Welcome to the final or the Irish Championship Singles between Danny Johnston and Andrew Johnston. Its a b.o.3 final, with the same two players from last year.

G1
Danny R an Y
Andy B an K

T1 B to EB
T2 R duffer
T3 K hits the duffer, setting a dream leave but lagging back to partner leaves a rush pointing at h4
T4 Y misses the big double down the line

T5 B plays a good cut to h1 and has picked up a nice break, round to 4b with an NSL, r at H4
T6 R is lifted from h4 and misses down the line into c4
T7 K rushes over to WB near Y and positions his H2 pioneer 4y SE of h2, will we be seeing a hogan roll from him again?

Yes it will be! Andy is one of the best people I've seen play this shot. I know there is a big debate about whether it is necessary, but so far I have seen him put it to good effect throughout the tournament.

Commentators curse! He sends the ball from C4 off the NB and falls short on partner for h2 by 10 yards with Dannys Y 10yS of this.

T8 Danny plays Y, hits the 10 yarder on K, croquets this to h2 getting a rush on B to H1. R is on the NB level with 3. Its not the best rush to H1 but plays a good takeoff and should be away!

Ugh oh, Danny has failed h2? I'm not sure if this was an over approach, under approach but it leaves Andy a 6 yarder at I think a full ball with a ball at his hoop and partner at H3 giving him a standard TP

T9 Andy hits Y, but has overapproached H2 as well!!!! Is there a hill at that hoop? He looks at the jump but turns it down and is lining up the 13 yarder at partner near H3.. Hits! Rolls this to 3 going to R which is on the NB. Doesn't get a rush to H2 and instead of playing the takeoff, takes a more difficult defensive option Croqueting R towards H1 trying to get position in front of H2. Great shot, 2 ft straight and creams it through to the SB. The standard TP is still on. Its funny how in this game you only get applause for recovery shots!

T9 continued.. gets the 4b peel after 3, collects after H4 and is in complete control, should get the penult peel after 6. This has been my first time playing in the Irish champs, it's been great craic so far with lots of banter, a fair few taters and the odd pint of Guiness thrown in there as well. Though personally my results and performance have been terrible, I've still had a great time! The pick of the players for the event would have been the top 4, David Bent has played some nice turns, consistently hitting while Simon could consider himself unlucky not to make the final after completing 9 peels in the first two games until failing to take Croquet against Danny in the 'turd' game yesterday. Andy has been the best shot and most solid player doing well to also win the handicap singles.

The 2nd Peel has been completed after 6 and he has the option to try a 3.5y straight peel going to 2b or tidy it up and peel going to 3b. Takes the safer sensible option. The lawns appear to be running at about 11 seconds but it could be slightly faster - I'll check with one of the other players later on. There hasn't been many hoop failures throughout the tournament and the overall standard of play has been relatively loose for most of us mere mortals. Great news though is the young new batch of Irish Croquet players coming through. The Martin family including 3 brothers, ma an pa and one of the cousins with the 4th brother unfortunately not being able to play in the tournament. Watch out for this lot in the future!!

Jawses the peel going to 3b...

Ugh, theres a lifter out near rover, is it jammed?? Doesn't replay the shot but it looks like the hoop is adjusted. Doesn't go back to the peel after 3b, possibly had a rough 4b pioneer so fancied the rush out of 3b - I was busy at the bar getting a beverage (won't be the last one I have today, I can tell you that much for free!). Rush peels through after penult and has to play a pass roll going to his rover pioneer which is 4y NNE of rover. Gets a rush pointing peg high at the WB but a good cut leaves him approaching from 1.5y NW and has a 1ft straight hoop.. no Martins!

For those of you who are unaware, there is cotney rhyming croquet slang taking over the UK at present, while I say taking over the UK there is probably about 10 people who know what I'm talking about. No Martins - No Martin Murrays, no Worries!

