This English CA vs Irish CA match is played each year to contest the McWeeney Trophy (a silver cigar box). This year the match was played at the Southport and Birkdale Club over the weekend of 15th to 16th July.
Bowdon players helped the CA England beat the CA Ireland team 16 – 5. Well done team! Congratulations are in order for Nigel Matthews who was presented with the Ian Maugham Memorial Quaich as player of the match. Well done Nigel!
Weather was not very nice on Saturday – Nathaniel Healy memorably played a solid all-round break in the driving rain. Sunday was dry, sunny and warm with a fresh breeze.
The match was played in the best of spirits with a convivial Chinese dinner on the Saturday night, when anecdotes of red cards and swearing at referees in GC tournaments were exchanged. On Sunday afternoon player presciently foreshadowed Djokovic in the Wimbledon Final by treating us to a fairly spectacular piece of mallet abuse (but all in good humour)
Southport’s hospitality, lawns and catering were all superb.
4 Bowdon players are in the English CA team, as below:
Results were as follows:
| Croquet England | vs | Croquet Ireland |
|---|---|---|
| Nigel Matthews | 24 – 22 | Jane Morrison |
| Jack Good | 13 – 26 | Nathaniel Healy |
| Brian Medley | 26 – 1 | Daniel Bennett |
| Mike Sandler | 26 – 2 | Brian Havill |
| Paul Hetherington | 26 – 3 | Myles McWeeney |
| Roger Staples | 26 – 5 | Nigel Werner |
| Nigel M & Roger | 26 – 19 | Nathaniel & Myles |
| Jack & Paul | 16 – 18 | Jane & Nigel |
| Brian M & Roger | 26 – 3 | Brian H & Myles |
| Brian M & Mike | 16 – 18 | Brian H & Daniel |
| Nigel M & Paul | 26 – 22 | Nathaniel & Nigel W |
| Jack & Mike | 26 – 14 | Jane & Daniel |
| Nigel M & Mike | 26 – 20 | Nathaniel & Daniel |
| Jack & Roger | 26 – 16 | Jane & Myles |
| Brian M & Paul | 26 – 10 | Brian H & Nigel W |
| Nigel Matthews | 18 – 19 | Nathaniel Healy |
| Jack Good | 26 – 24 | Jane Morrison |
| Brian Medley | 25 – 23 | Brian Havill |
| Mike Sandler | 3 – 26 | Daniel Bennett |
| Paul Hetherington | 16 – 9 | Nigel Werner |
| Roger Staples | 26 – 1 | Myles McWeeney |
| 16 | Games | 5 |
| 469 | Hoops | 301 |