Sunday was semi-finals day for most divisions - Bissett Shield at Pukekohe vs Royal Auckland; Vice Captains at Pakuranga vs Titirangi, and Inter Club Division 3 at Maungakiekie vs The Grange.

 

A real battling performance by the Bissett Shield team produced a 4-4 draw with Royal Auckland. Scott Robertson gave the team an early win, followed by James Ashwin.  Jonny Goosman came back from 5 down to win his match 1up and Andrew Hipkiss's half meant that Connor Barker needed to win the final hole to force a play-off.  A birdie secured the vital half and then Connor was selected to play James Gill in the sudden-death play off.   Connor then repeated the birdie to win the play off on the first hole and book them into the final against Titirangi at Royal Auckland on Sunday.  Well deserved guys - the only unbeaten team so far this season in a tough competition.

 

The Vice Captains team didn't fire in their semi-final and were chasing their matches from the start. Thai Leng continued his recent good form with a solid 2/1 win, along with Matthew Bruce 6/4 - but that was as good as it got.  Quite a few of the losses were close - Mike Maingay (1down), Vincent Vuillard (2/1), Chris Blair and Andrew Millard (3/1) - while Daniel Whittaker and Robby Turnbull both lost 3/2.

 

The Inter Club team were close to a place in their final, losing 3.5-4.5 to The Grange.  Good wins to Daniel Freeman (3/2), Bobby Schoonraad (3/1) and Dave Spangenberg (2up) plus Mike Hyam's half just weren't enough.

 

The final team in action was the Inter Club Division 2 team replaying their match against Formosa after the abandonment last week.  Needing 5.5 pts to get into the final they fell just short in a 4-4 draw.  Wins were recorded by Dave Pakieto, Gillies Pakieto, Alex McKay and Kevin Fairbrother - like the other Inter Club - so near, but not quite.