Blog
Bray Bowling News -November 2023
It is all change for the winter as Irish Lawn Bowls took over from the All-Weather Bowling Association. The Winter League is now a five division affair with promotion and relegation for the winners and losers. The regional approach is gone and your opponents can be anywhere in the Dublin region (which caused some grumbling in the ranks!). Matches are held on Saturday mornings and Bray shares Fáilte Park with a team from Blackrock. Bray have three teams: in Divisions 1, 4 and 5.
A Winter Vets league has also been introduced which runs on Wednesday mornings. Four divisions are in operation and again Bray entered three teams: in Divisions 1, 3 and 4. The Greystones vets team shares the Bray green for the duration. Currently Bray B are heading Division 3 though it's early days yet.
Club captain, Dave McMahon, and senior skip, Chris Fenton, arranged drill sessions where any member could come along to test their skills against differently configured heads. Each bowler has two bowls and the drills have included (i) draw to a short jack just in front of the ditch; (II) knock a jack positioned between two bowls into the ditch; (III) come into four "opposition" bowls in front, and to one side, of the jack; and (iv) draw to a jack a short distance behind an "opposition" bowl. Bowlers of all levels have turned up to test their skills. With mixed results!
The men's senior inter-association panel for 2024 has been selected. It includes ten players from Crumlin, nine from CYM and seven from Blackrock. Speaking of The Rock, Isobel Ruby Nolan has been selected for upcoming under-18’s, under-25’s and senior tournaments. Her grandmother, Phillis, may be gone but her genes are clearly still with us!
Patrick Brosnan, Bray Bowling Club.
Bray Bowling News - Wed 11/10/23
The week began with the final of the 4-Bowl Pairs in the 2023 Club Championships with victory going to Walter Doyle and Pat Crinnion over Niall Shelley and Ger Minogue. Niall had a great championship, winning 1 title and finishing runner up in 3. All that remains to be played is the Ladies Championship and hopefully that will be played soon. The Monday drills continue apace and all are welcome to attend and improve their skills. All thoughts now turn to the Winter League which commences on 21st October.
Frank Devlin, Bray Bowling Club.
Bray Bowling News - Wed 04/10/23
The leagues finished off this week with our Vets 4 team comprehensively defeating Westmanstown at home to clinch the title. Well done to all concerned and I have no doubt that Captain Michael Dunne raised a glass in Perth, Western Australia, when the news filtered through. Vets 3 got a walkover from Westmanstown and ultimately finished third in their division. This was a case of leaving it behind them. Vets 1 and 2 finished their respective campaigns with victories over Greenhills and Ierne.
The club championship finals took centre stage last weekend with the weather upsetting the plans of the organisers. Proceedings commenced on Saturday morning with John Gilliland defeating Niall Shelley in the handicap singles. Niall qualified for 4 finals and was in for a busy weekend. The rest of the Saturday fixtures fell victim to the weather. On Sunday morning Niall took to the rink in the 2-bowl singles against Chris Fenton where he proved victorious. In the afternoon the Men's Championship between Niall and Eoghain Brady proved to be a humdinger. The experience of Eoghain came through in the end and he will represent the club in the 2024 Champion-of-Champions competition where he tasted victory in 2022. In the 2-Bowl Pairs John Cheevers and Patsy Campbell proved too strong for Marcus Donohue and John Treacy. The 4-Bowl Pairs and the Ladies Championship have still to be played and a report will follow in due course.
Frank Devlin, Bray Bowling Club.
Bray Bowling News - Wed 27/09/23
Bray's club championship semi-finals were completed last week so the pairings for the finals are now all known. Niall Shelley has continued this season's great form by qualifying for four of them! He is the current men's club champion and will play the previous holder, Eoghain Brady, in the final. The ladies' championship final will be between lady captain, Terri McKeon, and veteran, Betty Keogh. Our South African expat, Chris Fenton, will be hoping to win his first Bray title when he takes on Niall in the 2-bowl singles final. Likewise for relative newcomer, John Gilliland, who will meet Niall in the final of the handicap singles. There are also the 2- and 4-bowl pairs to be decided. The finals will take place this weekend (Sat 30/9/23 & Sun 1/10/23), morning and afternoon, and visitors are welcome to come along to see our best in action.
Thursday last was the penultimate round of the Veterans Leagues. In Division 1 Bray had a good win against Leinster at home, with Terri McKeon maintaining her strong form at lead. Bray won this league last year but will hand over their crown next week to the winners of Dun Laoghaire v Meath on Thursday. Another humdinger will be the relegation bout at Herbert Park who host fellow strugglers, Leinster. Bray visit Greenhills for their final match. Bray's representatives in Vets 2 lost a close match at St James's Gate, 3-1. For their final match on Thursday they will play Ierne in Bray. In Vets 3 Bray returned from North Kildare with just a point, one of their rinks having had the misfortune to drop an 8 in one end. They too will will finish the season with a home tie, against Westmanstown. In the fourth vets league Bray managed to steal a priceless point from a tough match at Ierne in Drumcondra. They are top of the table, two points ahead of Dun Laoghaire, and will look to seal the deal against Westmanstown at home on Thursday. Bray will be missing a few key players but Dun Laoghaire will be away at Blackrock. C'mon Bray!
Patrick Brosnan, Bray Bowling Club.
Bray Bowling News - Wed 20/09/23
A quiet enough week in the club this week. The Wednesday (Division 2) league winning squad and the Ladies Junior Challenge Cup winning team are going around with smiles on their faces and are easy to spot !! On the playing front Vets 1 travelled to Herbert Park and brought back 1 point to sit firmly in mid-table with 2 games to go. A feature of their game was that the rink skipped by Chris Fenton dropped a 7 on one end but dug in and won the rink on the final end. It just shows that perseverance pays off in the end and the opera is never over etc. Vets 2 were defeated at home by league winners Blackrock. Vets 3 had a great win at home to Dun Laoghaire and are back in the hunt for league honours with 2 games to go. Vets 4 had a comprehensive win at home to Clontarf and they top the table, again with 2 games to go. Keep it up 3 and 4.
This week sees Vets 1 play at home to Leinster, Vets 2 head to D12 to take on St.James's Gate, Vets 3 head to the plains of Kildare to take on North Kildare in a pivotal clash and finally Vets 4 travel to Drumcondra to take on Ierne in another pivotal clash. The club championships are all reaching the semi-finals stage and we will be reporting on all the action soon as well as putting together our annual end of term report on all the teams.
Frank Devlin, Bray Bowling Club.
Bray Bowling News - Wed 13/09/23
Pride of place this week goes to our Division 2 (Wednesday) team who clinched the league title this week and also to our ladies who won the ILB Junior Ladies Challenge Cup last Sunday. The Division 2 (Wednesday) team travelled to Greystones needing 2 points to clinch the title. Our neighbours certainly put it up to us with the match finishing all square and the necessary points achieved. As the saying goes "good teams win leagues". Well done to Captain Terri McKeon and her squad of ladies and the odd gent! Bray last won the Junior League in 1988. On Sunday the Junior Cup Ladies Team travelled to Herbert Park in leafy D4 to face Clontarf in the final. In a ding-dong battle the Bray Ladies held firm to take the cup. Congrats again to Captain Terri and her squad. Special mention to Phyllis Brett who played in 1988 and again this year. A fine wine etc etc.
