The Blues took their total goals scored to 45 in 15 games, almost as many as Swifts have conceded in 14 games.

Bluebirds ran up a 3-0 lead in the first 20 minutes, resulting in 10 of the 11 Swifts players defending their own 25-yard area for the remaining 50 minutes.

However, the champions picked their way through the packed defence to score a further five goals and a lopsided victory.

Collette Doughty led the scoring with four goals while Sarah Maltby netted twice and Gayle Armstrong and Ali Anson once.

Second-placed Cardinals closed out their league season with a 2-0 win over Orioles, their 10th victory of the season.

In a goalless first half, both teams had several shots. But Cardinals came out stronger in the second half and were rewarded when Kris Soares scored from a short corner. Soares then added a second goal from a penalty flick to put the match out of Orioles' reach.

Orioles, champions in the B League, could only manage a scoreless draw with Cardinals while the other match saw Bluebirds beat Swifts 2-0. Both goals were scored by MVP Mary Traynor from crosses by Liz Stewart and Karen Turner.

SOFTBALL SOF Bermuda Amateur Softball Association will be hosting the Molloy College female softball team for a six-game tour starting this weekend.

Three double-headers are scheduled against local opposition, with a tentative schedule seeing the visitors take on a Bermuda Select in two matches on Sunday at 6.00 and 7.30 at Bernard Park.

On Monday the opponents will be the 1996 league champions, Warwick Reds, at 6.00 and a Bermuda Select at 7.30.

The two remaining games on Tuesday pit Molloy against North Village Angels, the 1996 play-off champions in the opening match at 6.00, and a Bermuda Select at 7.30.

Local players will include the likes of Stacy (Furbert) Hill, Sakena Clarke, Donnette Daniels, Duan Leverock, Deborah Philips, Deborah DeShields, Terry Paynter, Carol Mitchell, Tara Devlaming and teenager Tiffany Swan.

POOL POO Robin Hood's Mark O'Connor was crowned Bermuda pool champion on Saturday night at the Bermuda War Veterans Association when he beat Greg Falzone of Swinging Doors 5-4 in an exciting final.

The final was closer than any of the matches in the quarter-final and semi-final rounds, with neither player taking more than a one-game lead in the best-of-nine match.

O'Connor looked to have wrapped it up in the eighth game with a 4-3 lead and a chance for a fairly simple run-out with his last three balls.

However, the pressure told and Falzone took the game to set up a deciding ninth game. It was O'Connor who came through in the last nip-and-tuck frame to take the championship.

The early rounds went close to form with few major upsets. The eventual finalists had contrasting routes to the final with Falzone's draw looking easier on paper, with only the league's number two player Trevor Mouchette in his way.

O'Connor had a tougher battle, taking out the league's number four Mike Zimmerman and number one Brian Walker on his way to a semi-final showdown with his team-mate Gary Shepard, a match O'Connor took with a whitewash.

HARNESS RACING RAH Bermuda's harness racing season came to a quick finish at Vesey Street on Sunday afternoon when only 12 races involving 21 ponies were held.

After a long season but with no racing for the past three weeks, some drivers decided to end their campaign early. Eddie Roque was the day's top driver with three wins, two with Tuxedo Bow Tie.

The only other double winner was Championne County, driven by David Lopes.

Carolina Jubilee, driven by Murray Terceira, had the fastest time of the day, covering the half mile in 1:07 flat.

SAILING SLG The race for the Black Seal Cup is underway.

In the first of seven qualifiers leading up to the national championships, Christian Luthi won the Anna Roed Bell Match Racing Prize, donated by Jan Petter Roed of Norway several years ago in the name of his daughter.

The event, sailed in International One Design (IOD) craft, was held under excellent sailing conditions in Hamilton Harbour last Saturday.

Luthi beat out second-placed Robert Duffy and third-placed Craig Davis to take the early lead in the series.

GOLF GLF The fifth annual Ross (Blackie) Talbot Charity Invitational Tournament looks like being oversubscribed again this year.

The March 28 deadline is fast approaching for the April 8 event and as of Monday the organising committee had received more than 85 entries. The maximum number of participants have been limited to 100.

So far $30,000 has be donated to charity and this year organisers anticipate giving $12,000 to three charities -- the Bermuda Diabetes Association, the Allan Vincent Smith Foundation and the Learning Centre of Bermuda.

The success of the tournament is attributed to the popularity of Talbot, one of the two remaining Talbot Brothers, favourite Island entertainers from 1946 through to the 1980s.