Bowls round-up: Killen pushing for Shropshire call-up
Joe Killen is doing all he can to press his claims for a Shropshire senior bowls team debut, writes Malcolm Fletcher.
Shifnal-based Killen added to his honours when he won the Whitchurch League’s season-opening Norman Ford Invitation Classic at Prees.
Representing Adderley, he beat fellow young gun Elliot Mochan of Ellesmere 21-14 in Sunday’s sunshine final.
Killen, who won 18 out of his 25 games for St Georges in the Premier League last year, claimed the scalps of Eleanor Webb 21-10 in the semi-finals and Malpas Sports star Donna Bennett 21-20 in the last eight after trailing early on.
“Joe played excellently in the final - a really exciting tussle to watch – and commiserations to Elliot who played decent all day,” said organiser Jack Hazeldine.
Mochan ousted two classy veterans to reach the final, Cedric Bancroft of Woore 21-14 in his semi and Adderley’s Alan Boulton 21-18 before that.
Added Hazeldine: “£80 was made for charity and the greens were also fantastic - a noticeable difference in the conditions of them from our visit early last season.”
Classic final at Meole Brace Open
They made not have been Shropshire bowlers, but the finalists in the £5,660 Coors Meole Brace Open delivered a classic showdown.
It ended with Merseyside star Danny Barwise beating Carl Fielding of Warwick & Worcester 21-20 to end 20 years of hurt.
Promoter Rob Burroughs explained: "Danny came out on top of an epic final after finding himself 9-2 down early on and then 19-17 up.
“At 20 across, Carl led a bowl about 18 inches away which Danny just beat, but Carl left his second bowl just short which meant that Danny had made up for losing in the Meole final (to Paul Williams) 20 years ago.”
His reward was a £1,000 first prize from the county’s richest tournament, the Doug Marrs Trophy and a ticket to the Champion of Champions in September.
“The semi-finals were two great games too with Danny defeating the favourite Greg Smith 20 after playing a good bowl when two down at 20 across, while Carl defeated Leighton Roberts 18 after being 14-10 up and then running out from 18 across,” added Burroughs.
Ifton star Roberts was the last hope of local success on Sunday at the Shrewsbury club after Scott Harries (SJ Bayley) and new Castlefields signing Andy Armstrong both fell in the last eight.
Quarter-final results – Smith 21 Harries 9; Barwise 21 Nathan Dawes 14; Fielding 21 Armstrong 11; Roberts 21 Dan Petcher 19.
