Golf: Silverknowes handed stiff test in Dispatch defence

DISPATCH TROPHY holders Silverknowes are in the toughest half of the draw for the event's 112th staging at the Braids next month.

They face Thistle Thursday in the second tie on the tee on the opening day on Saturday, May 21, with the winners facing Edinburgh Thistle or Buckstone Golf Club the following morning.

Watsonian are potential third-round opponents for Silverknowes, who certainly won't get it easy from then on in their bid for a third triumph in the Evening News-sponsored event in six years.

Third, semi-finalists three years ago, could be waiting for them in the last eight and, if the holders are still standing, a tasty semi-final tie will certainly be in store.

Carrickvale, last year's beaten finalists, are in the same half of the draw this time, for example. And so, too, are RICS and Stewart's Melville FP, the other two semi-finalists in last year's event.

In addition, Harrison and Turnhouse team BBT are in there as well, meaning Silverknowes face a tough task to keep their hands on the trophy.

Carrickvale, winners three years in a row before seeing their run ended last year, open their bid to reclaim the silverware against Bruntsfield Allied.

If they win that one and Stewart's Melville beat Braids United in their opening match, then a repeat of the second semi-final in 2010 will be on the cards as early as the second round.

Of the three new teams in the 58-strong field for this year's event, Kilgour Wealth Management were the only ones to come out of the hat in the top half of the draw.

Their Braids baptism is against Mount Vernon, with Harrison lying in wait in round two if they can take care of Riccarton B.

By contrast, the bottom half of the draw looks to be wide open, with 2005 winners Riccarton and Temple, semi-finalists twice in the past three years, likely to fancy their chances of making it to the later stages of the event once again.

Temple launch their bid for a first Dispatch victory against former winners Observers while Riccarton take on newcomers Kilgour Private Clients.

Network Cooling Golfing Society, the other new team, are out in the last of the 26 first-round matches against Temple Seniors.

And their second-day opponents could be The Scotsman, who make a welcome return to the event against Lochend.

In other opening ties in the bottom half, 2003 winners Rhodes face Allermuir.

Dispatch trophy draw in full

First round (Saturday, May 21)

9.10: Edinburgh Thistle v Buckstone Golf Club

9.20: Thistle Thursday v Silverknowes

9.30: Harrison v Riccarton B

9.40: Mount Vernon v Kilgour Wealth Management

10.00: Heriots B v RICS

10.10: BBT v Carrickvale B

10.20: Edinburgh Thistle Old Pretenders v Hailes C

10.30: Edinburgh City Chambers v MCBA

10.40: Bruntsfield Allied v Carrickvale

10.50: Braids United v Stewart's Melville FP

11.10: Observers v Temple Golfing Society

11.20: Edinburgh Western B v Hailes

11.30: Watsonian Caritas v Scottish Universities GS

11.40: Heriots v Kingston

12.00: Portobello v Lothian & Borders Police

12.10: Aegon v Scottish Life

12.20: Rhodes v Allermuir

12.30: Ellwyn Hotel v Barnton Hotel

12.40: Kilgour Private Clients v Riccarton

12.50: Edinburgh Western v Ye Monks of Ye Braids

1.10: Cramond v Buckstone Golf Society

1.20: FORE v Silverknowes 50s

1.30: Hailes B v Munro Heating

1.40: Harrison Seniors v Royal Bank

2.00: Lochend v The Scotsman

2.10: Network Cooling Golfing Society v Temple Seniors

Second round (Sunday, May 22)

9.00: Bank of Scotland v Harrison B

9.15: Harrison Golf Society v Third

9.30: Braids United Golfing Seniors v Watsonian