3 of our Vets teams saw home action last week with Vets 2 defeating Westmanstown, Vets 3 suffering what could turn out to be a costly defeat against Skerries and Vets 4 overcoming Blackrock to maintain their position in the top 2. This Thursday has Vets 1 travel to Herbert Park, Vets 2 host Blackrock, Vets 3 host Dun Laoghaire and Vets 4 are at home to Clontarf. The club championships are reaching the business end and the odd little surprise result has appeared here and there.
Frank Devlin, Bray Bowling Club.
Bray Bowling News - Wed 06/09/23
There is an autumn feel in the air as the season draws to a close. Last Monday saw Division 4 finish their campaign in style with a comprehensive home victory over Sportslink. A well-deserved second place was achieved. Our Division 2 (Wednesday) team got 5.5 points at home to Westmanstown to leave them needing 2 points from their last match this Wednesday away to neighbours, Greystones, to clinch the title. Here is hoping for some neighbourly gifts!! Last Thursday all 4 Vets teams saw action. Vets 1 found the going tough away in Westmanstown and returned pointless. Vets 2 got 3 points at home to Skerries. Vets 3 suffered a setback away to Greystones but the 1 point could be invaluable at the end of the season. They are in second place. Vets 4 continued their good run by taking 4 points away in Shankill to remain firmly in second place. Saturday saw both Division 1 and 2 play their last games of the season with Division 1 taking 1.5 points at home to Blackrock to finish in seventh place in the league. Division 2 (Saturday) suffered a heavy defeat away to Ierne and they finished in mid-table. Congrats to Crumlin on winning both Division 1 and 2.
On Thursday Vets 1 have a rest day, Vets 2 host Westmanstown 'C', Vets 3 host Skerries and Vets 4 host Blackrock. On Sunday all roads lead to Herbert Park as our Division 2 (Wednesday) team play Clontarf in the Ladies Junior Challenge Cup Final at 2.30pm. With a bit of luck they could be going for the double. Finally, congrats to Patricia Fitzpatrick and Theresa Martin both of whom performed with aplomb in the Junior Inter-Association series in Bangor, Co.Down, as part of the ILB team who finished in second place. Well done ladies.
Frank Devlin, Bray Bowling Club.
Bray Bowling News - Wed 30/08/23
A number of success stories to start the week with. On Monday last our Division 4 team clinched runners-up spot in a very competitive league. First of all we offer our congratulations to our neighbours, Greystones, who won the division and have the North Wicklow bragging rights. The Bray team had a great season and congrats to the team and their selectors i.e. the three wise men of Gabriel Cahill, Michael Doyle and Will McKeon. The good news continued with both Patricia Fitzpatrick and Theresa Martin getting selected on the ILB Junior Inter-Association team to travel to Bangor, Co. Down, to represent the ILB this coming weekend in the annual series against the 3 associations from Northern Ireland. Well done ladies and no doubt you both will do the club proud.
On Sunday Division 2 ( Wednesday) were in cup semi-final action against Westmanstown and had a comprehensive win to qualify for the final. The same team had suffered a setback in the league away to CYM but they still are top of the table with 2 games to go. As a famous former football manager once said "it is squeaky bum time". On Thursday last all four Vets teams saw action with Vets 1 losing in Clontarf. They still have an outside chance of getting runners-up with 4 games to go. Vets 2,3 and 4 were all in home action against Westmanstown, North Kildare 'B' and Crumlin and all recorded victories Vets 3 and 4 are still very much in the mix with 5 games to go. Saturday saw Division 1 take 6 points at home to Westmanstown. They will complete their season next week at home to Blackrock. Division 2 ( Saturday) had a tough day at the office away to Greenhills and returned pointless. They finish their campaign next week away to Ierne.
Division 2 (Wednesday) are at home to Westmanstown as they continue their quest for league honours and a return to the top flight. The Vets teams continue apace this Thursday with Vets 1 making the long trek to Westmanstown, Vets 2 hosting Skerries., Vets 3 making the short hop to Greystones and Vets 4 making even a shorter hop to Shankill. Whilst the league matches are coming to a close the club championships are moving along nicely and we will be reporting in some detail in the weeks to come.
Frank Devlin, Bray Bowling Club.
Bray Bowling News - Wed 23/08/23
Last week got off to a good start when the Division 4 lads took 5 points at home against Blackrock. Bray still have an outside chance of snatching the winners' crown in this league from Greystones. The Division 2 ladies also had a good week, winning their postponed match in Crumlin before beating Dun Laoghaire Golf Club at home. They currently look down on everyone else with a five point cushion. On Thursday Vets 1 and 4 registered wins, the latter doing it at North Kildare and still in with a chance of winning that league. Though Vets 3 got nothing at Greenhills they still top their division by 1.5 points. Saturday was a day to forget with the senior teams both losing to aristocrats. The Division 1 side were away to CYM 'A' and the Division 2 side at home to Crumlin. For this team, skip John Browne managed to salvage a point with his final two bowls. Before leaving the aristocrats behind, we wish to congratulate the new queen of Irish bowling, Crumlin's Sarah Kelly, on winning the IWBA singles title.
On Wednesday the Division 2 ladies will be looking to maintain their grip on the leadership when they journey to CYM. Thursday sees the Vets 1 face a tricky tie in Clontarf whilst the other three teams all play at home. On Saturday the Division 1 men will be hoping to put recent setbacks behind them when they entertain Westmanstown in Bray. Their Division 2 counterparts face a big challenge when they visit leaders, Greenhills, on their own turf (so to speak). Monday the 28th sees our Division 4 representatives play their final match at home to Sportslink.
Patrick Brosnan, Bray Bowling Club.
Bray Bowling News - Wed 16/08/23
The leaves are beginning to fall and the nights starting to draw in and some of the leagues have the finishing line in sight. Division 4 carried on their run of good form last Monday when they got all six points at home to Westmanstown. They remain in second place with three games to go. On Thursday last all 4 Vets teams won their matches with Vets 1 getting a great 3.5 points away in Dun Laoghaire to remain in the top 4. Vets 2 got 3.5 points at home to Dun Laoghaire and both Vets 3 and 4 got all 4 points at home to Blackrock and Dun Loaghaire respectively. Vets 3 and 4 are both up there in the top 2. The Vets leagues go on until late September so there may be a twist or two yet. Saturday saw both Division 1 and 2 suffer heavy defeats at home to Crumlin and away to Skerries.
This week sees Division 2 (Wednesday) take on Dun Laoghaire Golf Club at home. On Thursday Vets 1 play host to the Royals from Meath. Vets 2 make the short trip to neighbours Shankill. Vets 3 go to Greenhills and Vets 4 travel to North Kildare. Saturday next has Division 1 away to CYM 'A' and Division 2 at home to Crumlin. Both are tough assignments. Next Monday has Division 4 travel to Rathmines to take on the money-men from Bank of Ireland. The club held a very successful Open Day last Sunday and a big thank you to all who helped out. Let us hope we get some new members out if it.
Frank Devlin, Bray Bowling Club.
