5 – JJ lying first and third, Pete second and fourth, draws to the back for third shot saver / Pete hits his front stone onto shot, but just chips the side of the shot, rolling it onto second shot position, Pete lies shot on four foot / JJ  freezes shot stone / Pete draws for a two to back four foot.

Kenny 5 Wilson 3

End 6 – Bill unfortunately upends himself on his first delivery and misses double / PJ guards the two in the house / Bill removes the guard / Pete then misses an opposition winger at 9 o’ clock attempting to lie three / JJ attempts double but only removes one, Pete lies shot behind cover behind the tee / Pete then draw to other side for  two / JJ draws the shot.

Kenny 6 Wilson 3

End 7 – Team Kenny start hitting for home / PJ draws shot / JJ hits to lie second and third / Pete draws to sit a foot high of his shot in third shot position / JJ hits to remove back shot / Pete tries for two, draws too much  but gets the one.

Kenny 6 Wilson 4

End 8 – Pete lying shot front four, so PJ guards / Bill peels guard / PJ draws right into lie above shot at an angle / Bill takes just one away / Pete draws to four foot tee high to lie two / JJ’s double attempt stays straight and he gets just one away / Pete tries to draw behind cover stones on eight foot but wrecks and rolls into the open  – but lies two / JJ nails double for a four.

Kenny 10 Wilson 4

FINAL SCORE

Be back at half seven!

Senior playdowns – game 2

1st end – blanked by Wilson

2nd end – blanked by Wilson

3rd end – Wilson 1 Kenny 0

4th end – Wilson 2 Kenny 0

5th end – Wilson 4 Kenny 0

6th end – Wilson 4 Kenny 1

7th end – Wilson 4 Kenny 2

8th end – Wilson 4 Kenny 2 (teams shook hands before the last two stones were played).

FINAL SCORE

 

Senior Men’s Playdown moved

Due to a plant failure and the cancellation of the ice in Dumfries, the Senior men’s playdown has been switched to Stranraer.
I know this may disappoint the legions of supporters heading to Dumfries but we had no option but to try and play the games this weekend and Stranraer was the only place we could get ice.
Game times as follows:
Today (Friday): 6 pm and 9 pm
Tomorrow: sat 1 pm and 7.30 pm
Sunday 8 am if required.

Bob makes the Scottish Curler

There is a nice story in this month’s online Scottish Curler about our very own Bob Sherrard. It tracks his progress from watching the Olympic curling in 2014, which inspired him to go along to a come and try session, onto joining a virtual club, then established clubs in his area and finally, being Irish, to the ICA. The icing on the cake was Bob joining Peter Wilson’s mens championship-winning squad last month giving him the opportunity to curl internationally later this year.

Read the full story here:

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD YOUR CURLER ISSUE 36 – January 2016 (PDF, 2.55 MB)