Finals Day: 2

The Bruadar Scottish Championship final: Murdoch v Smith. They had met twice before during the event. In the round robin, it had taken Murdoch, Graeme Connal, Peter Smith and Euan Byers an extra end to beat the Smith team, then in the Page 1-2 they took twelve ends before gaining their place in the final. Smith with Craig Wilson, David Smith and Ross Hepburn had bounced back in a semifinal win against Tom Brewster's side. The stage was set, the seats out beside the ice filling up, and the cameras rolling.

You will find the linescore here, and the shooting percentages here.

It was very definitely a case of, "Lights, Camera, Action!" (Sorry, just feeling a bit lyrical today!)

The game came alive in the third end, Smith played a triple, but Murdoch still counted two. In the third, Smith had a draw to the four for his single. He called for less ice from the far end, and promply caught the guard. Team Murdoch stole a single and were 3-0 up and in control.

At half time, the CurlingZone stats showed the Murdoch team average to be 89% against Smith 76%.

Smith stole in the sixth to level the score at 3-3. In the eighth, Warwick had another triple takeout to get his team out of trouble after a couple of misses, but Murdoch still got a two. Fighting with every stone Smith and his team tied it up in the ninth. Down the last, Murdoch was left with a draw to the eight foot to win, with shot against him. "Keep it clean was the cry!" And right on the button it finished. The European Champions are going to the Worlds in Grand Forks!

Top pic: Scottish Junior Champ Eve Muirhead piped the teams on to the ice.

The famous Scotch Cup, now the Scottish Men's Championship trophy.

Graeme Connal watches his skip's stone with Warwick and David Smith behind.

David Murdoch, Euan Byers with Peter Smith getting down.


Pics by Bob. Presentation photos later.