Bray Bowling News - Wed 09/08/23
After the hosting of the Irish Lawn Bowls championships for 2023 normality returns to the bowling club this week. The championships were a great success and thanks to all in Bray for all their hard work during the week. A special mention to the ILB team of Sheila Kelly, Agnes Gillick and Elizabeth Eager who manned the fort during the week and ensured all ran smoothly. They even ensured the weather was favourable most of the time !!!. Commiserations to our own Theresa Martin who just came up short in the McKeon Cup final against Mona McCormack from Sportslink.
Thursday sees the action resume in the leagues with Vets 1 heading to Dun Laoghaire, Vets 2 hosting Dun Laoghaire, Vets 3 hosting Blackrock and Vets 4 hosting Dun Laoghaire. Saturday sees Division 1 at home to league leaders, Crumlin, who boast multiple ILB winners and finalists among their team. Division 2 make the long trek to Skerries where the locals will be buoyed up by their O'Leary Cup victory in ILB Championships. Monday has Division 4 at home to Blackrock and on Wednesday our Division 2 (Wednesday) team are at home to Dun Laoghaire Golf Club. The club championships are in full swing and remember all - do not leave it until the last minute to arrange matches.
Frank Devlin, Bray Bowling Club.
Bray Bowling News - Wed 02/08/23
Another week of action on the rink. On Monday last Division 4 travelled to Crumlin and got 1.5 points. They are still holding fast in second place with four games to go, three of which are at home. Keep it going, gang, and hopefully there will be medals to collect. Division 6 finished their campaign last Wednesday with a good win at home to Ierne. Well done to the team and also well done to Theresa Martin for organising everything during the season. Our Division 2 (Wednesday) team made a wasted journey to Crumlin only to be told on arrival the match could not be played due to torrential rain. Thursday last saw all 4 Vets teams in action against CYM. Vets 1 were at home and unfortunately had no luck. Vets 2, 3 and 4 travelled into CYM and there were victories for Vets 3 and 4 and they remain in the mix in their leagues. Saturday saw Division 1 travel to Kenilworth and they brought home 2 points. Division 2 were at home to Westmanstown and they got 5 points.
This week there is no league action due to the ILB Championships being held in Bray. Great credit is due to the members for all their hard work in having the club in such great condition. The weeds are afraid to show their head!!. Drop down during the week to see the cream of the country's bowlers strut their stuff. There are two sessions each day ie 1.30 pm and 5.30 pm. The action resumes on Tuesday 8th August when Division 4 begin their run-in with a home fixture against Westmanstown and remember it is a 6pm start. A date for your diary now - Sunday 13th August sees Bray Bowling Club host an Open Day from 11am to 6pm. Why not drop down and try the game. All you need is flat-soled shoes. The club will provide everything else.
Frank Devlin, Bray Bowling Club.
Bray Bowling News - Wed 26/07/23
Mid-July has come and gone and the bowls keep rolling on. Last Monday 17th July saw our Division 4 defeat CYM at home to remain in second place with 5 games to go. Division 2 (Wednesday) defeated Herbert Park and they are still sitting pretty at the top of the table. On the same night Division 6 had a good win at home to North Kildare. They finish their campaign this week with a home fixture against Ierne. Vets 2, 3 and 4 were all in home action last Thursday and all recorded victories against Kenilworth, Sportslink and Meath respectively. Saturday saw Division 1 play host to Dun Laoghaire and Division 2 (Saturday) travel to Dun Laoghaire. The result in both matches was the same with victory going to the home team by identical scores ie 5.5/1.5. There was symmetry for you !! On the same day our Division 5 team completed their schedule in Blackrock. Unfortunately they had no luck.
This week has Division 2 (Wednesday) travel to Crumlin. We take this opportunity to wish Noeleen Kelly from Crumlin a speedy recovery from her recent illness and look forward to her returning to the rink. On Thursday all 4 Vets teams do battle with CYM - Vets 1 are at home and Vets 2, 3 and 4 travel to leafy Terenure. On Saturday next Division 1 travel to Kenilworth, Division 2 host Westmanstown.
The National Championships are being held in Bray from Monday 31st July to Saturday 5th August with sessions each day at 2pm and 6pm and all are welcome to drop in (free admission) to see the cream of the country's bowlers (male and female) strut their stuff.
Frank Devlin, Bray Bowling Club.
Bray Bowling News - Wed 19/07/23
A quiter than usual week on the rink this with some teams having a rest week and it was also the week when the weather intervened when some thunderous downpours caused a number of postponements. Division 4 had a very impressive win away to Dun Laoghaire when they took all 6 points on offer. Captain Gabriel Cahill is running a good show here and the team sit in second place at the moment. On Wednesday our Division 2 (Wednesday) made the short hop to Shankill and unfortunately they only got 1 point but still remain top of the table. Thursday saw Vets 1 carry on their upward march by taking all 4 points at home to Crumlin. While visiting captain, John Leonard, was happy for people to hear about his super drive one end which took out his opponents' only bowl in the head, he was more coy about his, ahem, wrong bias earlier in the match! Vets 3 got 1 point away to the same opposition and have dropped to second place in their league. Vets 4 travelled to Westmanstown for the second week in a row and got 1 point. They still remain in the business end of things. Saturday saw Division 1 and 5 rained off. Division 2 (Saturday) took 5 points off Clontarf at home to continue their excellent season.
Pride of place this week goes to John Cheevers and Marcus Donohue who qualified for the semi finals of the ILB Pairs Competition. The semi-finals and final will be held in Bray so no pressure lads. Also this week the new Polo Shirts made their debut and they look impressive. Thanks to all involved.
This week sees Division 2 (Wednesday) host Herbert Park, Division 6 are at home to North Kildare also on Wednesday. Thursday has Vets 2 at home to Kenilworth, Vets 3 at home to Sportslink and Vets 4 at home to Meath. Saturday has Division 1 at home to the Boro Boys/Girls ie Dun Laoghaire and Division 2 (Saturday) travel to Dun Laoghaire. Division 5 make the long trip to Westmanstown. Next Monday 24th July has high flying Division 4 travel to Crumlin. Next week's column will contain important information about the forthcoming ILB Championships to be hosted by Bray BC during the week commencing 31st July.
Frank Devlin, Bray Bowling Club.
Bray Bowling News - Wed 12/07/23
Another all-action week on the rink with Division 4 kicking proceedings off last Monday with a comprehensive home win against Kenilworth to maintain their pursuit of near neighbours, Greystones, who have a big lead at the top of the table. Wednesday saw Division 2 (Wednesday) overcome Skerries at home and they remain top of the table. The team is playing with great confidence at the moment. On the same night Division 6 got 1 point at home to Blackrock. Thursday saw all 4 Vets teams playing with contrasting fortunes. Vets 1 continued their upward march with a home win against Herbert Park. Vets 2 travelled to Ierne and the northsiders had too much in the tank for Bray. Vets 3 took 1 point home from Westmanstown and are still hanging tough at the top of the table. Vets 4 took 3 points back from Westmanstown and are still very much in the hunt for league honours. Saturday saw our 1 rink team hit the jackpot in Crumlin where they took home the kitty. Our Division 1 team got back to winning ways by taking all points on offer at home to Leinster. Division 2 (Saturday) found the going tough away to Railway Union and got 1 point. On Sunday, our representative in the Champion of Champions competition, Niall Shelley, was defeated in the quarter-finals by Joe Fitzsimons from Meath. On the same day our team in the Junior Challenge Cup had a big win at home to Skerries..
