The last ranking points event for this season attracted 48 players, a figure that included 20 ‘B’ League players. 

Most of the top contenders for the title of top ranked player were present and the only ‘B’ player to make any head way was John Hamilton, of the St Ola team. John beat top ‘A’ players Leigh Shearer and Neil Croy to reach the quarter-final, but Ian Linklater put an end to his run.

Joining Ian in the semi-final was his brother, Stevie, last year’s champion Kevin Gray and last year’s runner up Mike Bain.

It was Stevie and Kevin who lined up in the final, which was quite dramatic as Kevin raced into a 2-nil lead but that was his lot as Stevie reeled off four games on the trot to win his tenth league singles crown.

That leaves the final table as follows: Stevie Linklater 48 points; Kevin Gray 44; Ian Linklater 28; Jim Brown 27; Neil Croy 27; Robbie Stanger 26; Simon Parry 22; Ivan Leslie 22; Derek Firth 21; Brian Moar 20; Ian Wilkie 19; Billy Ward 15; Michael Moodie 15; Gary Wilson 15; Mike Bain 14.

The Golf Club have taken over at the top of the Williamsons ‘A’ League as they won their game in hand 9-3 over RBLM. They also won the other game against Quoyburray ‘B’ 10-2. That left the Legion in second spot, three points behind. The Legion recorded the biggest win with an 11-1 defeat of Sands ‘2’.

It could all be settled this week as the Golf Club and Legion clash.

Waiting for any slip ups are the Commodores, after they beat the Nomads 9-3.

Sanday also won 7-5 out at the Quoyburray but they are too far behind now but still have the Golf Club to play.

The RBLM didn’t fair any better in their second game, going down 10-2 to the Untouchables. The other Untouchables lost out narrowly to the Wanderers 7-5.

There were dramatic happenings in the Williamsons ‘B’ League as the St Ola team dropped more points. The Motorhoose held them to a 6-all draw but the Ola boys did beat the Shore 8-4 and now only need one point to make sure of promotion.

The Legion Arrows could also be promoted with one more win after they moved to within two points of the top spot after their great win over the Murray Arms 9-3. They also beat the Masonic 7-5.

The Muppets went down 7-5 to Tankerness but had a good draw 6-6 with Shapinsay, who also drew with the Murray Arms.The Shore’s game with the Bilco Boys was postponed.

180s from Ryan Tulloch, Neil Croy, Colin Kirkpatrick, Ian Wilkie, Sean Stanger, Paul Firth, Peter Sinclair, Simon Parry, James Flett, Gavin Linklater, Cammy Scott, Ollie Bethwaite, Malcolm Coghill, Gary Peace, Andrew Rendall, Robbie Norquoy, Colin Leslie, Archie Yule and two from Mark Shearer, Brian Moar, Davy Henderson, Neil Drever, Stevie Linklater and Kevin Gray. Three came from Ivan Leslie.

High checkouts from Graham Rendall (100); Kevin Gray (101); Ben Hogan (102 and 120); Andrew Rendall (105); Neil Drever (108); Cammy Scott (106); Michael Moodie (110); Stevie Linklater (110); Roy Griffiths (110); Archie Yule (112); Liam Drever (118); Scott Walls (111); Stuart Patterson (118); Mike Bain (120); Jim Brown (120). Simon Parry scored 171.

It’s the start of a busy week of darts and it gets under way on Saturday with the Tennent’s Kirkwall Open. It’s in the Masonic Club with names by 1.30pm. It’s open to any player male or female over 18. And there’s £1,100 in prize money plus trophies. There’s special prizes for the lady who gets the farthest and for the ‘B’ player registered in the K-DDL plus there’s a raffle and the usual prize board.

On Monday it’s the first of three cups and two of them are new. The Monday one is the 301 Challenge Cup for ‘A’ teams of four to six players. It’s in the Legion, names by 7.30pm.

Then it’s on to the Masonic on Tuesday for the ‘B’ teams of four to six players. Finally on Friday it’s the Tom Notman Memorial 301 Singles in the Legion. Names by 7.30pm.

Results

League Singles Final

Stevie Linklater beat Kevin Gray 4-2.

Williamsons ‘A’ League

Legion v Sands ‘2’ 11-1; Quoyburray ‘B’ v OGC 2-10; Untouchables v RBLM 10-2; Commodores v Nomads 9-3; Quoyburray v Sanday 5-7; Untouchables ‘A’ v Wanderers 5-7; OGC v RBLM 9-3.

Williamsons ‘B’ League

Legion Arrows v Masonic 7-5; Motorhoose v St Ola 6-6; Shore v Bilco Boys postponed; Tankerness v Muppets 7-5; Shapinsay v Murray Arms 6-6; Muppets v Shapinsay 6-6; St Ola v Shore 8-4; Murray Arms v Legion Arrows 3-9.

Fixtures

Saturday, March 7

Tennent’s Kirkwall Open — Masonic, 1.30pm.

Monday, March 9

301 Challenge Cup (‘A’) — Legion, 7.30pm.

Tuesday, March 10

301 Double Start Cup (‘B’) — Masonic, 7.30pm.

Friday, March 13

Tom Notman Singles — Legion, 7.30pm.