The Suzanne Birt rink stole a deuce in the final end in a dramatic 8-7 come-from-behind finish tonight in a very close Scotties Tournament of Hearts Provincial Women’s Curling Championship “C” final against the Kathy O’Rourke rink at the Cornwall Curling Club.
Birt was down 7-4 after eight ends, but narrowed the gap in the ninth with a deuce. In the 10th, Erin Carmody, who throws fourth rock for O’Rourke, missed a hit on a Birt rock sitting on the button, giving Birt the steal of two. Five time PEI Scotties and former world junior champion Birt, with teammates Shelly Bradley, Robyn MacPhee, and Leslie MacDougall won sections “A” and “C” in the triple knockout, while defending champion and last year’s Canadian runner-up O’Rourke took the “B” section.
Capturing the two sections gives Birt a big advantage in Monday’s two game championship round, as winning either the 1:30 or the 6:30 game would give her the PEI championship, while O’Rourke, and her team of Carmody, third Geri-Lynn Ramsay, and lead Tricia Affleck would have to win both games for a repeat championship win. As both Birt and O’Rourke curl out of the Charlottetown Curling Club, the winning team tomorrow will get to play before a home town crowd at the Canadian Scotties, February 19-27 at the Charlottetown Civic Centre.