Hi everyone, two months ago I was nominated to be the non playing captain of Shetland against Orkney. I want to tell you what happened and how it went for my team, below is the copy of the match report. With around 350 fans it was an epic event. I am so very proud of my team. The walk on music and big screens were fabulous although I have to say that some of the choices of music were shocking!!!!
INTER COUNTY 2012
The Shetland darts season came to an end at the weekend with the 40th annual men's inter county match against Orkney. The SDA went all out this year with a sky sports style night of darts with big screen, TV's, and for the first time walk on music. The evening started with a warm up of the reserves playing each other with John Robert Scott & Jim Wood for Shetland beating Orkney's Michael Bain and Alan Brown, with John Robert hitting a maximum 180 with his first 3 darts. So to the real business and the home team decided to play the 6 doubles first with a mouthwatering opening game between Shetland champs George Smith & Paul Scarsbrook v Orkney champs Derek Firth & Kevin Gray and it was the Orkney pair that won 2-1 with Kevin hitting five scores of 100 or above. Orkney then went 2-0 up with Ivan Leslie & Robbie Stanger beating Neal Redfern & Brian Patterson 2-0 with Robbie hitting a maximum. Shetland got their first point on the board when Angus Galbraith & Danny Irvine beat Stevie & Ian Linklater 2-1 despite losing the first leg as Stevie hit a maximum. But the away team hit back with Brian & Bruce Moar getting the better of Andrew Simpson & Gordon Irvine 2-1. Gareth MacRitchie & George Mackay were next against Iain Wilkie and Roy Foubister the home pair won the first leg and it looked like they were going to lose the second until George hit a brilliant 136 checkout to win the game 2-0. Then Barry Couper & Roger Irvine levelled the match beating Martin Peace & Michael Moodie 2-1.
So with the match all square at 3-3 it was set up nicely for the 12 singles matches. Shetland put star man Neal Redfern up front and he didn't let them down beating Orkney's player of the season Derek Firth 2-1, hitting a 180 in the deciding leg. Again the away team hit back immediately with Ivan Leslie overcoming Angus Galbraith 2-1, (Angus checked out 106 to win the first leg). Then Brian Patterson making his county debut played an excellent game to take the scalp of Kevin Gray 2-1, Gareth MacRitchie put the home team two games ahead for the first time playing well to beat Robbie Stanger 2-0, the next match was probably the crucial turning point with George Smith up against Bruce Moar, George won the first leg with a good 94 checkout then when he hit a 180 in the second leg it looked all over but the double proved elusive and Bruce pinched the leg before winning the decider in 16 darts. Stevie Linklater then once again levelled the match with a good 2-1 over Paul Scarsbrook winning the third leg in 15 darts including a 102 checkout, the Orkney boys were now on a bit of a roll and Brian Moar kept in going playing really well to beat Andrew Simpson 2-0 with the help of a good 113 checkout in the first leg, and things were starting to look bleak for Shetland as Ian Linklater won 2-0 against Danny Irvine, so with the away team having won four in a row George Mackay had a lot of pressure on him but he rose to the challenge beating Ian Linklater 2-0, then Orkney went 9-7 ahead with Roy Foubister edging out Barry Couper 2-1, so with two games to go Shetland really needed to win them both and they did just that with two excellent 2-0 wins for Roger Irvine & another debutant Gordon Irvine over Martin Peace and Michael Moodie respectively.
So the destination of the cup was to be decided with the three 4 a sides (one leg 1001), Shetland put up George Smith, Paul Scarsbrook, Angus Galbraith and Andrew Simpson versus Derek Firth, Ivan Leslie, Kevin Gray and Robbie Stanger, the Orkney boys got to the double first but after a couple of misses the home team had a chance to nick it but didn't take it and Kevin hit the double to put Orkney 10-9 up. So Shetland had to win the next fours or it was all over and they did Neal Redfern, George Mackay, Gareth MacRitchie and Danny Irvine beat Bruce Moar, Stevie Linklater, Brian Moar and Ian Linklater, with Neal hitting tops. With the crowd now at fever pitch and well after midnight it all came down to the last fours, Roger Irvine, Barry Couper, Brian Patterson and Gordon Irvine against Orkney's Iain Wilkie, Roy Foubister, Martin Peace and Michael Moodie, with both teams coming down pretty even it was Iain Wilkie who hit a brilliant 180 at the crucial time to give Orkney the advantage but with nerves really on edge the Orkney boys were struggling to finish off the leg which left Gordon Irvine with a chance to steal the glory but unfortunately for him he just missed tops for a 78 finish and Iain Wilkie again stepped up to the plate to nail double 7 with his second dart to send his team into a state of delirium.
Brian Moar from Orkney won man of the match with the highest average of 76.16.
It was the first time in 22 years the Orkney team had won in Shetland so credit to them for their victory. All in all it was a great nights entertainment for the full house watching with the walk on music really getting the crowd on their feet adding to the atmosphere.
The SDA would like to say a huge thank you to Lerwick Legion and the bar staff, Emma & Alison for making soup and sandwiches, Shona, Tommy & Colin for marking, Tommy Williamson the compere, Colin & Alex for setting up the stage/oche, Derek Hendry for the big screen and music, Robert Geddes for laptop for averages, George Robertson Ltd for TV's, Curly,Bruce & Polson for doing averges and everyone who came to support the event.
I never want to be the captain again though.....I need to qualify to play in it next year.