This Wednesday sees Division 2 (Wednesday) make the short hop to Shankill. Division 6 have a free night. Thursday has Vets 1 at home to Crumlin, Vets 2 have a rest day, Vets 3 are in Crumlin and Vets 4 travel to Westmanstown (again). Saturday has Division 1 in Terenure where they lock horns with CYM 'B', Division 2 are at home to the aristocrats of Dublin 3 ie Clontarf and Division 5 are in Westmanstown. Next Monday sees Division 4 at home to CYM. The club championships have kicked off and we wish all competitors the very best as they aim to get their names on the Honours Boards.
Frank Devlin, Bray Bowling Club.
Bray Bowling News - Wed 05/07/23
Whoever said lightning doesn't strike twice !! You may recall two weeks ago we gave pride of place to two rinks who scored the maximum 8 on an end. Well, one of the two went and did it again. Yes, John Reynolds, Bryon Dancer, Roddy O'Leary and John Browne repeated the feat on Saturday 24th June against Ierne. The team Division 2 (Saturday) picked up 6 points to remain in second place behind Crumlin but all the kudos goes to the "Fab Four!!
Our Division 4 team made the short hop down the coast to Greystones last Monday and got 1 point. All four Vets teams were in action on Thursday last. Vets 1 picked up 3 points away to Leinster, Whilst in Leinster the team came across Jimmy Rabbitte (Snr) aka the actor, Colm Meaney, who was using the nearby hall for rehearsing his forthcoming play where he co-stars with his daughter. Vets 2 picked up 4 points in a big win at to home to St.James Gate. Vets 3 were defeated by North Kildare in a thriller but still remain top of the league. Vets 4 took 3 points from Ierne to stay in the hunt for honours. Saturday saw Division 1 travel to Trim where the Royals of Meath proved too strong. Division 2 (Saturday) picked up 5 points at home to St.James Gate and remain in second place. They are having an outstanding season.
This week sees Division 2 (Wednesday) play host to Skerries. Division 6 are at home to Blackrock on the same evening. Thursday sees all Vets teams take to the rink with Vets 1 at home to Greenhills, Vets 2 travel to Drumcondra to face Ierne, Vets 3 and Vets 4 take the N4 to Lucan when both face Westmanstown. Next Saturday has Division 1 at home to Leinster, Division 2 away in Sandymount to Railway Union and Division 5 away in Crumlin. On Monday 10th July Division 4 head to Dun Laoghaire.
Frank Devlin, Bray Bowling Club.
Bray Bowling News - Wed 28/06/23
A mixed bag this week as a number of leagues reached the halfway point. On Monday last Division 4 travelled to Sportslink where they brought home 2 points. They sit in second place in the league behind near neighbours Greystones who have a healthy lead. Next Monday has them play at home to Kenilworth. Division 2 (Wednesday) travelled to Clontarf and, like Brian Boru, they found it tough going and returned with 2 points. They are still top of the table with 8 games left and are at home to Skerries today (Wednesday). Keep it up and promotion can be achieved. Division 6 travelled to Westmanstown last week and in a tremendous display they got 3.5 pts to sit in third place with 4 games remaining. They have a bye this week so enjoy the rest, gang.
Thursday is Vets Day and is a 22 match league so there are 2 games left in the first half of the season. As things stand Vets 1, after a slow start, are building up momentum and climbing the table. They defeated Herbert Park last week and travel to Leinster this week. Vets 2 are having a tough time and lost last week away in Blackrock and they host St. James's Gate this week. Vets 3 had an important win away in Dun Laoghaire and they lead their league at the moment. They are at home to North Kildare 'A' this week. Vets 4 are challenging in their division but suffered a setback in Clontarf last week. This week they are at home to Ierne.
On Saturday last Division 1 returned home pointless from Blackrock. This week sees them make the long trek to Trim to take on the Royals of Meath. Division 2 (Saturday) continued their rich vein of form with a good win at home to Ierne. They currently lie second in the league at the halfway point. This week they host St. James's Gate. Division 5 were in Greenhills and the locals were too good on the day. This week sees them play CYM at home.
Frank Devlin, Bray Bowling Club.
Bray Bowling News - Wed 21/06/23
The week started on a sombre note with the death last Sunday of Michael O'Brien, one of our leading members and a Trustee of the club. Michael was laid to rest on Friday last. RIP Michael. On a more positive note Division 4 recorded a comprehensive victory at home to Bank of Ireland last Monday. The highlight of the night was the rink of John Gilliland, Ger Hollingsworth, Liam Collins and Bob Neilson scoring an 8 on the 7th end. This was the second 8 recorded by a Bray team this season following on from John Reynolds, Bryon Dancer Roddy O'Leary and John Browne in a recent Division 2 (Saturday) game against Skerries. Hotshots abound in sunny Bray!!
Our Division 2 (Wednesday) team got 5 points at home to Greystones to earn the south-east bragging rights and they maintain their impressive form. On the same night the Division 6 team got 1 point at home to Aer Lingus, only losing the overall by 1 shot. Thursday saw 3 of our Vets teams in action with mixed results. Vets 2 travelled to Westmanstown and returned pointless. Vets 3 made the long journey (135 km return) to fellow seasiders, Skerries, and in the shadow of the famous windmills, came home with 4 points. Vets 4 were in leafy Blackrock and unfortunately nothing went their way. We had a very successful Saturday with Division 5 defeating Greystones at home to maintain their recent good run. Our Division 1 team hit the N4 to Westmanstown and returned with 5 points and Division 2 (Saturday) bagged 6 points at home to Greenhills to remain very much in the running for honours. On Sunday our Shott Cup team also travelled to Westmanstown and just came up short. Unfortunately our Division 1 team had to concede a walkover to Crumlin as they were unable to field a team for their Open Cup game on the same day.
This Wednesday sees Division 2 (Wednesday) travel to do battle in Clontarf, Division 6 head to Westmanstown on the same night. Thursday sees Vets 1 play host to Herbert Park. Vets 2, 3 and 4 take the road to Blackrock, Dun Laoghaire and Clontarf respectively. Saturday has Division 1 in Blackrock, Division 2 (Saturday) at home to Ierne and Division 5 head to the foothills of the Dublin mountains to take on Greenhills. On Monday, 3rd July, Division 4 are at home to Kenilworth. As the middle of the season approaches we will have a mid-term report next week.
Frank Devlin, Bray Bowling Club.
Bray Bowling News - Wed 14/06/23
The bowls just keep on rolling along as we approach mid-summer's day. Last Monday our Division 4 team were in Blackrock and like Spencer Tracey they had a bad day and took home 1 point. On Wednesday last Division 2 ( Wednesday) made the long trek to Westmanstown where they found the locals in scintillating form and Bray returned pointless. On the same night Division 6 braved the East Link traffic to travel to Ierne where they got 0.5 points. Thursday brought some cheer as Vets 1, 3 and 4 were at home to Westmanstown, Greystones and Shankill respectively and all of them had good victories and secured the maximum points on offer. Vets 2 made the the long journey to Skerries and, in the shadow of the windmills, they came a-cropper. Saturday saw Division 1 host CYM 'A' and the big hitters from Terenure proved too good and Bray got 1.5 points. Division 2 (Saturday) were away in Crumlin and the league leaders were too powerful for Bray who returned with 1 point. On the same day Division 5 (the one-rink wonders) had a great win away to Leinster.
