Warrnambool Bowls Club wins three weekend pennant flags, Dunkeld claims division four title

Warrnambool Gold hit their straps when it counted, handing defending division one champions City Memorial Red just their second loss of the season, 61-48, to win the shield at Dennington Bowling Club.

Gold held the early edge after 14 ends, up 13-11, before the game changer came half way through the match, with three rinks combined landing a 10 shot blow to extend their lead out by 12.

Division one manager Ian Dalton believed his team adapted well to some tricky conditions at Dennington.

"We came into the game as the underdogs," he said. "Today, we didn't need to play the last end - we were 13 up. Our leading skip - Paul O'Donnell - was walking on water all day, it was unbelievable some of the bowls he pulled out. It's just been a great feel around the club all year. It's good it all come together at the right time of the season."

Dalton said it was a fantastic result for the club to walk away with three flags.

"It will be very well celebrated - don't worry about that," he said with laugh.

Warrnambool's division one side now qualifies for the divisional championships on Saturday in Colac.

Dalton said the club was confident it would challenge for the championship, despite taking in a different line-up, with a number of players unavailable.

Meanwhile, Warrnambool Red made it back-to-back division two shields after a comfortable 71-54 win against City White.

Red broke away midway through the match, going up 44-28 after 37 ends before protecting their lead.

Jeremy O'Donnell, third on Troy King's rink, said it was rewarding to walk away premiers and credited a team effort for the win.

"We were able to maintain our concentration over the day," he said.

O'Donnell, whose father Paul was in the winning division one side, said everyone at the club would celebrate the.

"It's just goes to show, the people behind the scenes... especially the selectors, have done a really good effort," he said. "It's as much for them as it is for the players."

Warrnambool White survived a late scare from City Yellow to be crowned division three champions.

White had an early seven-shot lead after 18 ends, before the game tightened, with five shots the greatest margin throughout the game.

But it came down to the final end, with White up by one shot, and holding its nerve to earn two shots for a 58-55 victory.

Darren Brown, who celebrated his first premiership after nine seasons, said it was great to get the win when it counted.

"It's a team effort bowls, everyone put in good bowls today," Brown said. "We just held our nerve in the end, it was probably too close for comfort. It's a fantastic effort to get up and win."

A strong second half performance earned Dunkeld the division four title, following a 49-31 win against City Orange.

Dunkeld manager Graeme 'Grub' Templeton, who also played lead, said competing for and winning a pennant flag meant a lot to the small club, which boasts a division one and four side. It was Dunkeld's first year in division four after winning the division five flag last season.

Templeton said Geoffrey Montgomery's rink 11-shot rink win was the lead they needed with Maslen's furthering their lead.

Among the side, skip Peter Maslen celebrated his third straight premiership across three different divisions, with the division four flag added to his division two and five premierships of recent years.

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