Page 27 - Summer 2016

Worlds 9:Layout 1 01-Sep-16 1:41 PM Page 1

In the next round the Swede’s then faced Ireland. With three ends to go in a low scoring
match the Swede’s led 6 - 5 but a three and a two gave Ireland a crucial lead, conceding 27
just a single on the last end they won10 - 7. Germany were once again under the cosh as England
beat them 23 - 4. Wales bounced back from their opening defeat to beat Belgium 18 - 8. At this
point Norway entered the fray with Kai Aslak Holte, Rita Haga & Ole K Berg facing a warmed up
Isle-of-Man team who won 15 - 5.
The following round threw up a huge shock as the Irish lost to Belgium 11 -8, which was cer-
tainly good news for Wales as they had both now lost one game and the Welsh duly beat Norway
22 - 3. All other games went to form whilst England sat out this round. In the next whilst England
recorded a 14 - 10 win over Scotland, only a last end two gave the English some comfort. Wales
created a further shock for the Irish as they scored a four and a two over the last two ends to go
from 9 - 10 to a 15 - 10 win. This closing round of the day effectively opened up Group B.
The second day started with no surprises as England beat the Isle-of-Man12 - 7 and Wales
beat hapless Germany 30 - 4. The Scotland v Sweden match lay in the hands of the Swede’s
leading 11 - 8 going into the last end but a never-say-die Scots trio scored a three to draw the
match. Ireland had sat out this round and returned in the next with a match against England, who
beat them with a last gasp two to snatch a 10 - 9 victory, which effectively ended the Irish hopes
of reaching the World semi finals.
Thus the ”B” section event became an England v Wales competition and Wales duly beat
Sweden 13 - 6 to keep up the pressure on England. However, in the next round the Welsh breathed
a sigh of relief. After being 15 - 7 up with just three ends to play they only edged home by a single
shot at 15 - 14 over Scotland. England meanwhile despatched Sweden 18 - 7. Wales finished the
day with a 19 - 9 result over the Isle-of-Man but England were shocked to the core as they dropped
a five on the tenth end against Belgium to go behind 6 - 7 and then conceded a two and a single
lose 10 - 6. Scotland finished the day with a 14 - 7 victory over Ireland.
The last day’s play had just one round with Wales missing out as their bye round but they
had both points and shots in the bag. England duly despatched Norway 30 - 4 but this was not
enough to overhaul the Welsh on shots and England finished second, which still took them into
the semi-finals. The Irish finished with a 16 - 3 over the Isle-of Man; Scotland beat Germany 22 -
5 to finish third and Sweden beat Belgium 15 - 10, recovering from 8 - 10 with a three and a four.
IRELAND WIN TRIPLES
IRELAND WIN TRIPLES
As winners of group “B”, Wales faced the Group
“A” runners-up, which happened to be their “A”
team. Wales “A” opened up with a four and by
end five they led 8 - 2. Wales “B” then hit back
with nine shots over the next four end to lead 11
- 8 with just two ends to go. Wales “A” scored
single to close the gap and need two to draw or
three to win but could only manage a single and
went down 10 - 11 in a fantastic semi-final.
In the other semi-final Ireland “A” faced
England “B” but the result was never really in any doubt as after seven ends Ireland led 9 - 5 and
closed off with a 4 - 3 - 2 for unassailable 18 - 5 lead with the last two ends unplayed.
Ireland took this convincing form into the final and Derek Macallion, Marks Sproule & Aiden
Corrigan led 12 - 3 after seven ends. Wales’ Tom Harries, Andrew Coughlin & Allan Slattery stuck
back with two and a three to close the gap but the Irish trio replied with a four to lead 16 - 8 but
the Welsh could only reply with a single, which was not enough and the last end was unplayed
with the Irish taking the World Triples championship 16 - 9.
The third and fourth place play off ended in some consolation for England’s Barry Hedges, Nicky
Bartlett & Dave Studden proved too strong for Aled Humphreys, Johnathan Gladstone & Peter
Rees, who couldn’t seem get back up from the disappointment of their semi-final loss and went
down 20 - 3 to England.