ROYAL ABERDEEN v BANCHORY, MURCAR LINKS v DEESIDE IN MAITLAND SHIELD SEMI-FINALS

It's links players versus inland golfers tomorrow evening in both semi-finals of the City of Aberdeen men's double foursomes for the Maitland Shield, sponsored by the Cults Hotel, at Balgownie.  Hosts Royal Aberdeen play Banchory while Murcar Links take on Deeside and, with the tournament being played on a links lay-out, the odds are probably in favour of a Royal Aberdeen v Murcar Links final on Friday. The Banchory and Deeside teams may have something to say about that assessment! Banchory won their first match of the tourn ament with something to spare, finishing a combined 10 holes up on Auchmill. Northern, conquerors of defending champions Bon Accord earlier in the week, were well beaten by Royal Aberdeen but all of the Balgownie's 11-hole winning margin came from their second string. Steven Buchan and Donald Macandrew finished 12 up on the hapless Willie West and Greg Morrison, which must have been hard to bear for the Northern first string of senior George Paterson and young Cameron Johnstone. They scored a very good one-hole win over Allan Reith and Mark Halliday - but all to no avail! Deeside figured in the closest of the four quarter-finals. They beat Portlethen by two holes. The lead-off match was drum tight until David Halliday and Allan Ross of Deeside won two of the last three holes against Sean Lawrie and Ryan Donaldson to finish two holes to the good. That margin would decide the match as the second-string encounter ended all square between Paul Lawrie's son Craig and Ron Evett (Deeside) and Lewis Shand and Graham Innes (Portlethen).  Murcar Links beat Nigg Bay by seven holes with Anthony Bews and Clark Brechin finishing two up against Ryan Forbes and Richard Nielsen. Bryan Innes and Duncan Raitt, the Murcar second string, were two down after three holes against Ian Welsh and Ross Young but won sixth of the next seven holes on their way to a five-hole victory. QUARTER-FINALS Banchory bt Auchmill by 10 holes (Adam Lindsay and Lee Morrice 6, Mike Lynch and Scott Mackie 0; Innes Miller and Lindsay Smart 4, Brian Nicolson and Stephen Scott 0). Royal Aberdeen bt Northern by 11 holes Allan Reith and Mark Halliday 0, George Paterson and Cameron Johnstone 1; Steven Buchan and Donald Macandrew jun 12, Willie West and Greg Morrison 0). Deeside bt Portlethen by two holes (David Halliday and Allan Ross 2,  Sean Lawrie and Ryan Donaldson 0; Ron Evett and Craig Lawrie 0,  Lewis Shand and Graham Innes 0). Murcar Links bt Nigg Bay by seven holes(Anthony Bews and Clark Brechin 2, Ryan Forbes and Richard Nielsen 0; Bryan Innes and Duncan Raitt 5, Ian Welsh and Ross Young 0). THURSDAY'S SEMI-FINALS 4.45 Banchory v Royal Aberdeen. 5.00 Deeside v Murcar Links ends C.