This Wednesday, 14th June, sees Division 2 (Wednesday) host near neighbours Greystones in the battle for Wicklow bragging rights. On the same night Division 6 play host to the high flying Aer Lingus. Thursday is Vets Day with Vets 1 having a rest day. Vets 2 are heading to Westmanstown, Vets 3 to Skerries and Vets 4 to Blackrock. Next Saturday sees Division 1 in Westmanstown and Division 5 are at home to Greystones. Sunday 18th sees action in the Open Cup with Division 1 having a tricky trip to Crumlin. In the Shott Cup, where Bray are the defending champions, they travel to Westmanstown. Next Monday sees Division 4 having to brave the evening traffic to make the trip to Santry to take on Sportslink.
Once again we had members in action in the various ILBA Competitions and honorable mention goes to Alan Hopkins and Will McKeon who played host to two wily old campaigners from Cork who, despite having journeyed from the Rebel County, proved too strong for the Bray lads. Finally, anyone wishing to enter any of the internal club competitions for 2023 must get their entry form in by 7pm on Thursday 15th June.
Frank Devlin, Bray Bowling Club.
Bray Bowling News - Wed 07/06/23
No rest for the wicked this week as we had wall-to-wall bowls and will continue to do so for the next few weeks. Division 4 kicked the week off on Monday with a trip to Westmanstown and they brought home 3 points following a drawn match. On Tuesday our Division 1 (Saturday) team travelled to Crumlin to take on the star-studded Crumlin team who proved their class with a comprehensive win. Our Division 2 Wednesday team continued their impressive start to the season with a good home win against CYM to remain top of the table. Also on Wednesday our Division 6 team travelled to North Kildare and returned victorious and now top the table. All 4 Vets teams saw action on Thursday with Vets 1 taking three points off Clontarf at home, Vets 2 tasted defeat away to Westmanstown, Vets 3 hit the N4 to North Kildare and in a tight match took all 4 points on offer. Finally, Vets 4 took 3 points back from Crumlin winning the overall by one shot. Saturday saw our 1 rink Division 6 team record a good win at home to Blackrock.
On the same day our Division 1(Saturday) team were in IBA Cup action away to Donaghadee from Co. Down. An early morning convoy left Bray with the Kris Kristofferson hit playing in the background (ie that is " Convoy " for the uninitiated!!) to travel to the land of the Mourne's. For the first time in this competition Bray had ladies playing. Well done to Terri McKeon and Bernie Tracey. The locals whose green is located just metres from the sea proved too strong on the day. Bray would like to record their appreciation to Donaghadee for the wonderful hospitality proved before and after the game. It was wonderful to see so many young bowlers on the home team and also the performance of Cameron Gaw the British Isles Under-25 champion and Irish International was a joy to behold.
This Wednesday sees our Division 2 (Wednesday) travel to take on Westmanstown. On the same night Division 6 travel to Drumcondra to take on Ierne. Thursday 8th June sees Vets 1 at home to Westmanstown, Vets 2 travel to North Co. Dublin to take on Skerries, Vets 3 are at home to near neighbours Greystones and Vets 4 are at home to Shankill. On Saturday 9th June is our Division 1 (Saturday) are at home to CYM 'A' and Division 2 (Saturday) are away to Crumlin in a top of the table clash. Finally, next Monday our Division 4 crew are at home to Bank of Ireland. The ILBA Championships are still in full swing with notable performances coming from Liam Collins, John Gilliland and Ciaran O'Brien. To all those teams currently topping their respective leagues - remember, it is a marathon and not a sprint !!
Frank Devlin, Bray Bowling Club.
Bray Bowling News - Wed 31/05/23
Things are hotting up on the playing front with non-stop action last week. Our Division 4 team saw action on the double in the week just gone. They defeated Crumlin on Monday night in Bray taking 6 points. On Wednesday evening they travelled to CYM to take on the team from Terenure and found the grass not to their liking and came home with 1 point. They remain top of the table from near neighbours, Greystones. Also on Wednesday our Division 2 Wednesday team made the short journey to the foothills of the Dublin mountains to take on Dun Laoghaire Golf Club and were very satisfied with their haul of 5.5 points to leave them sitting pretty at the top of the table. Thursday is Vets Day with all 4 of our teams strutting their stuff. Vets 1 travelled to Trim to take on Meath who proved too strong on the day. Vets 2 were narrowly beaten at home by Shankill. Both Vets 3 and 4 had home victories over Greenhills and North Kildare respectively. Both are challenging at the top of the table at the moment. Our Division 2 Saturday team had an excellent victory at home to Skerries and their return of 6.5 points sees them move up to second place in the table behind Crumlin. On the same day our Division 5 team shared the spoils at home to Westmanstown.
This week sees Division 2 Wednesday host CYM and Division 6 travel to North Kildare. The Vets teams are all in action on Thursday with Vets 1 at home to Clontarf, Vets 2 ,3 and 4 hit the road to Westmanstown, North Kildare and Crumlin respectively. Our Division 1 Saturday team are in IBA Cup action when they make the long trek to Donaghadee in Co. Down. On the same day Division 6 are at home to Blackrock. On Tuesday, 6th June, Division 4 travel to take on Blackrock. As you can see there is plenty of bowls being played.
There was also plenty of action in the ILBA Championships during the week and, with the finals in Bray this year, the club are making a concerted effort to have some representation in the finals week. More details in future weeks but honourable mention to the trio of John Gilliland, Alan Hopkins and Will McKeon who travelled to Dungarvan, Co Waterford to play in a Triples match and were agonisingly defeated on the last end.
Frank Devlin, Bray Bowling Club.
Bray Bowling News - Wed 24/05/23
In the week gone by our (mostly) ladies' teams hosted two Crumlin sides in Bray. In Division 2 the home side got all six points whilst, on Saturday morning, the result was a draw. Rory Neilus did well in this, his first competitive game. On Wednesday our Division 6 outfit had a splendid win away at Blackrock where the going was faster than expected. A total of three points out of a possible 16 were all our vets sides could manage the next day. Teams from Dun Laoghaire did most of the damage with Blackrock doing the rest. However Saturday made up for that when our senior men's teams both took 6.5 points out of 7. Helped by the ladies' Captain, Terri McKeon, the A team defeated visitors, Kenilworth, while the B team were even more impressive with an away win at Westmanstown.
In the ILB O'Leary Cup, for the over-55s, Wally Doyle's rink used their home advantage to knock out Tommy Byrne's foursome from St James's Gate. In the senior fours Marcus Donohoe's lads put together a great team effort to secure a win against Tony Kelly's side in Walkinstown. We had some fallers in other competitions but it was all invaluable experience for them.