Andy takes the first +25TP

G2 we have swapped Colours, Danny now B an K, andy R an Y

T1 B supershot 4yN of H2
T2 R to EB 10yN of c4\
T3 K hits R down the line, shot bro!, ok Croquet stroke but has a 2ft rush pointing slightly E of H5, good cut and is approaching from 3y straight. runs his 2ft hoop and has a return pointing at the WB. Big shot coming up now as his H2 pioneer is 4y W of H2

doesn't get a rush to H2, reasonable approach leaves him a 2ft 20 degree hoop. Lovely paced stroke, this is the big improvement I've seen in Danny since I last saw him play in NZ. He has a lovely medium paced shot and looks a lot more confident in his swing, getting a lot more rushes out of hoops and I'm expecting him to do well in the Chairmans. Doesn't have a rush out of H2 again but a good Croquet stroke loading 4 and he should be away now

Oops, I said it was a good Croquet stroke loading 4 but turns out it wasn't... his pioneer is 5y SE of h4 and didn't get a rush out of 3. Another big croquet stroke and rushes R off the SB. Big take off coming up now.. 1.5y H4??... lovely smooth stroke but catches a lot of wire so doesn't go through to the boundary like he would have liked. Here comes another croquet stroke.. thats a better one old boy, good pioneer at H6 and a nice rush to H5. I know Andy isn't a fan of the TPO and Danny will probably want a standard TP so I'm predicting the 3 ducks leave

I was wrong, takes a much for defensive leave. B an R laid up on the EB 10YN of C4 with K off the WB 4yN of peg

Last message didn't send I think.. the short version of it was that Andy missed the lift by nothing shooting down the line. Danny doesn't play a good Croquet stroke after H1 and fails to get a rush to 2, approaches from 9y SW and overhits. Plays a scatter on his partner at H3 with both balls finishing on the EB 10 yards apart

Recap, Danny Rh1 is on the NB level with H3, Yh1 is in C4, Bh2 is on the EB 4ys of C3, K4b is on the EB peg high

T6, Andy moves R to the middle of the SB

T7 Danny plays K shooting at B.. hits. What will the leave be? I've seen him get great distance out of his leaves so far this event so I'm expecting the same, possibly a ball 5ys of h4 and 4y NW of h2 laid up in c3?

In other news a Magpie has just hobbled onto the lawn, I shall call you Davie!

It's pretty close to what I was thinking, Y is 3y NNW of C4 , R is 5yW of h2, possibly wired from one of B an K with them being out of c3 but a few yards and B having a 2yarder pointing at H3. Is that a big double for Y near c4?

Andy heads down to y to inspect, its definitely a target but not the best double in the world. Changes his mind and heads over to red. Any followers that have any new cotney croquet slang ideas please flick me an email and if they are relatively appropriate I'll try and bump one in. Good leave from Danny, Andy is still having a good old hard think about it.

R heads to C1. Can Danny play the big shot that he needs? Rushes to 3yW of Y near C4. Chances for a break here

A couple of great shots from Danny, rushes to 2ft E of H2 and rushes back to 1ft S of K after H2. Takes K up to H3 but overhits and has a 5 yard approach.. this is the important one

Short. Leaves a 2y? 20 degree hoop. Jawses it. Bugger. Some people might think I'm supporting my host for the last week? Both these lads have been great this week though. Definitely one of the most friendly sociable tournaments I've ever played in so far!

Andy shoots at the double from near H4.. misses to 2y E of h3 on the NB. Danny runs the hoop, rushes K to 2y E of Y and is digging K in lawn trying to get the all important rush on Y to R in C1. Bad shot and has a rush pointing at C2. Cutes to 8yW of the peg. Ignores R in C1 and tries to roll off H4 from there. Overrolls and retires back to Partner. Its now 4 and 4B v 1 an 1 with not much of a leave

Andy has a think, he will be playing Y. Takes what I think is an interesting option, shoots at R in C1. This gives Danny a fair ammount if he misses... but it won't come to that as he has hit! Good shot. Big take off to NB now..

Take off finishes 10y Short.. No Martins, middles K and gets a 1ft Rush to H1

Cancel that, its a rush to the WB. He must be wanting a leave instead

Danny plays his B and from the WB level with 2 and shoots at R in C1. Looks close, but no contact so Andy should have a break here. What leave do you do with the oppo on 4 an 4b? Pop yourself to h2 and have a reverse NSL with the 4b ball at 2? Or revert to the good old spread? This is where you need one of the experts doing some commentary! Andy has made 1 and should be away so I'm off to the Bar

Good thing the waiter was busy, turns out I've told another lie. Andy hadn't made 1. Im assuming her under/over approached and then his R has ended up on the WB level with h2. Danny shoots at Y with B (h4) from near H2 with Y being 4y E of H2. He likes the look of it, but it slides past! Finishes on the NB between 2 an 6. Andy plays Y at R, hits, reasonable Croquet stroke, loads 2 and cuts B to 3yW of K which is also on the NB. Playing for the rush to H1.. gets a rush to H3

