University Challenge 2022-23: Round 1: Match 6: Glasgow vs Queen's

Good evening friends, and welcome back to Quizzy Mondays. Especial welcome, if you're reading, to Dummelaksen, who has been putting in so much work on the Only Connect Wiki I set up back in February over the past couple of weeks; thanks again, and keep it up! On with business as usual tonight, and a Celtic match up for this week's UC...

Glasgow University is appearing for the fifth series in a row, of which the first four series ago saw them reach the QFs, the furthest they've gotten in the BBC era; last year's team lost a low scoring first match of the series to eventual quarter-finalists King's. This year's foursome were:

Nabil Yousif, from Crawley, studying Physics

Alison Nunziante, from Marietta, Georgia, studying Philosophy

Captain: Harry Brennan, from Bangor, County Down, studying History

Imogen Miller, from Glasgow, studying English Literature and Philosophy

 

Queen's University Belfast won the original series in 1981, but has also only gotten as far as the QFs in the BBC era; its last team, four series ago, were also beaten in the first round by eventual quarter-finalists, Bristol. This year's quartet were:

Michael Sharry, from Dublin, studying Politics

Jack McInerney, from Craigavon, County Armagh, studying Maths

Captain: Courtney Campbell, from Coleraine, studying Politics

Luke Duffy, from Belfast, studying Business Economics

 

So off we set once again, and it was Ms Miller who took the first starter of the night for Glasgow, and the second as well by knowing that Gromit is knitting in the first scene of A Close Shave! The Scots side took two bonuses from the first set, and one from the second, before Mr Sharry gave Queen's their first starter, and they took a full bonus set on pomegranites, including Homer's brother's least favourite, Persephone ("People don't want cars named after hungry old Greek broads!"). The first picture rounds, on depictions of birds on flags, went to Glasgow; two bonuses took their lead to 55-25.

Mr Sharry took a second starter to Queen's with this week's OC crossover question, M*A*S*H, but none of the resulting bonuses went with it. Glasgow didn't fare much better with their next set, on cognitive behavioural therapy, taking just one. Another starter went to Mr Sharry, but, again, his side got nothing from the bonuses; Glasgow, again, only just did better with one from their next set. The music round, on western musicals, went to Queen's, but, again, no bonuses did (though they were unfortunate to offer two correct answers to the wrong questions!), which left their deficit at 85-50.

Mr Brennan increased it by knowing 1812 to be the year Spencer Percival was assassinated; two bonuses took them into three figures and, the way things were going, they looked a good bet for the win. But the impressive Mr Sharry took another starter for Queen's, and the bonuses finally fell for them, a full set on Catherine the Great. Ms Campbell chipped in with a starter, and a single bonus on technical terms, before, what looked like, a complete guess of 'gorganzola' from Mr McInerney put them within five points, but they couldn't get the one bonus to draw level. The second picture round, on films with costumes designed by Ruth E Carter, did give Queen's the lead though, and two bonuses meant they suddenly led 120-105.

And it was all one way traffic for the rest of the game, as the impressive Mr Sharry took yet another starter, and, though no bonuses followed, Mr McInerney took the next to put them within sight of victory. Just one bonus on Chinese inventions left the door slightly open for Glasgow, but that man Sharry then made it game over by taking the next starter; no bonuses followed again, but it didn't matter anymore. There was time for Mr McInerney to take one more starter before the gong; Queen's won 165-105.

A most interesting game, between another two pleasant and watchable teams; thanks very much to both. Well done Queen's, Mr Sharry in particular, and if they can improve their bonus rate, they could certainly do well in future rounds; best of luck to them in the second. Hard lines to Glasgow, who just fell away in the second half after a decent first, but still a respectable enough performance, thanks again for playing!

The stats: Mr Sharry was easily the best buzzer of the night with EIGHT(!) starters, while Mr Brennan was Glasgow's best with four. On the bonuses, Glasgow managed 9 out of 18, and Queen's 10 out of 34 (with the night's one penalty); as I said, improve on that, and you've got potential for a good run there.

Next week's match: Gonville & Caius Cambridge vs St Andrews

Only Connect was contested by the Jugadores, Kevin Foley, ex-MP Bridget Prentice and captain Leigh Caldwell, and the Harlequins, Michael Joel Bartelle, Ann Gavaghan and captain John Robinson, winner of £500,000 on new WWTBAM and UC alumnus alongside Mr Bartelle with Birmingham last series. They led 5-1 after the first round, where their opponents were rather harshly disallowed a three pointer answer that at the very least warranted a ‘have another go’, and 7-5 after the second. A better wall allowed the Harlequins to increase their lead to 17-11 going into Missing Vowels, and increased it further there to win 23-15.

 

Mastermind was won easily by Joe Andrew, who led easily after the SS round with 13 points to second place OC alumnus Anna Kirby-Hall’s 8, and ultimately triumphed with 28 points to her 20; Jack Karimi and Padraig O’Kane, who both scored 7 on their SS rounds, ended with respectable scores of 16 and 17 respectively.

 

Brain of Britain was a high scoring and close contest, with Catherine Bates winning with 15 points, and second placed Crispin Dawes having most likely done enough to come back as a high scoring runner-up with 11; Henry Male and Jo McLeod, who completed the line-up with 10 and 7 points, can consider themselves unlucky to be going out at this stage.