Golf: Carrickvale await as former winners clash in Dispatch

The club within the Glen at North Berwick came out of the hat at the Merchants last night with Carrickvale, who will be bidding to win the famous trophy up at the Braids for an unprecedented fourth year in a row.

Since beating Harrison in the final seven years ago, Rhodes haven't been regulars in the event but are likely to be heading for the Capital with a strong team on Saturday, 22 May.

Mike Currie, a member of the winning quartet, was named on the entry form but is now unable to play. However, Glen champion George Thomson and Colin Pattison, the Rhodes champion, will both be in the side and one of the players teaming up with them will be Graeme McCann, who joined the North Berwick club from Dalmahoy.

Not surprisingly, Carrickvale will be represented by their tried and tested pairings of David Ewen/Allyn Dick and Darren Coyle/Craig Elliot.

While Rhodes will certainly be no pushovers, an even tougher task could lie in wait for the defending champions in the second round. That's because the winners of that tie will be up against either Braids United or Lothian & Borders Police, the latter having made it all the way to the final last year.

Also in the bottom half of the draw are Harrison, Stewart's Melville, Riccarton, Watsonians and Barnton Hotel, meaning Carrickvale will certainly have their work cut out to retain their stranglehold on the trophy.

Harrison, who will be determined to improve on what, by their standards anyway, has been a disappointing recent run, face Buckstone Golf Club in their opening match while Stewart's Melville take on Hailes B. In the top half of the draw, the pick of the first-round ties is probably a close call between Harrison B, semi-finalists last year, versus Observers and what is likely to be a strong FORE against Edinburgh Thistle.

Temple Golfing Society, the other bronze medallists in 2009, will launch their latest title bid against Ye Monks of Ye Braids, while Heriots will be hoping to progress at the expense of Edinburgh City Chambers.

With 55 teams in the draw, nine received byes to the second round, including BBT and Silverknowes. BBT, a Turnhouse team, face Carrickvale B in one of the early ties on the Sunday, while Silverknowes are up against Morningside. This year's event features three new teams – PCS, Silverknowes Fifty and Thistle Thursday.

DISPATCH TROPHY DRAW IN FULL

First-round ties (to be played on Saturday, 22 May)

9.40am: FORE v Edinburgh Thistle

10.00am: Harrision B v Observers

10.10am: RICS v Bruntsfield Allied

10.20am: Allermuir v Munro Heating

10.30am: Temple Golfing Society v Ye Monks of Ye Braids

10.40am: Heriots v Edinburgh City Chambers

10.50am: Buckstone Golfing Society v Caermount

11.10am: Rhodes v Carrickvale

11.20am: Braids United v Lothian & Borders Police

11.30am: Kingston v Royal Bank of Scotland

11.40am: Temple Seniors v Watsonian Caritas

Noon: Harrison Seniors v Scottish Life

12.10pm:Riccarton v Edinburgh Western

12.20pm: Silverknowes Fifty v Edinburgh Western B

12.30pm: MCBA v Hailes

12.40pm: Buckstone Golf Club v Harrison

12.50pm: Hailes B v Stewart's Melville

1.10pm: Hailes C v PCS

1.20pm: Watsonian v Ellwyn Hotel

1.30pm: Cramond v Bank of Scotland

1.40pm: British Rugby Club of Paris v Mount Vernon

2.00pm: Lochend v Barnton Hotel

2.10pm: Scottish Universities v Harrison Golf Society

Second-round ties (to be played on Sunday, 23 May)

9.00am: Edinburgh Thistle Old Pretenders v Thistle Thursday

9.15am: BBT v Carrickvale B

9.30am: Aegon v Longniddry 918

9.45am: Silverknowes v Morningside

10.00am: Portobello v FORE or Edinburgh Thistle