The 2026 season has started well for both the men’s and ladies’ sides at Barry Romilly Bowling Club. Having won three out of the four rinks against Penygraig in a pre-season friendly to win 71-62, The Rom began the season in earnest with their first competitive games in the Munro Cup. Barry Romilly field two teams, the Club side and the A side, and both enjoyed successful conclusions to their opening games of the season.
The Club side hosted Dinas Powys, winning all four rinks by an aggregate score of 97-46 to record a 14-0 victory. Top rink of the day was that skipped by new boy Colin Grant, with Ben Curtis, Keith Pearson and team captain Steve Bell winning their rink 27-4. The A side travelled to Rhoose where they played on the club’s all-weather artificial green, winning on two of the four rinks. The Rom’s top rink was Matt Gershenson’s, comprising David Noble, Phil ‘Herbie’ Herbert and Jeff Wyatt, and was particularly impressive winning their rink 25-15, and so make a significant contribution to the overall aggregate score of 75-69 in The Rom’s favour to give Barry Romilly a 10-4 victory.
The club’s A side, playing in Private Greens Division 5, had their first game of the season when they were hosted by Pentyrch. The match was played on a particularly heavy and slow green. Honours were even in terms of rinks won, both sides winning two rinks each. Rink of the day, however, was Mel Newman’s with Jerry Daly, Nick Parry and Kelvyn Lewis in attendance, overturning a 9-1 deficit after 7 ends to win the rink 23-17. In terms of the aggregate, Pentyrch were leading by one shot until Dave Francis’s rink picked up three shots for The Rom in the final end to run out winners 70-68, and so win the match 10-4. The Club side, meanwhile, played at home in a friendly with Fairoak, a game in which they proved far too strong for their opponents, winning all four ends to win by a total of 106-43.
The sun was out for the ladies’ first game of the season as they prepared for the first game of the season at home to the ladies from Llantrisant. On Rink 1 Pat Stacey skipped Jacqui, Lynda and Leah in a close game, eventually losing 17-21 to an excellent quartet from Llantrisant. Rink 2, with Birgit, Pam and newcomer Cheryl, skipped by Maria Elliott managed an impressive victory over their opponents, winning 29-13 to ensure a 46-34 victory in their first game of the season.
All in all, a very good start to the season for all of the teams representing Barry Romilly Bowling Club.