Four bow out

THE CI championship-winning four of Dennis Mollet, Mike Setters, Neal Mollet and Nick Donaldson took part in an extraordinary British Isles indoor quarter-final in Belfast yesterday, scoring on more ends than their opponents, but still losing 27-19. Pitted against the Irish champions, Steve Falls, Nigel Robinson, Ian McClure and Jeremy Henry, the Guernsey quartet's hopes took an early dive when they dropped seven shots on the first end, a five on the third and a four on the fifth. Disappointingly, they trailed 21-6 after only eight ends.

Amazingly, the Channel Islanders restricted their classy opponents to four singles and a double over the next 13 and actually had the star-studded Irish quartet (McClure and Henry won the world indoor title last year) worried.

By the time Guernsey had closed the gap to just six shots at 25-19 after 19, spectators were wondering what the last two ends had in store and Donaldson's natural fighting spirit was clearly in evidence.

But a couple of modest but important singles saw Ireland through to today's semi final, in which they face Wales.

The day belonged to Jersey's John Lowery and Tommy Greechan, who took the scalps of Scottish champions Steve Currie and David Peacock, 20-14 and of Welsh aces Chris Blake and Jason Greenslade, 16-15.