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Bowling News March 24th 2008

David Murphy captured the feature prize, the Joe McVeigh Cup, at the Bol Fada festival at Keady, Co Armagh, when he scored a bowl of odds victory over Eddie Carr on Sunday afternoon last. Murphy confirmed his current superiority over the northerner whom he also beat in the King of the Roads decider at Ballincurrig in October, as he swung an even content his way with a good closing quarter. Carr won the opening shots by a few metres before giving best to good second by Murphy to ‘O’Hanlon’s corner’. Carr was back in front with a big fourth to ‘Twynam’s’ but Murphy got the better of the next exchanges, decisively as it would turn out, for he was not headed thereafter. Carr put it up to him with big bowls to the ‘creamery lane’ but Murphy beat both and the margin stretched out to almost a bowl at ‘McCann’s corner’. It was back level shortly after when Murphy caught the left when throwing on a good tip of Carr’s to the ‘carnival gates’. Just a few metres hind now Carr did not follow up and when he missed sight at ‘Mc Kee’s’ he was almost a shot down again to the Cork man. Murphy made no mistakes from there holding big odds to the bridge and winning the bowl with his last shot. The stake, made up of euros and sterling, amounted to 12,000. The north Corkman Seamus Sexton (Jun) was another big winner in Armagh taking the Charlemont Cup in decisive fashion from Brian O’Reilly on Sunday morning. Sexton’s win was easier than expected as he went a bowl up after four and doubled his odds with a super shot to the ‘creamery lane’. O’Reilly was not on his game on this occasion and Sexton’s big lead was hardly threatened. The stake at issue was 14,000. A cracking doubles score followed this on Sunday morning when the northern backers got some recompense with a victory by a bowl for youths, Thomas Mackle and Stephen McCann over the strong southern pairing of Sean Murphy and David Hubbard. This one went for a total of 20,000 with McCann’s opening screamer giving his side a bowl lead. Murphy/Hubbard levelled the contest but the Armagh men came again to rise the shot a second time. This time they held it and won by the shot.

Saturday’s four score programme on the Market Hill road saw honours even although, in the opening contest, the visiting contingent extended their winning run when taking the first of the day as Eamonn Bowen (Jun) and Nicholas Carey combined to perfection to defeat Conor McGuigan and Paul Rafferty. Going for a total of 6,000, the Ulstermen missed the first bend in three and were a bowl down at ‘Tyman’s corner’. Strong and focused, Bowen/Carey yielded nothing for the duration of the score and won by a bowl. Back the road the northerners took their first win when Donal Daly and Sean Donnelly just edged a fraught finish from the Corkmen, Celly Spillane (Jun) and Freddie Scannell. An exciting joust had Daly/Donnelly push a bowl ahead on two occasions only to be whittled back by tenacious opponents. Spillane/Scannell eventually led the contest for the first time with two to go but had to give best in the final exchanges when Donal Daly took the decisive shot by fifty metres from Spillane. The total stake in that one was 5,000. Cork were back to the fore in the next set-to when South West men Ger Fitzpatrick and Ian Callanan hit top form in defeating Martin Toal and Harry Toal. For a 10,000 total stake, Martin Toal hit a beauty with his first and his side still led after two but had no answer to the power play of the Cork duo after that. Callanan/Fitzpatrick went two shots up at the ‘creamery lane’, were hauled back a little as the Toal’s made a strong rally, before running out winners by almost two at the end. The women on the ‘clar’ provided a rip roaring tie in the final contest on Saturday. With another 10,000 at issue Kelly Mallon and Jane O’Neill (Armagh) took on Marie Noonan and Emma Fitzpatrick (Cork) in a magnificent see-saw battle that ebbed and flowed throughout. Behind at the start to great play in the opening phase by the Cork pair, Mallon/O’Neill turned it their way with two super shots from the ‘carnival gate’ to ‘Powell’s’ at which point they regained the lead. Noonan/Fitzpatrick reeled in a significant deficit with two brilliant shots to ‘O’Hanlon’s corner’ to set up a last shot finale. Noonan cut her shot for glory too tightly and Kelly Mallon won the day for the northerners.

The weekend got off to the ideal start for the visitors when, on Good Friday afternoon, the partnership drawn from opposites ends of the county, Tim Young, Bantry, and Tony Carey, Carrigtwohill, delivered in style defeating Pat Mallon and Sean O’Reilly by almost two for a stake of 8,000. What was ultimately an easy enough victory did not look likely in the very early stages as the northern men missed a chance when leading after the opening throw. Young/Carey went well around the ‘viaduct’ in two rising handy odds and pulled a shot clear shortly after. The Corkmen made no significant errors for the remainder of the score and were comfortable at the end. Back in on Friday, the Cork/Louth pairing of Garoid Spillane and David Lucey came home winners against Padraigh Nugent and Paddy Shortt. Spillane bowled a superb score here but, when his side hit a dodgy patch, it was Lucey who got the shot that virtually decided it. The Louth youth, who represented his province in novice 2 at the All-Irelands in Eglish in September, hit a lengthy number that brushed and rubbed generously all the way around ‘Connolly’s corner’ to open up a score winning lead which they held to the end. The stake at issue was 5,400.

Six from nine represented a good return for the visitors and the after score presentation in the Caledonia Bar in Keady brought the curtain down on another successful Bol Fada festival.

The South West/Carbery four day inter-regional fund raising series was a total success. Crowds, a twenty two score programme, good sized stakes and excellent hospitality provided by the host Lyre club all made for a rewarding venture that boosted the resources of both regions ahead of a busy championship season. The pick of Friday’s action was a tremendous ten shot performance by Tadg Crowley from the start downward to Ballycummer creamery that saw off a game Tommy O’Sullivan who might have been ahead of many others on his own showing. Carbery got a big win under their belt on Saturday when J C Desmond played outstandingly to defeat host clubman, Ted Hegarty by two for €7,000. Dec O’Donovan from Leap won the feature score on Sunday for the Carbery men with a thrilling victory over his long time rival, Johnny O’Driscoll, Clon. Level at the no play lines at ‘Cormican’s’ O’Donovan hit a miler only for O’Driscoll to follow. The Leap man came again with two more and they roved too much for the game Clonman. The stake involved was €10,400. The veteran Timmie Hennessy won a great score on Easter Monday from Carbery’s Gerry Crowley last shot for €8,100. The full score results are contained in the Carbery bowling column.

In the women’s intermediate championship league Christina Cahalane came back in the frame with a bowl win over Mary Coughlan at Drinagh on Sunday morning and Helen Cooney made a winning debut in the grade defeating Aisling White on Saturday at Templemartin.

