November 8th 2012 Challenge Cup 1st Rd Victoria "A"

This was the week when Barack Obama effectively became a lame duck by being re-elected for a second term of office as US President, it was also the week that a herd of Elephants broke into an off license in India downing 500 litres of liquor and going on a drunken rampage through the village destroying shops and huts in their quest one imagines for more of the hard stuff. But this was also the week which saw the Rose & Crown break their losing streak as they swept aside their opponents with aplomb.
Having played 5, winning only the one solitary game back in September and losing the last 4 all by the same score (5-4) it would be fair to say it was squeaky bum time in St. Michaels on Thursday night and given that their opponents topped their division (albeit the fourth division) by having won all six of their previous games it was surely going to be a big test for the division one outfit. Any thoughts the visitors may well have had of causing an upset were quelled as early as the first pairs as the "Brothers Grimm" after a topsy turvy first leg which went to the home side pressed home their advantage in the second by quickly opening up a 200 lead. Needing 100 Kevin unerringly honed in on treble twenty before his accuracy narrowly let him down as his next two arrows grazed the wire. Ian left double 5 giving their opponents a sniff of a chance, Kevin failed to capitalise once again as their opposition sought an unlikely upset. But it wasn't to be and Kevin finally nailed double 2 to put the Rose in the ascendency the pair returning to the bar as one would imagine a triumphant Sir Walter Raleigh would do after carrying a sackful of spuds through the streets of Dublin during the potato famine. A brief fight back followed, Big Ron, whom it has to be said is wearing his advanced years well as he clocks up yet another one and Skipper Alan Turner failed to follow up on the Brothers Grimm success. This despite a first leg that was so hot it would have melted what was left of the Greenland Ice sheet. Skipper Al Turner getting off with 28 and Big Ron following on with ton, sixty, sixty and a magnificent 137 to leave Tops allowing Skip to wrap things up with double 5. But like Long John Silver they needed another leg and just like the fictional pirate this eluded them as the visitors came from behind to take the next two legs and level the match. Any hope that the visitors may have had were soon extinguished as Mulls and the flighty John Goode renewed acquaintances and chipped away patiently to gain a deserved two leg victory to restore the Rose & Crowns lead after the pairs. Indeed the visitors were not to win another leg as first Ian who seems to relish the opportunity of being unshackled from his brother was like a baked King Edward and definitely to hot handle for his opponent as he eased to a two leg victory. Then Kevin himself who was impervious rattled in a ton forty and a one two five as he swept to victory and really drove a wedge between the two sides. This left Mulls to wrap up proceedings and two legs later it was all over. For the home side safe passage to the next round but for the visitors the chips were well and truly down.