Commonwealth Games – Glasgow 2026
Mark McGreal’s singles campaign concluded today with a tough matchup against Guernsey’s Jason Greenslade, a seasoned opponent who, for the first time in three decades, has slipped outside the world’s top 16.
McGreal acknowledged the calibre of the challenge straight away, saying he’s “performed out of my skin in terms of what I think has been there,” even if today’s result didn’t fall his way. “Obviously disappointed with today’s loss,” he said, “but Jason’s just fallen outside of the top 16 for the first time in 30 years. So to be beaten by a credible opponent, it’s nothing to be ashamed at all.”
The match went 1-1 resulting in a one end tie-break.
Across the week, McGreal has shown he can mix it with the very best, something he takes real pride in. “In the second set, I had to pull it back,” he explained. “I lost the first set, let it get away from me, but second set they played a bit of a bomb and a drive and caught the Jack absolutely plumb to take it into the ditch to claim the second set. So playing big bowls when I need them as well.” That ability to respond under pressure, he says, gives him confidence heading into the pairs.
The rink itself proved a challenge today, with McGreal noting it behaved differently to the others. “In comparison to the other three rinks, it’s certainly the most trickiest of the lot,” he said. “A lot more strange lines and the other three have bedded in quite nice. That one hasn’t quite. So yeah, on occasion, put a bit of a stray one out there.”
Attention now turns to Wednesday’s men’s pairs, where McGreal will team up with Michael Collister. After a demanding few days, he’s ready for a breather before the next phase. “We’ve got a day off tomorrow. I think I need it. It’s been a hard couple of days,” he said. “Really looking forward to the men’s pairs. It’s going to be really exciting. Michael’s a hell of a bowler. He’s playing up in Scotland most of the time with some of the Scottish people that are here representing Scotland now, so I know he can mix it up with the best just as much as I’ve been showing.”
McGreal leaves the singles stage with credibility, resilience and a clear sense that the Isle of Man can compete at this level and with the pairs on the horizon, there is plenty more to come.