Today (Wednesday 24th) Bray's Division 2 ladies make the short trip to Enniskerry to play Dun Laoghaire Golf Club. Our Division 6 team would be playing Kenilworth on the same day if the latter hadn't withdrawn from the league. On Thursday Vets 2,3 and 4 are all at home and play Shankill, Greenhills and North Kildare. Vets 1 meanwhile take the high road to Trim, Co Meath, for a tough away fixture. Saturday morning sees our junior ladies host Westmanstown while later in the day, the Division 2 men brace themselves for the visit of the Skerries first team. The Division 1 match against Crumlin in Dublin 12 has been moved to Tuesday evening. The evening before, Bray's Division 4 side will try their luck at Westmanstown. Good luck to all.
Patrick Brosnan, Bray Bowling Club.
Bray Bowling News - Wed 17/05/23
Two of the Bray men's teams, in Division 2 and 4, enjoyed home victories over Dun Laoghaire last week. The Borough took its revenge in Division 1 however, winning 5-2 on their own green. The ladies of Division 2 had a good day out at Herbert Park on Wednesday when they took home all the points. Their Division 5 side lost at CYM. On Thursday morning in the vets league all six Bray rinks were in use as three home teams hosted three teams from CYM. Two of the home sides won but Vets 2 lost their game by a single shot. Vets 1 also played CYM, in Terenure, and came home rain-soaked but victorious.
With the IBL championship finals taking place in Bray this year, the club has many members having a go. Some went out this week but plenty got through. The junior singles saw home wins for Alan Hopkins, John McGrath and Liam Collins. Will McKeon went out to North Kildare's superb Greg Burns whom some feel would be more at home in the senior competition. In the junior pairs Liam Collins and Ciaran O'Brien beat their visitors from Shankill. Niall Shelley was our only senior singles victor when he saw off Ultan Daly of Railway Union. The mixed pairs saw a notable away win for Chris Fenton and Theresa Martin against Greystones' R.Bernie and M.Williams. Tommy Cahill and Mark Hughes pulled off perhaps the result of the week, in the senior pairs at Blackrock. Seemingly dead and buried at 14-2 down, they gambled on short jacks to mount a furious comeback and take the tie. Thanks to all the members who attended the games, home and away.
This week sees both our (majority) ladies' teams entertain Crumlin in Bray with Division 2 playing on Wednesday afternoon and Division 5 on Saturday morning. Wednesday evening has our Division 6 men away at Blackrock. Thursday is vets day but only Vets 1 are at home, against Dun Laoghaire. Vets 2 and 4 are away to the same club while Vets 3 travel to Blackrock for their fun. On Saturday afternoon the Division 1 men welcome Kenilworth to Bray while the second team faces a challenging trip to Westmanstown. The following Monday evening the Division 4 side play host to Crumlin.
Patrick Brosnan, Bray Bowling Club.
Bray Bowling News - Wed 10/05/23
The week started on a positive note with Division 4 taking all six points home from Kenilworth last Monday. On Wednesday our Division 2 team were defeated at home by near neighbours Shankill. On the same night Division 6 got 1 point at home to Westmanstown and only missed the overall by 2 shots. Three of our Vets teams saw action last Thursday. Vets 2 were away in Kenilworth and got 3 points. Vets 3 got 3.5 points away to Sportslink and Vets 4 made the long journey to Trim to play Meath and brought back all 4 points. Saturday saw our Division 5 team all ready to play Greenhills at home but the visitors failed to show. Our Saturday Division 2 team travelled to Dublin 3 to play Clontarf and got a hard earned point.
This week sees our Division 2 Wednesday team head to leafy Dublin 4 to play Herbert Park. Thursday sees all our Vets teams in action with all playing CYM. Vets 1 are away in Terenure and Vets 2,3 and 4 are all at home. On Saturday 13th, Division 5 Saturday travel to CYM, Division 1 head to Dun Laoghaire and Division 2 are to home to the team from the borough. Next Monday sees Division 4 hit the road to CYM.
In the midst of all the team action we have also had plenty of play in the ILBA Championships with victories for John Gilliland and Alan Hopkins in the Nassau Singles and Marcus Donohoe and John Cheevers in the Senior Pairs competition. There is lots of action this week as well with Peter Gough, Mark Hughes and Niall Shelley in Marper Cup action in Bray tonight (Wednesday). All support would be greatly appreciated.
Frank Devlin, Bray Bowling Club.
Bray Bowling News - Wed 03/05/23
Action all the way in the last week. Division 4 made their seasonal bow last Monday and claimed Garden County bragging rights with a home win against Greystones. Michael Egleston and his magnetic bowls were outstanding in a 5/1 win. Wednesday saw Division 2 travel to Skerries and the long journey proved fruitful when they brought home 5 points to proudly sit at the top of the table at this early stage. On the same night Division 6 were in Aer Lingus and found the locals too hot to handle. Thursday saw 3 of our Vets teams take to the rink with Vets 1 bringing 1 point home from Crumlin. Both Vets 3 and 4 were in home action against Crumlin and Westmanstown and both claimed victories by 4/0 and 3/1 respectively. Saturday morning saw our 1 rink Division 5 make the short hop down the coast to Greystones where the locals had too much experience for them. On the same afternoon our Division 1 team brought 2 points back from Leinster and Division 2 got an impressive 5 points at home to Railway Union to maintain their impressive start. The week also saw some of our bowlers in action in the ILBA Championships with Niall Shelley scoring a good win at home to the wily old campaigner, Frank McCarthty from CYM. Chris Fenton drew a blank against Gareth Pierpoint from CYM. All competitors in the ILBA Competitions are reminded to take note of the draws and if you cannot play it is common courtesy to advise your opposition.
This week sees plenty of action with Division 2 Wednesday hosting Shankill, Division 6 hosting Westmanstown on Wednesday night. Thursday has 3 Vets teams playing with Vets 2 away to Kenilworth, Vets 3 away to Sportslink and Vets 4 travelling to Trim to take on the Royals from Meath. Saturday, 6th May, has our 1 rink team at home to Greenhills in the morning. In the afternoon Division 1 are at home to CYM 'B' and Division 2 travel away to do battle with Clontarf. On Monday, 8th May, our Division 4 team are at home to Dun Laoghaire. It should be noted that, with effect from last Monday, all evening matches will commence at 6.30pm up until the August Bank Holiday weekend.
Frank Devlin, Bray Bowling Club.
Bray Bowling News - Wed 19/04/23
Our Division 2 Wednesday team had the honour of being the first Bray team in action in the summer season and they defeated Clontarf by 5 points to 1. Saturday morning last saw monsoon conditions and our Saturday morning 1-rink team saw their fixture against Leinster fall foul of the weather. The Division 2 Saturday team travelled to St. James's Gate and came home thoroughly soaked but with 4.5 points in the bag. Our Division 1 Saturday team had a convincing victory by 6 points to 1 over Meath. Special mention goes to Mark Hughes who travelled up from Galway to play the game and then headed back west immediately after the match.
The action continues apace this week with the Division 2 Wednesday team heading to North County Dublin to take on Skerries. On the same night our Division 6 team travel to ALSAA to lock horns with Aer Lingus on their notoriously tough rink. Thursday morning sèes the Vets make their seasonal debut as Vets 1 travel to Crumlin, Vets 2 have a free day, Vets 3 are at home to Crumlin and Vets 4 are at home to Westmanstown. This coming Saturday sees Division 1 travel to Rathmines to take on Leinster, Division 2 are at home to Railway Union and our 1-rink team make the short trek to Greystones. On Tuesday, 2nd May, Division 4 are away to Kenilworth. As you can see it is wall-to-wall action.
