Bowls: Tanfield triple capture national title

Edinburgh was strongly represented in the finals of the joint national bowling championship at Ayr Northfield and two titles came back to the Capital with Tanfield triumphant in the Gent's Triples and Mandy O'Donnell of Bainfield successful in the Ladies' Junior Singles.

The finals weren't heartbreak free however with 24-year-old Hillside star Gary Muir tasting defeat in the Junior Singles, losing 21-11 to Dumbarton's Kevin Anderson and the ladies of Colinton suffering in the Triples.

Armadale lost out in the final of the men's Senior Fours to Shotts Iron Works and West Barns were knocked out in the Fours by two sensational last-end delivers from Ian Campbell of Houldsworth.

Graeme McIntosh (skip) and Alex Thompson finally dimmed the memory of last season's traumatic extra-end defeat in the final of the pairs when they teamed up with Bill McLachlan (lead) to win the Triples title, defeating Raploch, 16-11.

"There were several dramas that mirrored last year's campaign including in the final where once again we were four up playing the last but facing four against however this time I raked them all out for a single," said a smiling McIntosh. The first title of the day was delivered by young Bainfield star Mandy O'Donnell with the 21-year-old internationalist revelling in the electric atmosphere generated by a the crowd and she delivered a magic performance.

O'Donnell shared the first set 8-8 with Claire Douglas of Wrangholm Hill then capture the title with a 9-4 domination of the second set.

Colinton's Linda Pica, Sandra Slater and Cathie Stark were 11-6 up in their final against Rosemary Speirs and Co of JG Fleming but they conceded 2, 4, 3, 1 to lose 16-11.