IT was a case of big brother showing little brother who was still in charge.
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Perennial flag contender Warrnambool Gold celebrated a thumping 59-shot win over new challenger Koroit Blue on Saturday to book its Western District Bowls Division top grade grand final berth.
Warrnambool Gold dominated two of the three rinks in the second semi-final showdown at Dennington Bowls Club. Brian Lenehan destroyed Barry Padgham 42-10 and Peter Pangrazio was too strong for Brendan Keane 32-13.
Ben Cornick’s eight-shot win over Shane Cashill also contributed to Warrnambool Gold’s impressive 122-63 triumph.
Jack Murnane, a former Dennington bowler playing on a familiar green, was Koroit Blue’s only rink winner, downing Paul O’Donnell 19-18.
Lenehan said Warrnambool Gold’s finals experience — it was preparing to fight for a hat-trick of premierships — was the difference between the two sides.
“Two of our rinks got away to fairly good starts and the other two were fairly tight and it stayed like that for the rest of the day,” he said.
“Most skippers had pretty good days and the lead on my rink (Anthony Parkinson) played a really, really good game.
“Paul O’Donnell and Jack Murnane had a ding-dong battle. It was a crackerjack game.”
Lenehan said Warrnambool Gold was thrilled to be in another grand final but warned there was “still a long way to go”.
He said the Timor Street team was vastly different to the 2013-14 premiership side, with a host of new players bringing fresh enthusiasm.
“We have six or seven players who haven’t played in a division one final for us, like Ben Cornick who has come from Tassie,” Lenehan said.
Koroit Blue will meet fellow grand final regular City Memorial Red in the preliminary final after it eliminated Port Fairy Red on Saturday.
City Memorial Red produced a 103-78 first semi-final win at Warrnambool Bowls Club to keep its season alive.
It won three of the four rinks to end Port Fairy Red’s campaign on a disappointing note.
Kevin McMahon (32-14), David Wells (29-24) and Kevin O’Keeffe (24-17) all saluted for City Memorial.
Meanwhile, Warrnambool Red (division two), Mortlake White (division three) and City Memorial Orange (division four) all booked their grand final spots with second semi-final wins on Saturday.
Preliminary finals will be played at Dennington and City Memorial this weekend.