The West Cork junior A championship for the Jimmy Crowley Cup has retained its aura down through the years. This year’s line-up is up there with the best of any in the four decades of its existence making it a hard call from any of the ten starters. Three high octane contests over the Easter weekend has whittled the contenders down to seven and seen the departure of Gerry Gibbons, Chris O’Donovan and John Young. The Clubhouse on Good Friday hosted the only first round tie when Denis O’Driscoll, Drimoleague, and the Bantry man, Gibbons, went head to head for a total of €6,000. This score turned early when O’Driscoll cast two bullet-like efforts to ‘O’Brien’s bungalow’. Not seen on the road since a similar salvo by Gavin Twohig against John Creedon in last years senior championship, they rose a full bowl of odds and left him with a relatively easy task to make the ‘lines’ in three. An error away from here by the Bantry man allowed O’Driscoll extend his lead but Gibbons clawed it back to the even bowl at ‘Clon cross’. Gibbons got another bad break at ‘Murray’s’, unluckily it has to be said, and O’Driscoll almost doubles his odds. The leading man was always on control after that although Gibbons did make a mighty late effort with two big shots at the ‘school’. O’Driscoll won by two and now goes in against Denis Murphy in the quarterfinal at Corran on Sunday next. In a great score back The Clubhouse, Kieran Shannon beat a big last tip to deny local, John Tringle, by a few metres for a stake of €2,000. At Derrinasafa on Saturday Mick Young retained his hold on the Crowley Cup with a one bowl win over Chris O’Donovan. With a stake of €2,100 it was a score of very mixed bowling with the Ballineen man spurning a few opportunities to dethrone the defending champion. Two slips by O’Donovan at ‘darkwood’ were capitalized on in full by Young. To Durrus on Monday and an upset of sorts when the regions newcomer, Brian Wilmot, put paid to the hopes of John Young. With €5,000 at issue, Young made a mistake with his third to concede big odds. Wilmot pushed almost a bowl in front at ‘Flynn’s bungalow’ and finished the score well winning by almost a bowl. Crucial mistakes were Young’s downfall and his exit has thrown the championship wide open.

In West Cork junior B Finbarr Lynch hit six big shots from the ‘barrack’ at Kealkil to deny Mattie Hurley further interest. Lynch won by a bowl for €900. At Drinagh, on Monday, in the same grade Teddy O’Driscoll won very easily from Bernie Chambers for a stake of €800. In the West Cork novice C championship Mike Kelly defeated Denny O’Brien at Corran, Peter Murray defeated Jimmy Hurley and David O’Mahony defeated Michael Young at The Clubhouse and, in a cracking score at Drinagh, Damien Kingston defeated Seamus O’Sulllivan. In U16 boys Kevin Cotter defeated Daniel Mullins at Bantry and here too, in novice veteran, Johnny Murray defeated Michael Ward. At Durrus on Monday in West cork veteran Mick Kelly won a lively round one contest from Mike O’Donovan, The Shamrock. Two good scores in the North East junior A championship went off at Bottle Hill. Firstly, Patrick O’Donoghue, Mallow won in the last shot from Martin Daly for a stake of €2,900 after which Gary Daly defeated Denis Connolly by a bowl. In the Gaeltacht junior A championship Patrick Moynahin’s hopes hang by a thread. Paddy O’Callaghan inflicted a second defeat on the former Munster champion in the league type competition when he won their Ballingeary joust by almost a bowl. In Gaeltacht novice C Thady Dineen from Balyvourney defeated Brian Kiely, Macroom, by a bowl for €1,460. In Mid Cork novice D, Ronan Callanan defeated John O’Callaghan at Beal na mBlath. In North Cork novice C, at Donoughmore, Tommy O’Donoghue defeated Gene Hubbard by one bowl for €280 and here also, in novice veteran, Danny Murphy defeated John Coleman last shot for €500.

There were tournament finals at Bantry at Kilcorney. The North Cork club had a thriller on Bank Holiday Monday when Eoin O’Riordan won the first prize by a metre after a gripping clash with Derry Cooney. For a combined stake of €2,800, O’Riordan led by a bowl at ‘Cooney’s cross’ but his rival levelled it with three brilliant bowls to ‘Coleman’s bridge’. It went shot for shot from there O’Riordan beating a big second last to hold a slender lead. He did the same with is last brushing past his dogged opponent’s valiant effort. Togher Cross clubmen John Murphy and Mark Harrington reached the final at Bantry. Sharing the prize money, they threw a single shot for the Connolly Brothers Cup. Murphy got the miler to claim the trophy. Other club results read at Beal na mBlath Connie Connolly beating the novice line in eleven coming ina bowl ahead of Martin Desmond for €3,000. Back here Adrian Wilmot defeated Cian Shorten last shot for €1,400. At Templemartin Jerry Murphy defeated Vincent Kiely one bowl for €4,200 after which Killian O’Sullivan inflicted a further defeat on the North Cork man winning last shot for €2,200. In a novice D tournament at Newcestown on Easter Monday Gene O’Callaghan defeated Sean O’Donovan last shot for €720 and Denis Kelly defeated Michael Hickey one bowl for €1,000. In doubles at Sally’s Cross Mike Maloney and Joe Peiquing had one apiece with Padraigh Kelleher and Francis O’Mahony both last shot for €500 and €560. At Donoughmore on Monday another doubles fixture had Dan Joe Holland and Declan O’Mahony winning by a bowl from Denis Hickey and Pascal Buckley for a stake of €2,000. Interestingly here too a return pick-up saw Jim O’Driscoll, The City, Munster intermediate champion in 1998, showing some serious form on his return when defeating Edmund Sexton by a bowl. Beal na mBlath again had two international fund doubles scores on Monday. Honours were shared as the Walsh brothers, Paul and Kevin, Castletownkenneigh had one each with the John and Tim Allen, Newcestown, both last shot for €900 each time.

Race Night

As part of the forthcoming European Bowling Championships, Bol Chumann are hosting a ‘Night at the Dogs’ at Curraheen Park Greyhound Stadium on Friday May 2. It is the final fund raising drive in aid of the championships with a top race selection guaranteed to attract the leading owners and trainers in the country. The Association invites businesses and individuals to lend their support to this one–off event by way of race sponsorship, advertisement on the race programme, dog nominations or attendance at the races on the night in question. The ‘Night at the Dogs’ will coincide with the hosting of the 2008 European championships and the superb facilities at Curraheen Park provides an ideal setting the venture. These championships which brings competitors from Holland, Germany and Italy is a major undertaking for Bol Chumann and one that is eagerly looked forward to. Last hosted here in 1992, they do not return to Ireland until 2028.