Frank Devlin, Bray Bowling Club.
Bray Bowling News - Wed 19/04/23
The sparring is over and the summer leagues all kick off this week and the honour of being the first Bray team in action goes to our Wednesday Division 2 team who host Clontarf today (19th). Best of luck to Captain Terri McKeon and her panel. On Saturday we have three teams in action with our Ladies Division 5 Saturday team playing host to Leinster in the morning before our Division 1 team host Meath. The Royals will travel with confidence having won Division 2 last year. On the same day our Division 2 team head to the Iveagh Grounds to take on the old aristocrats, St. James's Gate. On Monday 24th our Division 4 team play host to near neighbours, Greystones. Bragging rights are at stake in this one. Best of luck to all bowlers for the season ahead and remember to treat your teammates and opponents with respect and dignity.
Frank Devlin, Bray Bowling Club.
Bray Bowling News 10/04/23
Saturday last saw the club host the unfurling of the Irish Lawn Bowls Association flag for 2023. Bray holds the Presidency for 2023 and it is a great honour to hold the Presidency in the first year of the ILBA. Tremendous credit must go to the army of volunteers who had everything in pristine condition for the unfurling ceremony, from the immaculately cut hedges to the newly-painted seats and picnic tables. Following the unfurling, a friendly game of bowls took place between a Bray selection and an ILBA selection. A celebratory dinner followed in Bray Golf Club. All thoughts now turn to the start of the summer season on 22nd April of which more next week.
Frank Devlin, Bray Bowling Club.
Bray Bowling News 03/04/23
Another quiet week on the rink. We had the final session of the Wednesday League and Brendan Duffy was confirmed as the winner. Well done to Brendan and thanks to both Eddie and Phyllis for their usual top-class organising skills. The participation level was down on previous years which was somewhat disappointing. The prizes were presented last Friday night and those prize winners who were unable to attend should contact the organisers. The weather was the big winner on Saturday last when a friendly match between Bray and CYM bit the dust due to various downpours during the day.
Next Saturday, 8th April, is a big day for the club with the unfurling of the ILBA flag at 2pm. Bray holds the Presidency of the ILBA for 2023 and we wish our own Frank Devlin all the best for the year as he assumes the role.
Frank Devlin, Bray Bowling Club.
Bray Bowling News 27/03/23
In preparation for the upcoming unfurling of the Irish Lawn Bowls Association flag in Bray on 8th April, a merry band of painters turned up last Wednesday and Thursday to give a lick of paint to all the seats surrounding the rink and also to the tables on the patio. A great job was done by all and Marcus Donohoe was the organiser-in-chief. I am told all are available for hall, stairs and landing jobs !! This Wednesday sees the last day of the Wednesday League and Brendan Duffy and Ann Downhams are the two to catch. The prizes will be presented on Friday night, 31st March. All are welcome to attend. Now that the clock has sprung forward all thoughts are turning to the Summer leagues and the deliberations of the various selectors are awaited in relation to the make-up of the various teams and registered players. Finally, we offer our congratulations to CYM 'A' on winning the Winter League. I am sure they are hoping that a successful Summer season will follow.
Frank Devlin, Bray Bowling Club.
Bray Bowling News 20/03/23
You have all heard no doubt of the Secret Seven, the Seven Samurai and the Magnificent Seven. Well, you can now add the Monsoon Seven. Yes, last Wednesday in the midst of a downpour, seven bowlers who shall be nameless took to the rink in pursuit of points in the Wednesday League. Following the madness Brendan Duffy now leads the pack with one week to go. The lengths people will go to for an Easter egg!! The presentation of prizes has been arranged for Friday 31st March. The club is gearing up for the Presidency of the ILBA and our President, John Dunne, is organising a painting day soon when the seats and outdoor tables will get a make over. More information to follow. The days are lengthening and some bowlers are coming out of hibernation following their winter break. Welcome back all !! Finally a big thanks to those bowlers from Greystones who joined us for the Winter and to say that hopefully we will see you all again in October.
Frank Devlin, Bray Bowling Club.
Bray Bowling News 13/03/23
A very quiet week on all fronts. Roll ups were the order of the week. The Men's Captain Dave McMahon was seen circling the green checking on the talent as the date for registering players and squads approaches. A new broom may well herald a new era and with some new additions the coming season may prove fruitful. The various BLI groupings have been out practising and with the finals in Bray this year the lads are determined to do their utmost to have some home representation. Friday saw snow on the rink but not enough to have Frosty play as lead. Saturday saw a deluge and most bowlers stayed inside but we had two intrepid bowlers who shall be nameless take to the rink. Me thinks they were waiting for Noah to come along and whisk them away.
Frank Devlin, Bray Bowling Club.
Bray Bowling News 06/03/23
The Bray adventure in the Winter League came to an end last Saturday in Sportslink when Bray 'B' went down 50/36 to Leinster Lions 'A' in the quarter final. Bray fought the brave fight and led for much of the game but came up short in the end. Bernie Tracey led her rink to a great victory and John Gilliland also impressed on his rink. The team would like to thank all the supporters who made the long trek to the north side of Dublin. Last Thursday saw a great crowd turn up to clean and spray the ditches. Our President John Dunne was a man possessed with the powerhose in his hand. A huge big thanks to Theresa Martin who fed the masses with soup and sandwiches.
The Wednesday League is now nearing the finishing line and after last week we have Ann Downhams and Margaret Williams separated by 1 point. This is going all the way folks and there are some others who, with a kind draw and lady luck, could scoop the top prize. Finally, last Saturday both the BLI and LBLI met in separate but simultaneous meetings to vote on a proposed merger and in an historic day for Irish bowling both organisations passed the motion. This is without doubt a momentous decision and watch this space for further details.
Frank Devlin, Bray Bowling Club.
Bray Bowling News 27/02/23
Another quiet week on the rink this week. Our Greystones members are still turning up in great numbers every Monday afternoon and we have gotten excellent feedback from them. Thanks to Fergus O'Brien for all his efforts and organisational skills here. The finishing line is in sight now for the Wednesday League. There are 5 weeks to go and the top of the leaderboard is like the M50 on a Friday evening - crowded. 5 points separate the top 7. Currently Ann Downhams on 68 points leads Margaret Williams by 2 points. Terri McKeon, Liz Mc Carthty, Brendan Duffy, Fergus O'Brien and Richard Birney are close behind.
Volunteers are required on Thursday morning to clean out the ditches and power wash the mats. Be there for 9.30 am suitably attired. The quarter-final of the Winter League is on this Saturday in Sportslink with Bray 'B' taking on the star-studded Leinster Lions 'A'. Best of luck to the team and all of Bray is rooting for you. This Saturday also sees two very important meetings taking place with both the BLI and LBLI meeting to vote on the proposed merger of both organisations to form the Irish Lawn Bowling Association.
Frank Devlin, Bray Bowling Club.
