TERANG Green bowler Paddy O’Connor hopes he can carry his recent pairs form into Western District Bowls Division pennant competition.
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O’Connor teamed up with John Gherashe to win Terang’s men’s pairs on Thursday night.
They scored a two-shot win against Andrew Taylor and Jamie Heffernan.
The quartet will play alongside one another in Terang Green’s Saturday division one team against Warrnambool White today.
O’Connor, 55, said the pairs championship was a hard-fought affair.
“My partner bowled absolutely fantastic,” he said.
“I went along for the ride. We combined well.
“We played four matches by the time the competition was over.
“It is played over 18 ends. We were up all night, going into the last end we were six up but dropped a four.
“It was close.”
O’Connor and Gherashe have won through to the WDBD Champion of Champions pairs competition on February 3.
The keen golfer said he played lawn bowls for the social aspect.
He’s a right-hander who plays both sports with his left hand after shoulder surgery left him with restricted movement three decades ago.
O’Connor said he had osteosarcoma, a form of bone cancer, in his mid-20s, and can’t lift his right arm above his neck.
“I was pretty lucky. I had a bit of a lump,” he said.
“You look back at photos and you didn’t notice it but it might have been there for a while. I was off work for about 20 months. It’s a long time when you are about 25.”
In other games, fifth-placed City Memorial Gold has the chance to reaffirm its finals hopes against lowly Mortlake Blue, Dennington Red will attempt to knock off a top-four team in consecutive weeks when it hosts Timboon Gold. Highly rated City Memorial Red plays Warrnambool Blue and flag fancy Warrnambool Gold meets struggler Port Fairy Red.
justine.mc@fairfaxmedia.com.au