Bowling news January 28th 2008

The inter-regional youths team finals at the Phale Road, Ballineen, provided a feast of under-age bowling in perfect conditions on Sunday morning last. The large turn-out witnessed some thrilling action with the winning teams, South West boys and Carbery girls, in brilliant form while, down the line, there were a few stirring tussles for the minor placings particularly in the boys section where the West Cork trio came from almost a bowl down to edge out Mid Cork by seventeen metres for the second spot. While it was regrettable that there was no representation from the North East or East divisions, the thirteen teams from Bol Chumann’s seven other regions showed commitment and no little skill and, buoyed by zealous support from family and friends, all contributed hugely to an excellent morning’s entertainment. Catering for age groups U10, 12 and 14 boys and U12, 14 and 16 girls, the competitions continue to play an important role in bringing the under-age sector through the winter months and give valuable practise ahead of the forthcoming championship season. Youths officer, Dan McCarthy, in cooperation with his counterparts in the various regions, have come up with a winning formula that, if last Sunday is an indicator, will endure for a while yet. South West boys were powered by two time U12 champion, John O’Sullivan who was given able assistance by Daniel O’Gorman and Finbarr Coomey in an emphatic ninety metre win in the boys section. Their eighteen shot total of 1,505 metres brought them close to the ‘green door’ at the renowned Ballineen venue, an exceptionally good performance that would have taken a lot of beating. Behind them a terrific battle ensued among a quartet of teams. Emerging at the front of these and threatening for a while to pass the South West total were the West and Mid selections. Kieran Murphy was on song for Mid but was matched by superb play for West Cork by Whiddy Islander, Connie O’Leary. Mid held sway in this exciting duel for a long time but were overhauled at the end by their rivals as the diminutive Michael Nyhan passed James Kelleher’s final mark by seventeen metres. Carbery’s girls, Nicola O’Sullivan, Michelle Ryan and Mairead O’Driscoll rose to the occasion in brilliant style. Experienced performers such as O’Sullivan and Ryan led by example but it was their ten year old team mate from Castletownsend who stole the show with marvellous throwing around the mid way point of their eighteen shot score. They totalled a splendid 1,329 at the end comparable with the best in any of the years that the competition has been held. Good as it was, it only bested West Cork, the holders and favourites, by just over sixty metres. Lorraine Hurley and Eilish Murray, both with plenty of early morning practice in the recent road trials at Bandon, were joined by Mairead O’Leary and all played well at different junctures. It did appear for a while as if they might retain the shield but there was no catching the Carbery girls on the day. Filling third place just fifty metres further back was a very strong Mid Cork trio some with excellent championships behind them in 2007. Aisling O’Callaghan, Eveyln Foley and Megan Collins were hot on the heels of the front two for much of the way and were well deserving of a top three place. The full score card from the Phale Road reads: Boys finals; 1 South West (John O’Sullivan, Daniel O’Gorman, Finbarr Coomey) 1,505 metres; 2 West Cork (Connie O’Leary, Niall Crowley, Michael Nyhan) 1,414.4; 3 Mid Cork (Kieran Murphy, Brian O’Halloran, James Kelleher) 1,397; 4 North Cork (Andy O’Callaghan, Daniel O’Sullivan, Sean Kiely) 1,265; 5 Carbery (Darren Shannon, Daniel Kingston, Brendan Crowley) 1,204.5; 6 City (Liam O’Keefe, John Bowen, Dylan O’Connor) 1,102; 7 Gaeltacht (Bill Corcoran, Gearoid Lucey, Patrick Creedon) 954. Girls finals: 1 Carbery (Nicola O’Sullivan, Michelle Ryan, Mairead O’Driscoll) 1,329 metres; 2 West Cork (Lorraine Hurley, Eibhlis Murray, Mairead O’Leary 1,268; 3 Mid Cork (Aisling O’Callaghan, Evelyn Foley, Megan Collins) 1,216.5; 4 South West (Aoife O’Connell, Sarah Pappin, Clair Cormican) 1,207; 5 Gealtacht (Adrianna Creedon, Laura Creedon, Ciara Griffin) 1,162; 6 North Cork (Rosin Heally, Aisling Sexton, Sarah O’Connell) 910. After the event, Bol Chumann chairperson, Susan Greene, presented the winners and runners up with their awards. She congratulated all who participated and thanked the Phale Road club for their hosting of the finals. Thanked as well were the Whitechurch bowling club whose generous sponsorship of the finals has been ongoing for a number of years

Bowling news December 17th 2007

Bol Chumann’s 2007 convention, held at St. Finbarr’s GAA pavilion on December 12, was a low key affair. Emphasis for the most part was on the forthcoming European Championships with some lively debate also on the updating of the Association’s rules and constitution due to be finalised in February. That particular issue was at the centre of the only motion on the ‘clar’, a proposal to call a special convention in early spring to ratify the completion of the revised rules. A series of informal discussions at a range of meetings has already informed regional and club personnel of the mostly minimal changes about to be implemented. Newly installed City chairperson, Linda Bowen, welcomed everybody and wished the meeting well. Secretary, Brendan Hayes, read the minutes from convention 2006 and followed with a comprehensive run down on the current year’s activities. He said the outcome of the legal challenge faced by the Association in January was a marked success for the Organisation and its legal team. He outlined the winners of the Schools competitions in February and October, the Youths event at Ballineen, the various championships throughout the year plus the All-Irelands in Skibbereen, Armagh and Tyrone. The Unlimited Bowling championships, Sports Star awards, King and Queen of the Road, International training, novice team competitions, regional AGM’s, and the Presentation Night were all covered in detail. The secretary thanked all who worked so steadfastly and gave assistance throughout the year. Chairperson, Susan Greene delivered an expansive address. ‘It is the time of year’ she said ‘to reflect on what has gone on in the past twelve months and look forward positively to the upcoming challenges in the year ahead. The European Championships next May offer us both a challenge and an opportunity. The challenge is to present the games to the standard now expected of internationals. A lot has changed since the first championships in 1969. With each passing four years the standard of organisation has improved. We must aim to maintain the level of excellence that has come to be associated with the European Championships. What that means is that we need a lot of voluntary effort. We will need the support of players and club members from every unit of the Association and from every part of the country. We will need people to referee and mark scores, take measurements, produce results sheets, scoreboards, to help with crowd control, parking and marshalling of all kinds. This is a very big challenge but one I think we can manage. We have learned a lot from the World Championships in Skibbereen and prior to that in Armagh. Are we up to that challenge? I can’t answer that question. Only you the delegates and the members of this Association can answer that. With regard to fund raising the chairperson said ‘all clubs are being asked to help in our efforts to raise money. Clubs are not asked to raise money for Bol-Chumann, they are being asked to raise money for bowling, for their own sport and their own sporting community. I am certain that clubs will realise the importance of making a success of the 2008 games and how in turn it is vital for the future of bowling’. In a hard hitting rebuttal of those whom she sees as not playing their part, she said ‘We are too small a sport to carry people who have no interest in supporting the sport, in developing the sport, in getting new members involved, in promoting the sport. Bol Chumann was set up to do these things. That’s why I am here at the top table. That is why everyone else who is here gives of their time. Again we have a small cohort of people who never pay a membership fee, put a cent into a stake, buy a ticket or a programme, look for a bowl or in any way help organise or promote bowling. These people are not neutral to the wellbeing of bowling – they are actually undermining it. They don’t want to see internationals or see children bowling. What they want is free entertainment or a cash cow. We have to be a lot more selective about who we tolerate in this sport. We welcome people from every social, religious, political, and in this new Ireland, every racial background. We welcome top athletes and those that bowl for fun, we welcome people with disabilities, we welcome young and old, we welcome girls and boys, men and women and we welcome settled and travelling people. We welcome the rural and urban, the rich and the poor. Ours is a sport of inclusion. That is one of its most outstanding qualities. I say to you tonight to be inclusive, to encourage new people to take up bowling, to cherish those that are involved now, to continue the outstanding generosity of bowling. This past year she said was a good one in terms of the sport being played in a proper spirit. We have had no disputes. Players in general have been prepared to play the game in a sporting manner; respect their opponents, officials, the general public and the rule book. She hoped we had turned a corner from the events of 2006 when so much time was spent of defending their disciplinary measures in the courts. The most hopeful sign was that, on two successive Sundays, we had close on sixty players training to get onto the Irish teams for next years European championships. That says more about the state of our game than I will ever be able to communicate. That our training programme started at 8am on a Sunday morning, that all our players were ready for action and that we had all out stewards in place gives me a very positive sense of the state of bowling. In conclusion Susan Green stated ‘My role as Chairperson of Bol Chumann is no easy one, but the organisational load has been considerably lightened by the tremendous support that I have received from my fellow officers in this Association. This was never previously brought home to me more than in the current year 2007. The camaraderie, support and friendship of those whom I work with closely, was endorsed yet again by the manner in which they rallied round in great numbers at the High Court in Dublin this year. We are indebted to our legal team headed by Edward O’Driscoll who continues to steer us in the right direction. Finally to the Executive, Regions, and club members that we turn to for support in 2008, you are the people who form the backbone of the Association and you are the people who we will look to for that level of support that will guarantee success when we host the 13th European Championships in May. Go raibh mile maith agat. The 2007 Convention ended with a tribute to Eamonn O’Carroll, Bol Chumann’s founding secretary, who passed away on May 30 of this year.

