Tankerness won the 301 Double Start Cup for B league teams. Pictured from left are: Robbie Norquoy, Erlend Eunson, Glen Miller, KDDL committee members Richard Polson and Jim Scollie, and Thorfinn Eunson.
Five teams entered the B League 301 double start cup, they were the bottom teams in the league. There was no sign of the top four teams, but that did not distract from the good darts thrown all through the games.
The final ended 4-1, but that didn't do the losing team justice, as most of the games went 2-1.
By final time, it was Shapinsay who toed the oche against Tankerness. Tankerness raced into a 2-0 lead, only for Shapinsay to win the next two. With one doubles each it was then 3-3, and on to the dreaded play off game, which is sudden death, one leg of 701, double start.
Both teams got off early, but Tankerness held a slight lead all the way down, leaving 120, while Shapinsay were not on a finish.
Up stepped Erlend Eunson and a 120 finish on the 20's took the cup out east! Hard luck to Shapinsay. During the night Robbie Norquoy had a 111 checkout.
As the Williamson's A league approaches its climax, the Legion still remain 5 points clear at the top following a 10-2 victory over bottom side Nomads.
With just two games remaining, and with the Legion holding a huge advantage in game difference, just a draw from either of their matches against the untouchables or the Orkney Golf Club should see them clinch the title for the seventh year in succession.
The Commodores in second place were pushed hard by the Wanderers, showing the grit and determination expected from annual title contenders by coming from 5-4 down to win 7-5 in an extraordinarily close match.
Third place Sanday ran out winners over the Untouchables by the same score in the Masonic derby, with Ivan Leslie sealing the win. The Golf Club remain fourth following a 9-3 win over Sands '2' with Stevie Linklater hitting three maximums and a big finish over the course of the night. However, despite this he succumbed to young hot shot Ryan Tulloch for the second time this season in their first half singles game.
The Legion Arrows took advantage of the Sands '2' losing to leapfrog them into eighth position by overcoming RBLM 8-4. Meanwhile the Ola derby saw the Untouchables A coming out on top, winning 9-3 over St.Ola.
In the B league the Warriors won a pivotal match 8-4 against the Quoyburray to guarantee that they will join the Quoyburray B in moving up to the A league next season.
Quoyburray B who sealed promotion last week were themselves given a scare by the Muppets but finally sealed a 7-5 win to remain 3 points clear of the Warriors, who have two games in hand so it is far from decided yet who will walk away with the B league crown.
Tankerness played twice this week and won 8-4 over the Bilco Boys and 10-2 over the Vikings. The Vikings recently recruited Allan Brown shortly after his return to Orkney and he produced a stunning 12 dart leg during the match, capping it off with a 136 finish. Elsewhere Shapinsay continued their amazing run of form, notching up 5 in a row with a 9-3 win over the Masonic to overtake them into fourth place.
With a game in hand over the Quoyburray, it's not impossible that Shapinsay could end up in third place come the season finale which is remarkable considering that at this stage in the first half they were sitting second bottom.
There are still a good few games outstanding at the moment.
The committee decided at their recent meeting that teams will now have up until Thursday April 14 to complete league fixtures so that the league season is drawn to a conclusion with the A league 301 challenge cup the following night.
This Friday sees the East team play host to our counterparts from the West in the Kirkwall Legion.
The A team will be hoping to continue their recent domination of the tie, whilst the B team will be looking to retain the cup, a feat which neither side have managed to do for quite a few years. It is 16 years since the West boys won the A title, and only two since they won the B.
Next week, April 8, is the Steven Flett Memorial Cup, a charity event which takes place in the Legion, names by 7.30pm. It's an open event, mixed doubles, and you enter with a partner.
180s this week were hit by: Brian Moar, Robbie Stanger, Billy Ward, Derek Firth, Clive Hewison, Dave Noble, Graham Firth, Michael Muir Snr, Alan Gray, Jim Hamilton, Ben Hogan, Keith Brumpton, Gary Drever, Brian Stevenson, Trevor Shearer, Roy Foubister, Colin Ross, Eddie Drever, Colin Leslie, Ross Groundwater, Leigh Shearer (2) and Stevie Linklater (3). James Flett also scored 171.
Ton-plus checkouts came from: Graham Rendall 100, Derek Farmer 100, Kenny Gillespie 100, Leigh Shearer 104, James Flett 106, Kevin Gray 106, Derrick Firth 106, Colin Kirkpatrick 108, Michael Moodie 110, Ivan Leslie 111, Jimmy Miller 114, Brian Moar 116, Paul Firth 117, Gordon Rendall 118, Erlend Eunson 120, Stevie Linklater 124, Keith Brumpton 126, Trevor Shearer 130, Cammy Scott 130 and Allan Brown 136.
Results
A league: Commodores 7 v 5 Wanderers, Legion 10 v 2 Nomads, RBLM 4 v 8 Legion Arrows, Sanday 7 v 5 Untouchables, OGC 9 v 3 Sands '2', St.Ola 3 v 9 Untouchables A.
B League: Tankerness 10 v 2 Vikings, Bilco Boys 4 v 8 Tankerness, Quoyburray 4 v 8 Warriors, Masonic 3 v 9 Shapinsay, Muppets 5 v 7 Quoyburray B.
Fixtures
Friday, April 1, East v West, Legion, 7.30pm start
Week beginning Monday, April 4.
A league: Wanderers v Legion Arrows, Commodores v Untouchables A, RBLM v Nomads, St.Ola v Untouchables, Legion v OGC, Sanday v Sands '2'.
Friday, April 8
Steven Flett Memorial Cup, Legion, names by 7.30pm