YORK Indoor Bowls Club stormed into the semi-finals of the national Mason Trophy with a comfortable win over Barwell.

The Thanet Road team made the most of a good start, leading 27-8 after 10 ends, to go on and win 40-25.

The game was played at the neutral venue of Bassetlaw IBC.

Dot Kennelly, Maureen Walker, Helen Walker and Linda Harrison won eight of their opening 10 ends to build an 18-2 lead, before Barwell won the next six to pull back to 18-13. The game was conceded on the next as Harrison's rink picked up a two for a 20-13 win.

Joan Jackson, Carol Banks, Melanie Brooke and Carol Instone picked up twos on the second, third and fourth ends to lead 6-2 and, although this was cut to 6-5, Instone's ladies then won seven out of the following 10 ends to lead 20-8, finishing 20-12.

York now play St Neots in the semi-finals on April 13 at Nottingham IBC. The final takes place the following morning.

York's hopes of title success in the North Eastern Ladies' League, however, have all but ended.

They went into the penultimate game needing to win all four rinks but, while they won the match, they only won two rinks so picked up six points leaving them 10 adrift of leaders Harrogate with one game to play.

At home, Brenda Love, Ann Donaldson, Janet McManus and Pat Potter led 12-9 with seven ends to play and finished well to win 24-10.

Judythe Williams, Eva Snarr, Maggie Pallister and Pauline Cooper led 11-7 midway through but won only one more end in a 20-14 defeat.

Away, Michelle Ellis, Jen Brown, Tina Robinson and Sheila Turpin were 5-5 after six ends before scoring 11 shots over the next four en route to an impressive 26-13 victory.

Maureen Robinson, Sue Jeffrey, Kath Pepper and Jean Williams went 9-1 up after six ends but by the 13th the advantage was only 12-11. With three to play, Williams' side led 18-15, but they lost 19-18.

York's last game is against second-placed Doncaster a week on Saturday.

Helen Walker, Helen Wood and Zoe Eagles put in a good performance in the National Ladies Triples finals as they beat St Neots 26-11 in the last 16 before going out to eventual winners Ipswich in the quarter-final.

A four on the 14th end brought Walker's side back into the game at 14-13 but, chasing a single to take the game into an extra end, they missed out by a fraction and dropped a shot to lose 15-13.

Meanwhile, York IBC Ladies Over-55s Singles final featured Karen Russell, who only started playing last October.

She put in an excellent performance, too, but lost to the holder, Pauline Cooper.

Cooper led 13-4 before Russell came back well to 15-12. Two twos and a single put Cooper on the brink of retaining the trophy before swapped singles brought the game to a finish.

On Monday, York's in-house finals continue with the Vets Singles Plate between Allen Clapham and either Chris Bishop or Graham Instone, starting at 2pm, and the Gents Pairs League play-off final between Dave Dale's team and Dudley Williams.

At 7pm is the Gents' Singles final between two new finalists in Neal Macdonald and Stuart Smith, while the Ladies' Singles final will be between Zoe Eagles and Karen Russell. The Vets Singles will feature Malcolm Lewars against Dave Stroughair and the Gents Singles Plate will feature Nigel Macdonald against Chris Bishop.

On Tuesday, the Pairs take place at 6.30pm with the Gents' Simpson Pairs and the Mixed Knockout Pairs finals. The Ladies' Simpson Pairs scheduled for that evening has had to be rearranged. The Gents Knockout Triples will take place on Wednesday at 6.30pm. The Ladies Knockout Triples final is to be rearranged.