Playing in section two at the Kaikorai greens, Kernaghan witnessed all the big names fall around him, including Jamie Hill, Ken Walker and defending champion Peter Belliss.
Behind 14-15 going into the 18th and final end, playing the Forbury Park four skipped by Rod Fleming, Kernaghan’s team played superb pressure bowls.
His team, which also includes Tony Grantham, Rory Doden and Scottish international Ryan Burnett, all handle the pressure with steady resolve, and all contribute in crowding the head and keeping it close.
Kernaghan was masterful at skip. On the final end, he stepped up to the plate with his first bowl which he drew to drag the jack away deep from the shot bowl of the Fleming four. With his second bowl, he bumped Fleming’s second scoring bowl out to score a second and clinch a cliffhanger 16-15 victory and seal a place in the quarterfinals against the Lance Pascoe four.
Pascoe himself had to scrap his way into the quarterfinals with a hard-fought 20-16 win over Joko Susilo.
In another battle for a quarterfinal spot, the Raymond Martin team from Wellington had to battle its way to a 16-15 victory over Joseph Van der Pennen’s four. It will not be any easier in the quarterfinals for Van der Pennen’s men as they come up against the in-form Sheldon Bagrie-Howley, who in the second round had local Ken Walker praying for rain to stop play at the midway stage. The clouds thickened but the rain held off and, at the completion of the 12th end, Walker called it a day, conceding defeat when behind 21-3.
Play in section one at Taieri progressed through to the semifinal stage with the the four of skip Ali Forsyth Gary Lawson, Shannon McIlroy and Justin Godwin defeating Mike Solomon, Mike Evans, Brady Amer and Ken Addley 29-5 in the quarterfinals. On the other side of the draw, the team of Bruce McNish, Mick Buttar, Murray Wilson and Geoff Griffiths downed Rob Ashton, former singles champion Petar Sain, Steve Hoft and Roger Glendinning 19-10.
If results work in alternative years for Mandy Boyd then she and her fours team may well be this year’s fours champions.
Boyd first won the title with Selina Goddard, Gemma Watts and Amy McIlroy in 2014, and won it again in 2016 with sister Angela Boyd and mother and daughter Leigh and Kristen Griffin. She returns in 2018 with Leigh Griffin, Sheryl McLean and sister Angela.
Taking them on is the four of Sandra Keith, 2014 team-mates Selina Goddard and Amy McIlroy, and Serena Matthews.
Keith’s progress to the final was enhanced at the bottom end of the draw when the four of Jo Edwards, Val Smith, Kirsten Edwards, and Tayla Bruce was tipped out 18-17 on an extra end by the team of Kay Hammond, Raelene Peters, Julie Adams, Nicky Reed. Keith then accounted for Hammond 24-12 for a clear shot at the title.
At the top end of the draw, Boyd eliminated the four of Sarah Scott, Katelyn Inch, Bronwyn Stevens and Joanna Cooper 17-9 before eliminating the four of Ann Muir, Carolyn Crawford, Mary Ross and Doreen Bell 21-4.
The singles and pairs finals will be played tomorrow and the fours finals on Monday.
