Both semi finals of the inaugural Orkney Darts Association Parish Cup have been played and we can now look forward to a classic East v West clash in the final. Sandwick were the first team through to the final after a close 10-8 win over their old rivals Birsay and in the final they will face Holm who defeated Sanday 12-6 in a game that was much closer than the score line suggests.

Two very experienced teams went head to head on Saturday 20^th February in the Smithfield to decide who would be the first team through to the final. Sandwick started well and after the first doubles were leading 2-1. Paul Foubister won the first singles match against Keith Johnston to extend Sandwick's lead before Birsay came storming back with wins from Shane Sinclair, Gary Johnston and Stewart Kirkness. Stevie Linklater won his match to level the match score at 4-4 before the two team captains, Sandwick's Ian Linklater and Birsay's John Norquay, met to see who would go in at half time in front and it was John Norquoy that threw the better darts to give Birsay a 5-4 half-time lead.

Into the second half and again Sandwick had the better of the doubles to bring the match all square at 6-6 and with wins in the singles for Paul Foubister, Ian Linklater and Stevie Linklater for Sandwick and Gary Johnston and Keith Johnston for Birsay the score stood at 9-8 to Sandwick. So, with only one game remaining Birsay's Robbie 'Turkey' Norquoy squared up to Martin 'Juicy' Johnston to see if he could take his team into the 1001 play-off leg for the second match in a row but alas it was Juicy that secured a 2-1 win to put Sandwick into the first ever Orkney Darts Association Parish Cup Final.

The second semi final was played on Sunday 28^th February in the Commodore where Sanday took on Holm for the right to play Sandwick in the final. Both teams started well with some very good scoring and finishing on show and it was Holm that just edged the first series of doubles matches 2-1. Robbie Stanger won the first singles against Lindsay Skea to extend the Holm lead before Sanday skipper Ivan Leslie locked horns with his Holm counterpart Bruce Moar, Ivan winning 2-1 to give the Sanday cheerleaders something to cheer about. The next four singles all finished 2-1 with Holm winning three of them to take a 6-3 half time lead.

The second half started the same way as the first half ended with all three doubles matches finishing 2-1, this time in Sanday’s favour to reduce the deficit to 7-5. Sanday’s comeback was short-lived however when Holm won the first three singles to clinch the match, Leigh Shearer throwing the winning double. Michael Moodie got another point on the board for Sanday before Holm won the final two singles to close out the match with a 12-6 result. There were 180’s for Leigh Shearer, Ivan Leslie, Alan Gray and two for Michael Moodie and there was a 103 checkout for Billy Ward and a 121 checkout for Bruce Moar. The final will take place on Sunday 28^th March in the Commodore, Holm at 2pm.