Treasurer, James O’Driscoll and auditor Christy Naughton presented detailed financial statements, PRO, Pat McCarthy, spoke of the positive image projected by the major competition winners during the year and legal advisor, Edward O’Drsicoll addressed the gathering on the importance of finalising the constitution. The outgoing officer board were unanimously re-elected to serve for another twelve months. Those re-elected were: President; Michael McSweeney; Chairperson, Susan Greene; Vice Chairman, Pat O’Sullivan; Secretary, Brendan Hayes, Treasurer, James O’Driscoll; Registrar, Liam Daly; Fixtures Secretary, Harry Jennings; Youths Officer, Dan McCarthy; PRO, Pat McCarthy, Legal Advisor, Edward O’Driscoll.

The big winner on the road on the past weekend was the Glanworth junior A contender, Billy McAuliffe. A hugely impressive ten shot salvo to sight beyond the ‘bridge’ at Ballinacurra, Upton, on Saturday last won him the prestigious Flor Crowley Cup from a strangely out of sorts John Young of Drinagh. Somewhat similar to the recent junior decider at The Clubhouse, this was an unexpectedly one-sided event as McAuliffe dominated from the off and was hardly threatened after the Drinagh man failed to capitalize on his one miscued effort, his eighth below ‘Perrot’s’. Young was in trouble after shooting his opening shot to the left and he compounded the error with a poorly played second. To his credit he didn’t get justice with an accurate, bullet like third and, further on, his fourth and sixth deserved better. McAuliffe’s run in carried a confident spring as he delivered, and the speed of his bowls ensured a lengthy measure on the dry terrain. He was very much the underdog though in the €4,000 combined stake as the Drinagh man’s recent good form had him odds on favourite. That scenario changed rapidly after it took him three to pass McAuliffe’s well-drilled opener. The bowl of odds stayed between them after two finely executed shots past the ‘Scheering Plough entrance’ before the North East man extended his advantage with a smashing third to the edge of the main road. McAuliffe had sixty metres with the bowl after the next two beyond ‘Foley’s’. It got closer in the next exchanges to the ‘gas line’ as Young tried to find his form but it was a day when nothing went right for him. A poor seventh by the Drinagh man gave McAuliffe an opportunity to drive home but he shot his attempt into the right. It was a momentary lapse for he cut a super drive down past the GAA pitch with his follow-up to rise a second bowl. It was over then after his next, a rocket over the ‘bridge’ that wound around on to the straight facing the novice line. John Young sportingly conceded and offered his congratulations at that point. Later in the evening, at the Brinny Inn, Bol Chumann chairperson, Susan Greene, presented Billy McAuliffe with the Flor Crowley Cup. Mid Cork regional chairman, Martin Foley spoke in praise of the Associations founding father and complimented those who participated in the eight man competition. Billy McAuliffe thanked his opponent for a sporting contest and also his loyal band of supporters who travelled from Glanworth to cheer him to victory.

Teddy Arundel of Ahakista was another on the winner’s podium after he claimed the Danny McCarthy Cup in a tense finish at Durrus on Sunday afternoon last. Arundel had to call on all his reserves to beat testing tips from opponents, Patsy O’Sullivan, Kealkil and Sidney Shannon, Durrus, more especially having lost a commanding lead earlier in the score. The decider attracted a big attendance to the West Cork venue and was played for a combined total of €3,300. Shannon, a previous winner of the Cup, made a stirring start taking a thirty metre lead after two. Just metres separated all three after the next exchange before Arundel hit a purple patch playing four exceptional shots from ‘Daly’s’ to ‘Flynn’s’ to go almost two bowls up and seemingly uncatchable. It all changed just as suddenly when the leading man’s form dipped and Shannon and O’Sullivan took full advantage. Arundel’s lead was down to forty metres for the last shots. Shannon, playing first, threw a good effort well past the finish line but O’Sullivan matched and beat that. Arundel withstood the pressure and took the laurels with a confident response. At Rosscarbery, Freddie Scannell, The Pike won the novice 1 tournament from Con O’Sullivan, Ballygurteen, by one bowl for a stake of €2,000. Mick Moloney and Brendan Cotter gave a polished performance against Kevin Cooney and Francis O’Mahony in the Sally’s Cross Christmas Hamper doubles final. In excellent weather conditions and for a good stake (€1,100), the decider had all the ingredients for top class fare. Little separated the players in the early stages. Cotter and Moloney made their move at the first corner rising a bowl of odds. They piled on the pressure to double their lead at the ‘green door’ before Cooney halved the odds at ‘Brosnan’s’. Despite further good play by Cooney and O’Mahony the winners held firm to take the top prize. In a challenge score at the same venue Danny Murphy and Padraigh Kelleher did the business with a two bowls win over Martin Madigan and James Walsh for a stake of €960.Sally’s Cross club chairman, John O’Mahony, made special presentation to Johnny and Peggy O’Riordan and to Danny Murphy for his services to the club.

