IBM CHAMPIONSHIP SINGLES 2008
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Preliminary
Round |
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Ian Boyd |
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Charlie Docherty |
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Bob Lynn |
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Dan Mc Iver |
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Gordon McFarlane |
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Alex Mc Ilravey |
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Peter Glancy |
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Alex Mc Dougal |
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Joe O Donnell |
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Alex Lee |
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Donald Cameron |
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John Hampsey |
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Chris Mc Clenaghen |
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David Mc Ewan |
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Kenny Mc Neilly |
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Jim Robinson |
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1st
Round |
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Charlie Docherty |
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Dan Mc Iver |
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Gordon Mc Farlane |
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Peter Glancy/ |
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Joe O Donnell |
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Donald Cameron |
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David Mc Ewan |
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J Robinson |
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Robert Harron |
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John Mc Cafferty |
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Alex Gallagher |
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James Mc Leod |
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Sam Blaikie |
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Alan Caldwell |
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Edward Cannie |
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Ian Murphy |
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Quarter
Finals |
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Charlie Docherty |
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Peter Glancy |
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Joe O Donnell |
21 |
20 |
J Robinson |
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Robert Harron |
21 |
11 |
Alex Gallagher |
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Sam Blaikie |
17 |
21 |
Ian Murphy |
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Semi-Finals |
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Peter Glancy |
13 |
21 |
Joe O Donnell |
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Robert Harron |
21 |
20 |
Ian Murphy |
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Final |
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Joe O Donnell |
21 |
9 |
Robert Harron |
Progressing Player in Red
Joe O Donnell won his 5th Championship at IBM with a relatively easy victory over Robert Harron. Joe who had previously won the title in 88, 92, 95 and 2004, won the match by 21 shots to 9.
The bad weather the evening before meant that they had to play the final on rink 5, which for the most part was a rink that was not used much over the season, and it was Joe that quickly managed to judge the speed of the green.He got off to a great start and led by 5 shots to nil after three ends played.
Robert finally got on the card at the next end with an excellent 'heavy draw' to knock the shot bowl onto the jack to catapult it next to one of Robert's back bowls.
Joe was playing steady bowls and recorded another single at the next to lead by 6 shots to 1 only to see this lead reduced to 6 v 3 after Robert scored a good double in the sixth end.
Joe then went on a brilliant run and further increased his lead end after end with a fine display of how to draw to the head and by the eleventh end was winning by 13 shots to Robert's 3.
The next end saw Robert gaining a single in a very close measure that could only be decided with the calipers of the umpire's measure (see photo below)
Joe, who was the more consistent player at this stage further increased his lead again as his unfortunate opponent struggled to master the tricky conditions. At the conclusion of end number sixteen, Joe's lead was an impressive 19 shots to 4 to bring him within two shots of glory.
A small cheer went up from the clubhouse at the next end as Robert took full advantage of a slack end from Joe to grab an excellent set of four shots to make the score look a little more respectable. In fact the game could have had a dramatic turnaround over the following two ends as Robert just missed out on scoring another two full houses in a row!
Firstly he was lying four crackers in end seventeen before his hopes were shattered as Joe's last bowl nicked in too take the shot in a measure and secondly at the next end with Robert already lying three shots, tried to make it a fourth but instead delivered a bowl which knocked a 'yard short bowl' of Joe's into the head,meaning that Robert only recorded a single shot!
So with the score now at 20 shots to 9 it was only a matter of time before Joe claimed the remaining shot needed and he did this in the next end to win the IBM Singles Championship for 2008.
Robert Harron (left) and Joe O Donnell