Bray Bowling News 20/02/23
A very quiet week on the rink this week. There was no competitive team action as all group games in the Winter League have been completed. Bray 'B' qualified from their group and in the quarter-final draw Bray were paired against Leinster Lions 'A'. The game will take place in Sportslink in Santry on Saturday, 4th March. Our representative in the Champion of Champions Niall Shelley came a cropper in the quarter final against Darren Richards from CYM. Niall made a slow start and despite a great fightback he went down 14/18. Better luck in the summer version, Niall. The rollups continue apace this week and thanks again to our Winter members from Greystones who are great supporters.
Frank Devlin, Bray Bowling Club.
Bray Bowling News 13/02/23
This week saw the Wednesday League continue with sun-drenched weather. The top of the table is populated by our Winter members from Greystones who this year are determined to bring the top prizes down the coast. Saturday saw the last of the group matches in the Winter League take place and both Bray 'B' and 'C' were in home action against Blackrock 'B' and Dun Loaghaire 'C' respectively. Our 'B' team needed a big win to secure one of the best runner up spots in order to progress to the quarter-final stage. Blackrock were very competitive on the day with Maurice Treacy's rink defeating Tommy Cahill's rink with the last bowl to secure a point for the visitors. The BLI Secretary Charlie Lynch from Blackrock gave an heroic display on his rink but ultimately fell short. The home team, with 4 points, should make it through. Bray 'C' defeated Dun Laoghaire 5/0 to finish their campaign on a high. All rinks were on form on the day with Mark Hughes particularly impressive.
This week also sees Niall Shelley in quarter-final action in the Champion of Champions when he travels to Leinster to face Darren Richards of CYM. Best of luck to Niall. We have no more competitive action until 4th March when the quarter-finals of the Winter League are scheduled to take place.
Frank Devlin, Bray Bowling Club.
Bray Bowling News 06/02/23
A busy week on the rink this week but a poor return on the results front. Bray 'A' finished their Winter League campaign with a home defeat to Leinster 'A' and finished in third place in their section. Eamonn Kennedy's rink got Bray's only point. Bray 'C' were in action on the double over the weekend. On Saturday they were up against a strong Blackrock team who left Bray with 4 points. Brendan Duffy and his rink got the home team's only point. On Sunday Bray were away to Leinster Lions who use Bray as their home ground. The Lions roared on the day and took all 5 points on offer. Bray 'C' finish their campaign next Saturday at home to Dun Laoghaire. Bray 'B' are at home to Blackrock where a 5 point victory should see them qualify for the quarter finals as one of the best second placed teams. No pressure so !!
The Wednesday League is continuing and a big thank you to John Keegan from Greystones for baking some lovely cakes last week. You are always welcome John! This week also saw two of our members, Dick Fowler and Aidan King, make their long awaited return to the rink after long-term illness. Welcome back lads. Also our Men's Captain, Dave McMahon, has returned home along with his new knee. Remember, Dave, do your rehab and we will see you soon.
Frank Devlin, Bray Bowling Club.
Bray Bowling News 30/01/23
A mixed day at the office last Saturday as all 3 Bray teams were in action in the Winter League. Team 'A' travelled to Kenilworth and brought home 1 point. They lost the overall by 1 shot. The defeat means that they are chasing one of the best runner-up spots in order to advance to the quarter-finals. Team 'B' travelled to Leinster to take on CYM 'A' and in damp conditions they defeated the section winners 4/1 and. with one game to play. they are in a strong position to claim a best runner-up spot. Both Tommy Cahill and Alan Rath skipped their rinks to victory. Team 'C' were at home to Leinster Lions and got 2 points. They have 3 games left and they are nicely positioned in mid-table.
This Saturday sees Team 'A' host Leinster 'A' in a must-win game. Team 'B' have a rest day. Team 'C' are in action on the double this weekend as they host Blackrock on Saturday and on Sunday they are away to Leinster Lions. As Leinster Lions use Bray as their home rink Bray don't have far to travel !! Our representative in the Champion-of-Champions, Niall Shelley, had a very good 18/5 win over Will Tormey from Sportslink to advance to the quarter-finals where he will face Darren Richards from CYM.
Frank Devlin, Bray Bowling Club.
Bray Bowling News 23/01/23
In the week that Jack Frost visited and, let it be said he outstayed his welcome, the rink was closed until Saturday last. Bray 'A' hosted Herbert Park in the All Weather Bowling League and they bagged 4 points to maintain their grip on second place in Section 'A'. Well done to Elizabeth Eager and Sally Ryan both of whom made impressive debuts for the home side.
Next Saturday sees the team travel to Kenilworth hoping to maintain their push to reach the knockout stages. Bray 'B' travel to face the big hitters from CYM 'A' where a win would boost their chances of advancing to the next stage. Bray 'C' host Leinster Lions 'A' in what will be a good test for the home team. The Wednesday League is back up and running and all are welcome to come and play. The league will run through until mid March and as usual the prizes on offer are second to none !!
Frank Devlin
Bray Bowling News 16/01/23
A convoy of cars left Bray last Saturday all bound for Rathmines where the 3 Bray All Weather Bowling League teams were in action. Bray 'A' and Bray 'C ' headed to Leinster and Bray 'B' to Kenilworth. All in all it was a successful expedition as Bray 'A' took all 5 points home against Leinster 'A'. Bray 'B ' got 2 points against Kenilworth 'B' and Bray 'C' got 3 points against Leinster 'B'. Both our 'A' and 'B' squads are still in there with a fighting chance of making the knock-out stages. This coming Saturday sees the 'A' team play host to Herbert Park and they will be looking to keep the momentum going. The other 2 squads have a rest day.
Our representative in the Champion-of-Champions competition, Niall Shelley, plays his first round match on Tuesday at home to Willie Tormey of Sportslink. Best of luck to him. There is quite a large number of medals still to be collected from the recent presentation. Contact Owen Byrne who says he will melt them all down soon if not collected! You have been warned! Finally well done to the 15 souls who braved tough conditions to play in the Wednesday League last week. They had dried out by Friday!
Frank Devlin
Bray Bowling News 09/01/23
The Christmas lights have been taken down and the last of the pudding eaten so the bowlers are back in action. Bray Bowling Club celebrated Nollaig na Mban with the presentation of medals won in 2022. A good crowd turned up as medals were presented to the winners of the Shott Cup, Division 5, Vets 1 and 3. Well done to President John Dunne (complete with chain of office) and Honorary Secretary Niall Shelley for doing the honours. A special thank you to the photographer from the Bray People for coming along on the night.
Saturday saw two of our teams take to the rink in the All Weather Bowling League with contrasting results. Bray 'A' travelled to Greenhills and got 1 point. Eamonn Kennedy's rink were very unlucky in their match when the opposition skipper saved 3 shots with the very last bowl of the match. Bray 'B' hosted Greenhills 'B' and they took all 5 points on offer to climb to second spot in their section. This coming Saturday sees all 3 teams in action with all 3 travelling to Dublin 6. Both Bray 'A' and Bray 'C' travel to Rathmines to take on Leinster 'A' and 'C' respectively. Bray 'B' travel to Kenilworth to lock horns with the locals. Don't forget the Wednesday League is back and will run to the end of March.
Frank Devlin