At Ballyvourney Aidan Murphy delivered an impressive fifteen shot performance in taking a big bowl of odds win over Martin Coppinger. Murphy, the favourite in the €1,840 combined stake, took advantage of poor third by the Bantry man to go almost a bowl up. He was faultless subsequently making the ‘slippery rock’ in nine good shots. He was a shade lucky in the shot away from here before driving to increase his stranglehold despite Coppingers best efforts. At Cobh Andrew O’Leary hit good form in scoring a last shot victory over Mick Gould for a stake of €2,500. Here too, a couple of fixtures in the Christy Coleman Cup saw William O’Brien defeat Moss Twomey last shot and Sam Kingston take a win over John Walsh. At Ballyclough Haulie O’Mahony defeated Danny Murphy last shot for €900 and Pat Kelleher defeated Jim Buckley one bowl for €340. At Gortroe Danny O’Shea (Macroom) defeated Tommy O’Donoghue (Bweeng) by a bowl for €900. At Donoughmore Jim Coffey had a good double. He defeated Vincent Kiely twice by a bowl of odds both times for stakes of €1,600 and €1,700. At Curraheen David Hubbard defeated Tony Morris one bowl for €1,200. There were novice tournament semi-finals at The Clubhouse and Kilumney. At the West Cork venue Coleman Murray played well to defeat Finbarr McCarthy by a bowl of odds. Murray hit the ground running going close to sight at the no play line in three. McCarthy came back into in by ‘Clon cross’ but Murray drove on again. The Gloun man beat a big last tip to win by the shot. His fellow clubman, Colm Dwyer, will be his opponent in the final. At Kilumney, P J McCarthy, Kinsale defeated Con O’Donovan, Newcestown by the fore bowl. Going for a total of €1,700 this was a tight close battle. O’Donovan led for the first five before McCarthy took over. There was never much in it but the Kinsale man stayed ahead and will now contest with Mark O’Shea, Blarney, in the upcoming decider there.

Bowling News November 12th 2007

Bol Chumann celebrated a championship season that exceeded all expectations with a presentation of awards to forty two winners and runner-up at the Associations annual dinner-dance and social hosted at the West Cork Hotel on Saturday night last. The organisation of the event fell, on this occasion, to the officers of the Marsh Road club and the Carbery region to coincide with their running of the All-Ireland series in mid July, and their efforts were rewarded with a hugely enjoyable function. Guests for the evening included Cllrs Jim Daly, Joe Carroll and Fergal Dennehy and they, along with Bol Chumann senior personnel, Susan Greene, James O’Driscoll and Brendan Hayes, made significant contributions on a night that showcased the wide ranging activities of the sport. Cllr Daly complimented the bowl players of the county on the many hours of outstanding entertainment they provide for the thousands who follow the game. He was especially praiseworthy of the exceptional efforts directed towards fund raising for deserving causes by all sectors within the sport of bowlplaying. Cllr Dennehy spoke of the tremendous work being done by the Associations organisers and lauded the inclusiveness of the sport that brings people of all ages and abilities together. Cllr Carroll, representing Skibbereen Town Council, said the hosting of the All-Ireland championships and the World Bowling competitions in 2005 reflected the suitability of the Marsh Road and its surrounds as a highly regarded bowling venue. In his inimitable style, Mr Carroll regaled the audience with a few anecdotes from his own bowling career. Susan Greene, Chairperson Bol Chumann, thanked all who had made the 2007 championship season one of the best ever from a sporting and competitive perspective. She paid tribute to club and regional officers throughout the county for completing so many competitions on schedule. The European Championships in May 2008 would demand a continuing high level of support from all divisions. The recent positive move in relation the Bowling Arena in Dunmanway, boded well for the future of the sport, she said. Honorary Secretary, Brendan Hayes, called on the winners and runners up from the twenty one championships run off over the past season and each received a special momento of their achievements. Those honoured were: Girls U12, winner, Megan Collins, runner-up, Julianne Hayes; girls U14, winner, Michelle Ryan, runner-up, Aisling O’Callaghan; girls U16, Lorraine Hurley, Adrianna Creedon; girls U18, Emma Fitzpatrick, Bernadette Murphy; Womens junior, Helen Cooney, Claire O’Brien; Womens intermediate, Juliet Murphy, Emer O’Donovan; Womens senior, Marie Noonan, Sharon Russell. Boys U12, winner, John O’Sullivan, runner-up, Niall Crowley; boys U14 Anthony Broderick, David O’Brien; boys U16, Arthur McDonagh, Raymond Ryan; boys U18, Thomas Buckley, Mark Sheehan; novice 1, Gerry O’Riordan, Declan O’Leary; novice 2, Mike O’Regan, Paul Hunt; veteran junior, Mick Young, Liam Barry; veteran novice, Jerry O’Driscoll, Neally O’Leary; vintage, Christy Keating, Con O’Donovan; junior C, Eoin O’Riordan, Neil Crowley, junior B, Ger Fitzpatrick, Tim Young; junior A, Ian Callanan, Mick Young; Intermediate, Nicholas Carey, Tim Pat O’Donovan; senior, winner, Bill Daly, runner-up, James Buckley.

As is usual the presentation included a number of special awards. Susan Green introduced the Male player of the Year for 2007 as follows: ‘Deciding on the player of the year always gives its own share of headaches with plenty of worthy contenders, each having their own strong claims. This year was no different when it came to selecting just one from a number of worthy contenders, but this player finally scaled the heights of winning an All-Ireland title. This year he contested two provincial titles and on the August Holiday Weekend on the Cathedral Road in Armagh he finally took the glory which was more than deserved after almost four decades of sterling service to bowling. The 2007 player of the year is Mick Young, Bantry and Drinagh’. Juliet Murphy was awarded the female bowlplayer of the year. No stranger to winning All-Ireland titles, she is a household name not alone in Cork but throughout the thirty two counties. She upheld a great family tradition in 2007 by claiming her road bowling title on August weekend. When it came to the great sporting arenas of Croke Park in Dublin or the Cathedral Road in Armagh, she has shown to all the versatile and talented player that she is and just this past week was named Cork Person of the Month for October. The personality of the year award went jointly to Batty Hurley and Nobby Dunne. In the recent past the sport of bowling has broken new ground with the advent of a competition calculated to accommodate players with special needs. In the short space of time that it has been in existence it has experienced phenomenal growth and popularity, so much so that it has now an All-Ireland Championship all of its own. This competition would never have reached the pinnacle of its success without the significant role played by the joint recipients of this year’s Hilser Jewellers Personality of the Year Award. Their energy, enthusiasm and commitment have benefited a wide group of people. They had the vision to realise that bowling is a special game that can be played that can be played by everyone in a way that other sports can’t. They have opened up a new avenue for bringing bowling to a new community who may not have had previous experience of it. For bringing Unlimited Bowling to the success it enjoys today Batty Hurley and Nobby Dunne are the recipients of this award. The final presentation of the evening was the prestigious O’Donovan Dairy Services 2007 Hall of Fame award for 2007. The recipient this year was Southern Star editor, Liam O’Regan. In her citation Susan Green stated ‘Down through the years we have placed great dependence on the media, including press, TV and radio for the promotion of our sport at all levels. In its formative years dating right back to the pre Bol Chumann era, the Southern Star newspaper provided more extensive and parochial coverage than any other media outlets. Its weekly bowling column has been a must read not alone for bowling followers here in Ireland but also for our exiles in the bowling outposts of Boston, London and New York. The sport ahs been blessed by correspondents such as Flor Crowley, Christy Santry and Pat McCarthy but the man who has been most amenable towards the publicity that the Southern Star has provided us with is the newspapers long serving editor, Liam O’Regan of Skibbereen’. Pat McCarthy, PRO Bol Chumann, accepted the 2007 Hall of Fame award on behalf of Liam O’Regan.

The management and staff of the West Cork Hotel were thanked for the excellent repast and the musical expertise of Denis Hickey and Christy Keating ensured a full dance floor for the remainder of an enjoyable evening. Denis McGarry’s colourful photographic mix from the years activities was on display and commanded plenty of interest also.

