Kintyre trek heralds Inter County return for Slateford

Edinburgh Top Ten champions Slateford re-enter the national scene of the Co-operative Funeralcare-sponsored Scottish Inter County event this weekend with a long trip to Kintyre to face their Argyll & Bute counterparts Argyll of Campbeltown.

Robert Marshall lines up in the Singles for Slateford

Slateford, winners back in 1996 and 1997, will be led by 19-times club champion Robert Marshall in the Singles for Sunday’s first-round action.

Gordon Ramsay skips Dougie Martin and Scott Brunton in the Triples while brother Andrew Ramsay is at the helm for other brother Ronnie and the McAdam brothers Grant and Graham in the Fours. Current E&L Hamilton Trophy star Jamie Gracie skips Alan Brash in the Pairs.

Meanwhile, the prelim-round action produced good outcomes for East Lothian champions Tranent and their Midlothian counterparts, Bonnyrigg. However, a bad result for West Lothian saw Newbridge stumble to a surprise home defeat.

Tranent entertained Inverurie of Aberdeen & Kincardine at Polson Park and suffered an opening setback with spearhead figure John McCrorie always against the collar in a 21-13 defeat by Jason Banks in the Singles.

The home side’s fightback started in the Triples with Alex Cormack, David Whitson and Jamie Higgins exploding from 4-4 to a 20-5 triumph then Matthew Osborne conjured up a magic 1, 1, 3 finish to skip Kevin Cunningham, David Sands, and Kevin Jones to a 17-16 win in the Fours.

The Jim Bonner/Brian Young partnership came from 4-7 down in the Pairs to add a 21-14 victory.

Bonnyrigg were kick-started by a hard-fought 21-16 win for Ronnie Duncan in the Singles and the champions of 2009 and 2014 went on to score an 8-0 win at home to Lochgelly of West Fife.

Newbridge got off to a good start with Thomas Mann’s 21-14 win the Singles but the Pairs lost 19-13, the Triples 13-11, and the Fours 16-11.

This Sunday’s action also features Tranent away to Rock of Dunbartonshire, and Bonnyrigg at home to Bankfoot of Perthshire.