Overcuts the rush and takes wired position from K in front of H1. K shoots at B who is near h3, misses. Y catches a lot of wire running H1 and misses the 13? yarder at R near H2. Great chance for Danny now, a few good shots and he will have a nice delayed TP

Danny has made h4, but his h5 pioneer is 6yW of 5 so after h4 puts the escape ball into position near 4b but opts to bring partner 6 of his h5 pioneer to stop it back. Doesn't send it far enough and can only get partner to the peg but maintains the important rush to H5. He looks like he was trying to send his 1b pioneer N of it so he could have a go at peeling going to 1b but it falls short by 3 yards. Rushes over to 4b to 4y straight? Tries the peel but pounces off the W upright. Gets the important rush to 6 though. Aborts the TP and it will just be a break to the peg. Sensible decision

sorry about the delay... Danny is now 4b and Stick but Andy is on the lawn so I'm assuming the lift was hit an I'm guessing it was spread. Andy currently up to H4 on his break. Simon is suggesting he will just got to 4b and I agree though I like the option of pegging him out as well.

I've just heard, one of the young Martins - Matthew, age 15? Handicap 12 completed a TP!!

Even more of a shock, Andy has just failed H6, approaching from a few inches, I think he underhit it. Danny now has a 8y double with his 4b ball.. rushes it to 1ftN of the hoop and I think there is a hill round that hoop.. this could be dangerous! 1 ft 30 degrees?

Great controlled hoop, only a 3y return rather than the dreaded 6 yarder! That should take this to a third

Danny has made rover and is rushing to the ball at the peg. Takes g2 +19 to square the match!

G3, they've swapped colours again with Andy back to B an K

K to EB 3yS of peg
Y duffer 1y N of Penult
B just scrapes past Y and finishes 2y S of the peg

The Marcus' have opened up! Brownie points for those clever enough to figure that one out. Danny hit's the duffer in the middle, croquets it back to 2 and gets a nice rush to h1. Approaching from 2y straight

Nice pickup and looking in complete control. What will the leave be this time? I'm thinking it will just a spread as this has been predominantly what he's done so far this event

Currently has partner at the peg approaching 2b, it will be a spread

Relatively nice spread from the young fella? Or is there a bit of a target? K is near the peg and B is 4y off the WB. Lying on the ground and looks like he has a nice target. Maybe a ball an a half? (make ya laugh - or not laugh if you're the one who made the leave!).

Just misses the ball at the peg, must be on for R an Y!!! He likes it.. NO! Just misses. That looks like it was nothing!! Big turn now for Danny.

Its not a great start for Danny, digs B well into the lawn but doesn't get a rush on partner to the ball at the peg. Plays the half roll but doesn't get a rush to 1, cuts to 10N of c1 on WB. Takes off to the hoop, runs his 1.5 yarder by 8 yards... hits the sweaty return!

Makes h2 off Partner with a ball at h4 and his h3 pioneer 3y e of h3. Gets a rush out of 2 but its in a hole as it bounces a bit and finishes near h6. Puts partner well S of 4b to ensure getting the rush on B to h3. Good hoop stroke and gets a rush on R back to 4b. Looks pretty straight about 1.5y. Good peel and has a 3 yarder pointing at the middle of the EB on his escape ball.

Has peele back at 6 along with a nice h6 pioneer, but it as just about a disaster at h5, underapproached and had to run a good 30 degree angled hoop followed by a 6 yard return but no Martins and he's carrying on

Peels penult to 3y in front of rover after 6. Puts a good 2b pioneer down its far enough south he has a good chance of getting the peel going to 2b

Thats now made a little bit harder as the rush to 1b finishes level with the hoop, wont be getting a rush out of this one after playing the takeoff and a big croquet stroke coming up

Blue finishes further N of 3b than he would have liked and cant get the peel going to 2b but is still in control which is the important thing

Jawses the rover peel going to 3b. His 4b pioneer is about 6y S of 4b so still has to play a couple of reasonable shots

Doesn't get a rush out of 3b and ignores the peele, plays the roll sending B to penult which finishes 6y short going to K. Approaching 4b from 2y W.. just about got caught on the hill but its OK. Smooth shot on the 1y hoop doesn't catch any wire and its just of the NB. 3/4's his 5 yard return to a few yards N of B. Sends K 2yN or rover gets a good rush to penult

No Martins and he's done it! Takes the third +26 TP to win his first Irish open of many I'm sure! Commiserations to Andy but well done Danny on a great performance!