November’s Executive meeting on Wednesday 5 addressed some issues with regard to funding for the forthcoming European Championships. Bol Chumann treasurer, James O’Driscoll, said that a significant sum would be required to run the event on a par with previous championships. Although a good start had been made with funding already accumulated from the sucessful Race Night at Curraheen in December ’06, much more will be needed. Affiliated clubs under the Association’s remit are asked to play their part in the fund raising drive. The club and regional network which backbones the Bol Chumann’s operations are requested to run single scores or competitions to aid this initiative. The stake stipend from all scores played during the month of February 08 will be directed towards the European championships. Clubs requesting benefit scores from January 1 are reminded that proceeds from all such fixtures for the four month period to May 1 will also be allocated to the championships. The European Bowling Championships will not be held in Ireland again until 2028 and everybody involved in the sport will be required to play their part in whatever way possible to make this one off occasion one to remember.

The meeting on Wednesday extended good wishes for a quick and speedy recovery to Eamonn Bowen (Jun) as he convalesces after an unfortunate accident at the Lee Fields on Monday Oct 29. Eamonn sustained the injury when accidentally hit during the Moors bowling trials. It is the hope of everybody involved that he will be back to continue his hitherto top level performances as trials continue. The first session on the road will take place on Sunday morning next at Bandon, when as much help as possible will be required to give the big numbers expected every opportunity to play at their best.

Paul Buckley won the Monorone junior A tournament final on Sunday last scoring a victory of almost a bowl of odds over North Cork’s Andy O’Callaghan. Buckley took a big step with an outstanding first shot to sight that yielded the bones of his winning margin at the end. The bowl was up at ‘Murphy’s lane’ and the Mid Cork man continued to power on going close to rising two at ‘Butler’s’. O’Callaghan never gave up the fight and narrowed the gap to the even shot with three to go. It was under the bowl for the last shots and, had Buckley missed the finish line, there was a small chance for the Mallow man. Buckley made no mistake with his last and passed the mark by twenty metres to claim first prize. O’Callaghan did have the satisfaction of saving the bets on the bowl. The stake at issue was €1,000. Gavin Twohig won the International Fund score at Grange from John Shorten. Shorten miscalculated with his opening shot to go almost a bowl down. A mistake by Twohig at ‘Hodnett’s’ and two big shot to ‘Hegarty’s’ by Shorten turned it around leaving the Kilmurray man ahead at half-way. A nice loft and run from Twohig restored the ascendancy in his favour and he rose substantial odds in the shots down to the ‘wall’. Twohig won at the end by a bowl for a stake of €2,800. Tim Pat O’Donovan won the Pat Barry Cup score at Donoughmore from Seamus Sexton. O’Donovan rose a bowl after three and went two up in the closing stages. Prior to that Sexton missed a small chance of levelling at the end of the straight. The stake at issue was €4,000. Declan O’Mahony defeated Johnny Byrnes in a return at Donoughmore last shot for €1,500. In the Whitechurch tournament, Richard Murphy defeated former senior Mick O’Driscoll (B) by two bowls for €800. Murphy dominated this score as O’Driscoll failed to find form.

The youth’s trials went ahead at various venues over the past weekend. Mid Cork’s was on at Ballinacurra on Saturday, South West at The Pike on Sunday as did Carbery at Madore where the emphasis on under-age bowling by the Castlehaven group was very much in evidence. West Cork had a big turnout at the Clubhouse and here the attendance were treated to a wonderful display from young James O’Leary of Whiddy Island.

In the Jerry Desmond Cup at The Pike Gerry Murphy defeated Billy McAuliffe. A second round fixture they went even to the no play line. Murphy went sight at ‘Draper’s’ with the Glanworth man lofting before calamity befell the hind when his attempt across the corner stayed inside. He didn’t make it with his re-thrown attempt either and there was no way back after that. The stake at issue was €1,600. On Sunday at The Pike a junior tournament fixture resulted in a win for Michael Gould over Johnny Murphy. With a stake of €460 at issue, Murphy made a bad error with his second last when throwing odds on fifty metres. Gould made most of the reprieve to win in the last shot. All-Ireland champion and Pike clubman, Ian Callanan defeated Gould in a return challenge last shot for €800. At Rylane Gary Daly defeated Gerry Gibbons last shot for €1,000. This was a good contest with both throwing four big shots to the line before the Fermoy man shaded it. Denis Murphy won the Clubhouse junior A tournament semi-final from Tommy Connolly last shot for €5,200. Murphy started at a blistering pace going sight at ‘O’Brien’s’ in three to forge over a bowl ahead. Following with two more of the best to ‘Clon cross’ he went two clear before Connolly staged a spirited rally. Two super shot from the brow beyond ‘O’Riordan’s’ halved the odds and a mighty second last had under the bowl with the line in sight. Murphy held on to book a final meeting with Ian Callanan. At Ballinacurra on Saturday David Hubbard notched up two wins. Firstly out, he accounted for Thomas Boyle one bowl for €2,500 before winning a three way return that also included Boyle and the East Corkman Tony Carey. The stake in that one was €1,500. At Curraheen John Twohig won the tournament semi-final there from Pat Joe Murphy. Twohig’s winning margin was two bowls for a stake of €1,200 and he now faces Trevor O’Mahony in the decider. On the way back at Curraheen Sean Hurley defeated Donsie O’Mahony last shot for €2,000. In the Sally’s Cross Christmas hamper doubles competition: Raymond Barrow/Connie Moylan defeated Ollie O’Riordan/Johnny O’Riordan by two bowls for €300; Paddy O’Keefe/Martin Moloney defeated Jerome Casey/Jeremiah Linehan two bowls for €540 and Kevin Cooney/Francis O’Mahony defeated Danny Murphy/John Sheehan one bowl for €400. A challenge score at Sally’s Cross Mickie Murphy and Maurice Cashman defeated Denis O’Connell and James Walsh last shot. At Dunderrow Vincent Dillon and Con Cronin has a score apiece. At Castletownkenneigh on Saturday Carbery’s junior A champion, Michael Bohane was in devastating form. For a stake of €2,400, he produced a half dozen top quality shots from the start line on to the straight to rise a two bowl lead on Trevor McCarthy, himself the regional Mid Cork champion. For good measure Bohane registered a second win over McCarthy in a return contest at Castletown.

