Gatehouse have withdrawn from the Stewartry League as they are struggling to field a team every week. They will remain in the Cup & Top Ten.

11th May - DUNBARTONSHIRE V STEWARTRY @ LENZIE

18th May - STEWARTRY V DUMFRIESSHIRE @ KIRKCUDBRIGHT

25th May - AYRSHIRE V STEWARTRY @ DARVEL

1st June - STEWARTRY V WIGTOWNSHIRE @ DALBEATTIE

8th June - LANARKSHIRE V STEWARTRY @ QUARTER

15th June - RENFREWSHIRE V STEWARTRY @ KILBRACHAN

22nd June - STEWARTRY V GLASGOW @ CASTLE DOUGLAS

News from the Stewartry B A following the AGM on 24th October.

Andrew Hamilton Trophy :

After the near miss in 2012 Hugh Robertson will again muster the troops in 2013 for an attempt to qualify from the South Section.  The Stewartry missed out on shots difference in 2012 and a good run is aimed for in 2013.  Hugh will circulate all clubs asking any players willing to play to put their names forward for consideration.

The schedule for the 2013 AHT is as follows, away venues are still to be advised to the County :

11th May - Dunbartonshire Away

18th May - Dumfriesshire at Kirkcudbright

25th May - Ayrshire Away

1st June - Wigtownshire at Dalbeattie

8th June - Lanarkshire Away

15th June - Renfrewshire Away

22nd June - Glasgow at Castle Douglas

Following the trial in 2012 the Cup format will be the same in 2013 - Pairs, Triples, Fours and 2 Bowl Pairs, played at neutral venues.

The League format will remain unchanged for 2013.

Seniors League - the seniors league will be switched back to a Monday in 2013.

The Stewartry County Finals kicked off on Friday evening with the triples final.  The Castle Douglas triple of David Green, John Crawford and Will Green led 4-3 at 5 ends against Kirkcudbright’s Tam Aitken, Steven Johnstone and George Brown.  Kirkcudbright fought back to lead 8-7 at 11 ends but counts of 3 and 2 put CD into the driving seat and they held on to win 13-9.

First up on Sunday morning were the pairs and senior fours finals.  In the pairs Scott and Alan Davies of Castle Douglas were looking to regain the title having won it in 2009 and 2010, and losing in the final in 2011. They were up against Stewart Tait and Bruce Richardson (Dalbeattie) and got off to a good start, leading 7-3 at 8 ends.  However the Dalbeattie pair went on a run and scored 13 shots over the next 7 ends and wrapped up the win with an end to spare.

The senior fours saw Tam Maxwell, Stewart Gilmour, Will and Allan Green from Castle Douglas take on Spalding’s Steve Davie, John Peacock, Arthur McFegan and Hamish Sinclair.  Again the Castle Douglas players took a strong lead, going in front 11-5 at 7 ends, however the Spalding team fought back with 4 singles and a score of 6 to lead 15-11.  Spalding extended the advantage to 5 in the last, and they held on for the win.

The two singles matches kicked off at 12.30, with an all Castle Douglas match in the gents singles between Alan Davies and Will Green.  Dalbeattie’s Jack Cobban met Ewan McMinn of Kirkcudbright in the junior singles.

Alan started strongly and his accurate drawing took him to an 11-2 lead after just 7 ends.  Will fought back to trail 11-6 and 14-10, but that was as close as he could get, with Alan scoring 5 shots on the next 3 ends to lead 19-10, and a couple of ends later Alan closed out the match 21-12.

In the junior’s Ewan took an early lead 7-2 and extended this to 13-4 before Jack fought back to bring the deficit down to 2 at 13-11.  However Ewan got back on track with 6 shots in 3 ends to lead 19-11 and he took the title 21-12 three ends later.

The last two finals to go on were the fours and mixed pais.  Kirkcudbright’s Tam Aitken, Tommy Docherty, Steven Johnstone and George Brown went ahead 6-3 after 6 ends against David, Gavin, Will and Allan Green of Castle Douglas.  The Castle Douglas team scored a 4 on the next end to go ahead by 1, and the two teams scored 3 each over the next 5 ends to see Castle Douglas ahead 10-9 with 5 to play.  A run of 1,1,3,1 put Kirkcudbright 5 up at the last end and they held on for victory.

June Dinnell and Colin Campbell of Kirkcudbright went up against holders Christine Tennant and Keith Shuttleworth of New Abbey in the mixed pairs, and there was never more than 2 shots in the match over the first half of the game.  The score was tied at 8 each after 9 ends, and it was the holders who took the next 3 ends to lead 13-8.  The pairs swapped 2s on the next two ends to leave New Abbey 5 up and 3 to play, and they held thier advantage to finish the match 17-12 winners.

Stewartry President Jim Maginess thanked all who had made the day successful - players, spectators, supperters and umpires.  In particular he thanked Ian Bendall and Golden Charter for the continued generous sponsorship of the County Finals, and Ian and Jim jointly presented the prizes to the winners and runners-up.

Singles - Alan Davies (Castle Douglas) 21 - 12 Will Green (Castle Douglas)

Pairs - Stewart Tait, Bruce Richardson (Dalbeattie) 16 - 7 Scott Davies, Alan Davies (Castle Douglas)

Triples - David Green, John Crawford, Will, Green (Castle Douglas) 13 - 9 Tam Aitken, Steven Johnston, George Brown (Kirkcudbright)

Fours - Tam Aitken, Tommy Docherty, Steven Johnstoe, George Brown (Kirkcudbright)  15 - 11 David Green, Gavin Green, Will Green, Allan Green (Castle Douglas)

Senior Fours - Steve Davie, John Peacock, Arthur McFegan, Hamish Sinclair 18 - 12 Tam Maxwell, Stewart Gilmour, Will Green, Allan Green

Junior Singles - Ewan McMinn (Kirkcudbright) 21 - 12 Jack Cobban (Dalbeattie)

Mixed Pairs - Christine Tennant, Keith Shuttleworth (New Abbey) 17 - 12 June Dinnell, Colin Campbell (Kirkcudbright)

Spalding and Castle Douglas played the last section “A” game today and Spalding won 4 - 2. Hamish needed 3 shots in the last end to win the section but only managed a single!! This result means that New Abbey have won both sections. and the final will be played at Creetown - Sorry the final will probably be played at New Abbey. Date to be advised.

Inter County Top Five

Stewartry champions Castle Douglas were visited by Bonnyrigg, representing Midlothian, in the Inter County Top Five competition on Saturday.  The Top Five is a relatively new format with five games of singles taking place simultaneously, and the first team to reach three victories takes the match. 

Alan Davies took on Ronnie Duncan and fought back from 10 - 5 down to win his game 21 - 12 and earn the first point for the hosts.  Graeme Maxwell played John Stevenson and trailed 8 - 10 at one stage, however a run of 10 shots over the next 5 ends put Graeme in command and he took the point with a 21 - 11 victory.  Stewart Gilmour led Kevin McDougall from the start and despite a late fightback from the Midlothian man Stewart took the game and secured the victory 3 - 0 for Castle Douglas with a 21 - 15 win.

In the other two games John Crawford led Calum Redpath 16 -14, and Scott Davies was tied with Jamie Hanlan 20 - 20, when the match ended.

Castle Douglas now travel to Sighthill in Edinburgh on 16th September for the Top Five finals day.  They will meet Abbeyview (West Fife) or Craigentinny (Edinburgh and Leith) in the semi final.