Peel Sunset Bowling Club hosted the popular Peel Town Cup competition on Saturday afternoon.

The event returned to its home venue after being played in Ballaugh last year.

With the Peel green vastly improved, the competition attracted 55 entries and, despite the poor weather forecast, the rain held off for most of the day.

With handicaps ranging from +3 to +9, it certainly made for an interesting day with some shock results and there were a number of high-profile casualties early on.

Losing out at the quarter-final stage were James Kelly (Marown) who was beaten 13-21 by clubmate Neil Withers, Sammy Clague (Marown) who lost 18-21 to South Ramsey’s Tony Hart, Nathan Cooil (Castletown) was well beaten 13-21 by Glenn Boland (Marown), while another Marown man Colin Kelly eased past Dave McCabe (Finch Hill) 21-10.

The first semi-final was well contested between Withers (+3) and Hart (+6), with the latter leading 15-8 after 12 ends before a flurry of twos from Withers ensured he reached the final with a 21-17 victory.

In the other semi-final, Boland had his work cut out with Kelly as the latter ran out with a 21-14 win.

Both finalists have clashed a number of times on the green this season, with the match a tough one to call, both players having enjoyed success on the Peel green over the years.

After 10 ends the score was 10-10 with the players having tied the score on five occasions up to that point of the game, only for Withers to make the first move to go 16-12 ahead then extending the lead by another point to go 19-14 and within touching distance of victory.

On the 20th end, Kelly picked up a two following a measure to close the gap to three points. With Kelly intent on heading for the corners Withers capitalised on a poor lead from his teammate to count for one.

With Kelly not beating this bowl, Withers had the opportunity to make two for game which he did to seal a 21-16 win and with it his third time lifting the famous trophy, with his previous titles picked up in 2013 and 1996 which was the first time that Withers had won a singles open.

At the conclusion of play the presentation was made by Peel president Lynda Wilson who thanked new sponsor Central Bar & Bistro for the support, Dave ‘Barney’ Kelly, Arran and Archie Dunn for helping to run the competition and the club members for assisting throughout the day.