The regional A G M’s continue around the county. With few exceptions the status quo is maintained. Such is the case in Carbery where Susan Greene attended to oversee elections at their meeting at the Corner Bar, Skibbereen. Returned unopposed were Pat O’Sullivan, President; Richie Fitzgerald, Chairman; William O’Brien, Secretary; Vincent O’Mahony, Treasurer; Dan McCarthy, Youths officer; Pat McCarthy, PRO; Con Twohig, Fixtures secretary and Registrar. Two significant changes came about at the West Cork meeting held at the West End Bar, Drimoleague, on the following night when James O’Driscoll represented Bol Chumann. Sitting officers, Chairman, John O’Driscoll, Durrus, and secretary, Helen Connolly, Bantry, vacated their posts. Both were warmly thanked for their sterling work by the club delegates and many tributes were paid to their dedication. Newly installed were Chairman, Tom Conway, Bantry and Secretary, Martin O’Brien, Ballinacarriga and both were wished well in their new positions. John Murphy, Togher Cross continues as treasurer and Christy Mullins carries on as fixtures secretary. Mike O’Regan is PRO. The Mid Cork AGM was held on Monday night at St. Patrick’s Hall, Upton where Brendan Hayes presided over elections. Their list of officers are: President, Tim Buckley; Vice President, Gus O’Sullivan; Chairman, Martin Foley; Secretary, Linda Kelly-Murphy; treasurer, Denis Kelly; Regristrar, Linda Kelly-Murphy; Fixtures secretary, John Murphy. The North Cork regional AGM met at Stuake Community Hall, Donoughmore on Tuesday, Nov 6. Susan Greene presided as the outgoing team were retained. Chairman is Willie Murphy, Secretary is Paddy Ronan, treasurer is Catriona O’Rourke-Hubbard and fixtures secretary is Paddy Ronan. Delegates to executive meetings from North Cork are Tim Kelleher, Humphrey O’Sullivan and Olan Sexton.

Bowling News October 15th

The twenty-third hosting of the King and Queen of the Roads festival heralded in a new order with first time winners in the premier competitions. Youth had its fling as David Murphy, Kelly Mallon and Seamus Sexton too took the major prizes at the conclusion of a superb three-day programme that encapsulated the raw intensity of the sport at its best. Murphy’s win over Eddie Carr in the Hurley’s of Midleton King of the Roads final on Sunday evening came at the end of a three hour twenty two shot marathon that tested the endurance of both contenders. The standard of play, at times, was not what it might have been from the games best, and much of the opening third and the final shots saw chances go a begging as both players failed to get to grips with the occasion. But, what the score lacked in quality, it more than made up for in the closeness of the exchanges for it was literally there for the taking after Carr’s amazing rally from the no play lines. David Murphy was the overwhelming favourite at the outset, mainly due to his fine performance in Friday semi-final against Bill Daly, with odds of almost two to one offered on his winning. Carr balanced his side of the €4,200 stake and went about upsetting the predictions in determined style casting a truly magnificent first shot away from the Rathgobin line as they played inward. Murphy was did well to come within fifty metres of that formidable tip but was very much on the back foot after throwing a poor third into the left. Carr had the chance then to make a significant impact then but crossed his fourth into the right and later on too, after Murphy missed sight at ‘O’Connell’s green’, he threw away a golden opportunity by doing likewise. They reached that juncture in seven a point Phillip O’Donovan made in five in his 2006 King victory over Michael Toal. The first glimpse of David Murphy’s innate bowling ability came with his eighth, a brilliantly executed effort whipped away accurately, and it gave him his first lead. He held it in good bowling to the ‘big corner’ before striking a major blow for victory with a massive break off ‘Leahy’s’ to go sight at the start of the ‘long straight’. Carr stayed in touch keeping the margin well under the bowl and took advantage of an average attempt by Murphy at ‘Heaphy’s’ to regain the lead sensationally with a massive effort to the no play line. Murphy looked in trouble but Carr’s shot for the creamery was accidentally blocked and suddenly he was behind again. The Ulster man played a splendid shot through the green but Murphy defiantly followed and no more than five metres separated them looking down on the finish line. In the pressure situation both missed the line with poor judgement and, when Carr again failed to get a decent run with his last, Murphy didn’t flinch and beat the mark with ease.

Kelly Mallon crowned a magnificent year when annexing the Pizza Plus Queen of the Roads title at her first attempt. The All-Ireland senior and U18 champion claimed the trophy with a big fore bowl victory over Marie Noonan who was also on the receiving end at the Marsh Road All-Irelands in July. This was a much better performance by the North Cork girl and, indeed against any other, she might have taken the honours on the day. Mallon was the punters favourite in the €5,900 stake but Noonan took the first shot with a fine cast down to the first bend. Mallon won the next but did not gain significant yardage as Noonan matched her best down the ‘short straight’. Across from the ‘white wall’ Mallon gained seventy metres and powerful play on the long straight had her seemingly in control. Noonan staged a spirited rally at the same point as Eddie Carr would do later and cut her rival lead to thirty metres at the no play line. She was well in contention with another big effort to the ‘creamery’ but Mallon never wavered from her flowing style and refused to yield any more odds. Mallon pushed out to a sixty metres lead for the last shots and there was no denying her the laurels as she flashed a splendid last shot that sped past the ‘Moore’s gate line’.

The tougher the battle the better Seamus Sexton seems to thrive. The Nadd player was renewing acquaintance with Armagh’s Brian O’Reilly whom he defeated in the 2003 Al-Ireland U18 final, but the Ulster man was coming into their latest clash as national intermediate champion following his July victory over Nicholas Carey. They played away for a combined sum of €10,200 with Sexton, holding early dominance, going to the lines in six and a shot ahead. O’Reilly left his effort from the lines into the right leaving Sexton with good odds with the bowl but any hopes of an easy ride were banished as O’Reilly reeled in the deficit to the even bowl at the end of the long straight. Then, with one of the exquisite shots of the weekend, O’Reilly levelled it with ferocious effort up to sight at the big turn. Worse was to follow for Sexton as he then missed O’Reilly’s next tip to concede the lead for the first time. Later on, as he attempted to regain his lead, he had a monstrous effort to sight at the last corner ‘called’ but still he came again with two magnificent last shots to win the duel and claim the Jim O’Driscoll Cup.

Any doubts about Eddie Carr’s involvement were banished as the Ulster champion appeared ready and eager for the fray on Saturday morning. He would go on to record a King of the Roads semi-final victory that, while not a shock, was certainly unforeseen by the majority of punters. Defending King, Phillip O’Donovan, was the favourite in the contest with German, Ralf Klinsenberg, also expected to make a big impact. Carr and O’Donovan played for a combined tally of €10,200 and all three were evenly matched in the early stages. Klinsenberg showed power in abundance making the ‘green’ in three to lead but, as in the case of Freidrichs and Schemanski on the previous day, road management and play know-how was not the strongpoint of the FKV visitors. O’Donovan and Carr went level to the lines with Klingenberg almost two shots down and that remained the position for a good portion of the score. The bowling was not on a par with the previous day’s semi-final but it was close and exciting. Carr had a handy tip to beat to win it but did so with confidence to book his spot in Sunday’s final. Klingenerg acquitted himself well in the closing stages and was not beaten by a full bowl. There was a great Cork win in the Dairypower challenge when Ger Fitzpatrick and Mike O’Regan defeated Stephen McCann and Paddy Short for a total of €8,400. The winners went a bowl up after McCann missed down the ‘short straight’ and they held their advantage until the closing stages. A mistake by junior B champion, Fitzpatrick, cost the West Cork duo big odds but The Pike player compensated with a big second last and ably assisted by O’Regan, who threw some inspired shots, they ran out winners by a good fore bowl. The Gaeltacht men Eoin and Gerry O’Riordan produced, arguably, the most complete performance of the weekend when winning the Dick Hudson Challenge from Pat Mallon and Padraigh Nugent. There was €6,240 at issue in this one as the O’Riordan’s pulled away to a two bowl victory thanks in the main to some superb throwing on the ‘long straight’ and down to the ‘creamery’. It wasn’t all one way traffic for the southerners for the newly inaugurated Charlie McCarthy Cup went to the Armagh men Sean O’Reilly and Thomas Mackle. They took a fore bowl win from Cork’s Liam Barry and Killian Kingston for a stake of €4,400. The best of the bowling in this score was done by the under-age players Thomas Mackle and Killian Kingston with one particularly brilliant effort from Kingston, his miler from the no play line, winning the William O’Brien and Sons Cup for the shot of the weekend.

