Budding teenage star Craig Mackintosh of London Road Foundry produced two big efforts in his bid to bring the Under 18 Singles Crown of The British Isles Championships back to Edinburgh and was heading for title glory at 14-9 up in the final; but faded on the run in to lose 21-16 to a strong finishing Jack Moffett of Ireland. Mackintosh had paraded his skills to great effect in his semi final where a whirlwind start to lead Dylan Hookings of Wales 16-5 inspired him to cross the line a 21-15 winner in 22-ends.
Read MoreThe Parkside trio of Brian Salvona Kevin Boyd and Paul Veitch suffered acute pain in their prelim of the Triples having entered the final straight holding a 14-9 up with three ends to play; but caught on the line and piped at the post by a 3, 2, 1 finish from Guernsey who then made a 20-15 exit to England in the semi finals.
Haddingtons Joe Mower was also booked into Heartbreak Hotel having led his former Welsh colleague Ross Owen 18-16 then 20-19 in their Junior Singles prelim however the former World champion was knocked out by the loss of double. Owen went onto land the title at Leamington Spa with wins over England (21-12) then Ireland (21-6).
The Under 25 brigade of Edinburgh & Leith served up a winning double in the final stage of the Scottish League Cup at Houldsworth BC completing a successful defence of the title with wins over Grampian (126-98) then Renfrewshire (125-99). Josh Spalding skipped Craig Mackintosh, Mark Walker, and Ross Thomson to the headline win in the final, crushing their opposition, 37-17. Other rink scores; Stephen Pringle 20-13; Mark Mackintosh 18-16; Dean Mackintosh 16-14; Andrew Tregonning 16-18; Liam McKay 18-21.
E&L are back in action tomorrow (Sun) facing Lanarkshire at Sighthill (11am) in the opening round of the Scottish Cup then the winners face Fife or West Lothian in the afternoon.
Postal continue to stamp their authority in Division 2 of the Alpha Trophies Edinburgh Bowling League and their 6-3 licking of close rivals Hillside opened up a six point gap between first and third in the table raising hopes of an immediate return to Division 1.
It may not be as champion however as struggling hot pot favourites Carrick Knowe show signs of coming to the boil and their 6-3 away win over Willowbrae keeps them a menacing single point of the lead with five games still to play.
Colinton moved clear of the immediate relegation zone with a 9-0 punishment of Pilrig while West End damaged Wardie promotion prospects with a 7-2 home win.
Craigentinny have turned the race for the coveted Division 1 title into a one horse racing with the defending champions having found their killer instinct earlier in the campaign than is normal for them. A record extending ninth title triumph is firmly within their grasp with an impressive 7- 2 away win over Tanfield moving them 13 points clear of second placed Queensberry who failed to shine at their brightest in a 5-4 win at home to Maitland. Brunstanes 7-2 defeat at home to Northern is a set back for their survival hopes while Summerside’s relegation blues were intensified by their 6-3 defeat at Parkside.
Former Water of Leith giants Bainfield and Sighthill dominate the promotion race in Division 3 where they share top spot a good 6½ points clear of Corstorphine while the relegation zone is shared by Whitehouse & Grange (25), Dudley (29), and Mayfield (30½).
Currie werent so hot in a stone cold 9-0 defeat at home to Gorgie Mills but still sit top of the table in Division 4 and 3 points clear of Slateford who suffered a crushing 9-0 defeat at Mershiston. The bottom three clubs are LRF (37), Seafield (29), Blackhall (17).
Linlithgow star Gary Smith will spearhead the West Lothian Challenge in the final stages of the national championships at Ayr Northfield next month with the high profile England/Scotland cap capturing the Singles title in the District Finals played at Bankton Mains. Smith was returning to the scene of last years Champion of Champions triumph and watched by a large banking impressed them with a strong display to beat Calum McLean of Oakbank, 21-17, counting at 13 of the 22 hard fought ends.
Kirkliston triggered the victory salute in the Pairs with icon figure John Aitken skipping Robbie Cuthill to a purple patch spell of 1, 4, 1, (3), 1, 2, 3, 3, 1 that clinched a 21-9 win over Stuart Blakelock and Andrew Walker of Winchburgh.
The outcome in the Triples hung in the balance at 10-10 with three ends to play but the deadlock was broken and the scales tipped by a hat trick of singles that saw Ian Robertson, Blair Mackie, and Jamie Aitken of Newbridge beat Andy Grimshaw, Scott Murphy, and Ewan Shearer of Linlithgow, 13-10.
Calum Black of East Calder only counted at 7 of 17 ends in the Fours but included a mighty 5 and a nail biting single at the last as he skipped Ian Thorburn, Alan Walker, and Iain Grant to a 17-16 win over Tam Whitfield, Davie Ross, Walter McDougall, and Sandy McDougall of Glenmavis.
Bellsburn captured the honours in the Mixed Pairs with Jack Murphy skipping Marguerite Harris to a 23-13 win over Lisa McGarry and Derek Kerr of Armadale.
Darren Pearce of Kirkliston walked over against the unavailable Rory Walker of Newbridge in the Junior Singles
The final of the Seniors Singled played earlier in the week at East Calder saw Richard Mark of Uphall Station beat Raymond Logan of Kirkliston winner of the national singles proper in 1998; 21-11.
Kirkliston also suffered disappointment in the Seniors Fours with their rink of Jim Davidson, Charlie Houston, Davy Boyd, and Gordon Logan losing 17-6 to John Sweeney, Bobo Forrest, Ian Robertson, and Alec Allan of Newbridge.
A thrilling climax to the East Section of The Hamilton Trophy saw Edinburgh & Leith battle to a fine 119-108 win over Stirling County East at Stenhousemuir A win that qualified them for the knockout stage in top place having leapfrogged a West Lothian team that flopped to a 120-103 defeat from West Fife at Lumphinnans. Wins for John McDermott (+11), James Hogg (+5), John Ramsay (+4), and Robert Marshall (+1), more than covered the defeat of Paul Veitch (-7), and Andrew Ramsay (-3). It shapes up as a major stroke of good fortune that E&L will compete with underdog challengers Glasgow West then Bon Accord/ Glasgow South for a place in the final while West Lothian look to have it tough against Lanarkshire West then Lanarkshire South/ Highland.
WL wins on the rinks skipped by Andrew Dunnett (+10) and Thomas Mann (+1) plus a peel for Grant Logan were unable to cover the losses sustained by Neil Speirs (-14), Steven Fleming (-9), and Raymond Logan (-5). WL face Lanarkshire West in their quarterfinal at Doune Castle on Saturday 7th July while E&L face Glasgow West at Duffus Park, Cupar.