In an exciting and very close semi-final game on Sunday morning, Rod MacDonald drew to the button with his final shot for a 6-4 win over Charlottetown clubmate Ted MacFadyen to advance to the 3 pm final against John Likely, also from the Charlottetown Curling Club. In this morning’s game, MacFadyen had the hammer in the opening end and took a single point. A hit and stick gave MacDonald one in the second. MacFadyen drew for a single facing three in end three, and MacDonald was in a similar predicament in the next end, but also pulled out the single point. MacFadyen was forced to take a single in the fifth, facing a possible MacDonald biter.

MacDonald drew around two MacFadyen stones to score one in the sixth, and stole one in the seventh end when he played a freeze with his last rock, and MacFadyen did not succeed with an attempted raise. MacDonald moved into a two-point lead with another one-point steal in the eighth when MacFadyen went long on his shot, facing two MacDonald counters. MacFadyen drew to the button in the ninth for a single, outcounting a MacDonald stone by less than half an inch.  In the final end,  Kevin Champion made a triple for the MacDonald rink with his first rock, and a peel with his second rock. MacFadyen played a come around to sit one, and MacDonald drew to the button to advance to the final.

MacDonald has five Tankard wins to-date, his last in 2006, while Likely has two, winning as second for Dr. Wayne Matheson in 1985, and as skip in 2002.
Other members of the Rod MacDonald rink are Kevin Champion, Andrew Robinson, and Mark O’Rourke, with fifth Peter MacDonald and coach Pat Aylward. Champion and O’Rourke are defending champions. Their 2008 skip Peter Gallant bowed out this year, coaching his son Brett to a Canadian Juniors championship instead. Playing with John Likely are Phillip Gorveatt, Mark Butler, and Mike Dillon, with fifth Robert Campbell.

The winning team from this afternoon’s final will advance to the Tim Hortons Brier, March 7-15 in Calgary.