CITY Memorial Red has earned its chance for grand final redemption.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
It will meet Warrnambool Gold in Western District Bowls Division’s top-grade pennant decider for the 19 of the past 20 seasons on Saturday.
Warrnambool Gold is aiming for back-to-back flags, having ended City Memorial Red’s quest for a hat-trick of premierships with a thumping 29-shot win in the 2012-13 grand final.
City Memorial Red defeated Warrnambool Blue in the preliminary final on Saturday, 82-66.
Vince Moloney’s rink proved the difference after rinks were shared.
He crushed Neville Lynch 27-9 in a match-defining result, while Kevin McMahon defeated Colin Jensen 19-13 to claim City Red’s second rink win.
Warrnambool Blue’s Darren Beriman and Tom Pemberton tried gallantly to pull their side over the line.
Beriman overcame Kevin O’Keeffe 22-19 and Pemberton was too good for Tim Jackway 22-17.
“They were pretty fired up Warrnambool and were pretty confident of winning and they have been going well,” Moloney said.
“We were prepared for a hard game. You don’t get any easy games in finals.”
Moloney said the lop-sided scorecard didn’t reflect the competitive nature of his rink’s tussle with Lynch.
“We had a good win but to be fair Warrnambool in our rink played well too,” he said.
“We had a bit of luck and played good bowls and they played good bowls too.”
Moloney said Beriman and O’Keeffe and Pemberton and Jackway were locked in close battles for the entire match.
“There was nothing in those rinks,” he said.
“With the exception of our rink and Kevin McMahon’s rink, anything could have happened throughout the day.
“We always had a lead and Kevin always had a lead which was handy from our point of view.”
City Memorial Red is yet to beat Warrnambool Gold this season.
It suffered a 10-shot loss in the second semi-final.
“In the second semi-final it was our big chance to beat them — we had one rink which won by 26 shots and had a rink which lost by 27 which evened it out,” Moloney said.
“We’ll give them a run for their money.
“They are on their own turf too which we don’t mind.
“We know we have to improve in a few spots if we are going to beat them.
“We need more bowls up front more consistently and if that happens we’ll be right in the game because Warrnambool is good up front and always manages to have bowls in there.
“We have to mix it with them otherwise you are chasing your tail.”
Moloney said he hoped the weather would be more conducive for lawn bowls this week.
“Last year was a shocking day, not even 10 degrees, raining and windy,” he said.
“It was a bad day and they were a bit too good for us. Hopefully we can take it up to them this year.”