Double gold for Shauna

Ladies World Under 25 Singles Final

Ireland – Shauna O’Neill V Scotland Aimee Harris

Scotland were hoping for a home victory this morning in the first final of the day, when Aimee Harris took on Ireland’s Shauna O’Neill. Shauna of course will be looking to add World Singles to her mixed pairs she won last night with Ryan McElroy.

A nervy start by both players saw Shauna get the first shots on the board scoring a two, end was much the same, but this time Aimee sneaks in with her last bowl, scoring a single.

The third end though, both players clearly settled and produced a great head of bowl, Shauna holding two, Aimee was forced to play a big forehand runner, narrowly missing to give Shauna a 4-1 lead after four ends.

On end five, Aimee has her best end of the game so far and holding three shots, Shauna just slips a foot past and now they were all level at four each, game on.

Shauna was back in business on end six, holding two shots, Aimee though finds the perfect bowl to touch the jack with prefect weight to make two, Shauna again just slips past to giving Aimee a two shot advantage with two ends to play.

Shauna takes a single on the sixth end to now just be one down playing the last end.

So last end, and Shauna took the advantage drawing a few inches from the jack. Aimee playing weight gets the smallest of flicks on the shot bowl and turns it a foot away. Shauna draws for two to force Aimee again into playing a runner, so close but it just misses to give Shauna the two to take the first set 7-6.

The second set started just as the first had ended. Shauna
dominating the head and Aimee forced into running through. A poor result saw Aimee make good contact but still lost a two on the opening end. One down on end two with the last bowl, Aimee again is striking, just a fraction off dropping a single.

Over the next few ends, the trend continued with Shauna playing some fantastic bowls putting Aimee under real pressure. With now a 7-0 lead with two ends to play, Aimee needed a miracle, well actually two fours if she was to keep her World Champion Quest alive.

Ireland’s Shauna Oneill, only need to match Aimee bowl for bowl keeping it tight to protect her seven shot lead, and she did just that, dropping a single to take the second set and the crown of Ladies World Under 25 Singles Champion.

A fully deserved win for Shauna who adds the singles to her mixed pairs success the previous day.

Words and picture: IIBC

Caption: Shauna with IIBC president Alison Merrien MBE

The International Indoor Bowls Council (IIBC) and World Bowls Under 25 World Championships was staged at East Kilbride IBC, December 4-8.