Friday’s blast off between David Murphy and Bill Daly was billed as a defining contest between the elder brigade who grabbed so much of the championship limelight and the younger breed who desperately want to make a mark on the major competitions. Murphy made his mark all right winning a teak tough battle with the All-Ireland champion by a bowl of odds. This King of the Roads semi-final joust went of for the substantial total of €24,500 and it was Murphy who raced away to fifty metre lead with his first and second. Three to just short of the ‘creamery’ was excellent shooting but he crucially missed the no play line in two more to allow Daly, who was coming into his own at this point, to level. Daly led with his seventh shot to ‘O’Riordan’s’ and his canniness in getting the most out of every shot was beginning to show as he went forty metres in front by ‘Leahy’s’. He didn’t take any advantage though to the ‘big corner’ where Murphy had it back to level tips. The ferocious speed that Murphy carries in his bowling had a vital bearing in the final third of the score. His bullet up the ‘short straight’ gained him fifty metres at a vital stage, and when he followed up with a super cast to the ‘sycamores’, the writing was on the wall for Daly. The bowl of odds was up with the line in sight and Murphy assuredly won by that in the final exchanges.

The first Queen of the Roads semi-final got proceedings under way when the inward three-way match-up between Marie Noonan, the Munster champion, Sandra Shimanski, the German championstour winner, and Kristen Freidrichs the holder, from last year, of the Queen of the Roads trophy. Shimanski made all the early running going a full bowl up on her compatriot after four shots and heading Noonan by seventy metres. Schimanski stayed in control down the ‘long straight’ but, without warning, her form lapsed considerably over the second half of the score. Marie Noonan showed her battling qualities to close the gap and then led the contest for the first time at ‘Heaphy’s’. Freidrichs failed to make an impact on this occasion and remained well in arrears. Noonan made the most of her new found ascendancy and hit a superb shot from the ‘creamery’ to pull a bowl clear of Schimanski with Freidrichs a further shot back. That was how it remained to the finish with Noonan bowling on strongly to beat the line in seventeen shots.

The final score on Friday was the second Queen semi-final involving All-Ireland champion, Kelly Mallon, and qualifier, Catriona O’Farrell/Kidney. The combined stake in this one was €12,400, testimony to the now exalted status of the teenage All-Ireland champion. Little separated them in the early exchanges although Kidney might have made more of an opportunity in the shots to the ‘sycamores’. Two incidents in the shots to the ‘big corner’ changed the course of the score. Mallon got away with a wickedly tight play on the left to go clear around and a total misplay by Kidney saw the lead go north wards. Another error and a big throw by Mallon left a full bowl of odds between them. Kidney fought back with spirit and got her reward when she cut the deficit to fifty metres for the last shots. Her last was good too but, in the gathering gloom, Mallon’s reply brushed the left and rolled past the Carrigtwohill girls mark by one foot.

The Cobh Pipe Band paraded the new King and Queen to the victory podium where event coordinator, Seamus O’Tuama, thanked all who contributed to this years promotion. He presented winners and runners up with trophies and generous cash prizes and was especially praiseworthy of those who continue to sponsor the various competitions. The curtain thus came down on another memorable weekend at Ballincurrig. This year’s festival equalled if not surpassed anything in its twenty three year history with bowling at its best, crowds of near record proportions and idyllic weather conditions contributing to its enduring success.

The bowling world was not totally centered on Ballincurrig. Several tournament and cup competition scores went on in tandem around the county. Ger Fitzpatrick made it a good weekend when he won his opening score in the Jerry Desmond Cup at Shannonvale on Sunday morning. Mark Crean provided tough opposition in a good contest played for a total of €1,400. Fitzpatrick led all the way with both going close to the line at ‘Desmond’s’ in seven where he just held the fore bowl. Crean continued to threaten and stayed level to ‘Campbell’s’ in fourteen. Fitzpatrick took command in the final shots to advance by almost a bowl of odds. At Shannonvale on Sunday next there is an interesting clash between two men who have won the All-Ireland junior A championship. Ian Callanan and Brian O’Donovan go head to head in a tournament final that should generate plenty of interest. At The Pike Trevor McCarthy defeated Ted Hegarty by the fore bowl in a junior A tournament fixture played for €2,440 and Michael Gould scored a two bowl win over Michael Crowley at the Phale Road in a similar competition. Gould and Crowley did excellent bowling to ‘O’Regan’s’, both nearly out in six but Gould dominated from there with three big shots to the narrow road. At Curraheen John O’Sullivan, Bishopstown defeated Paul Walsh, Togher last shot for a total of €1,000 and here too Donsie O’Mahony defeated Denis Walsh coming from a bowl down to take it in the last shot for a total of €1,100. There is also an enticing tournament final at Curraheen on Sunday next when Dan Joe Holland and Vincent Kiely meet. Con O’Donovan won at Kilumney from local player John O’Mahony, one bowl for €540. At Newcestown Alan Butler won the novice 2 tournament semi-final from Gearoid Wilmot one bowl for €240. The aforementioned Con O’Donovan will be Butler’s opponent in that final where he will undoubtedly have the local backing. At Beal na mBlath Joe Tyner and Dinny Nyhan had two good scores. Tyner won the tournament fixture out the road by almost a bowl for €2,800 while Nyhan gained his revenge in the return challenge last shot for €1,600.

Bowling News October 8th 2007

The twenty-third King and Queen of the Roads festival at Ballincurrig is the centrepiece of this weekend’s action with a red hot three-day programme promising a feast of bowling at its best. The eleven score line up involving national champions from North and South plus the best from the German championstour should once again prove an enthralling mid-October spectacle and, given a decent weather outlook, will draw followers of the game from all quarters to the East Cork village. The imponderables are many. Can Phillip O’Donovan become the first to emulate Pat Butler’s early nineties feat of three-in-row King titles. Can Bill Daly go to the well one more time and claim a record sixth. Is it the opportunity for the upcoming brigade in the form of David Murphy to make a big statement and how good is the new German sensation Ralf Klingenberg who has broken all records in his homeland. And what of Eddie Carr?. Rumours of his unavailability abound but the strong likelihood is that he will not miss this crack at the limelight and, should he produce something akin to that explosive Marsh Road form of a few years ago, he too could be a formidable foe the title holder on this weekend. Likewise, in the Queen stakes there is plenty to reflect on. The German champion, Kerstin Freidrichs, was the unexpected winner last year but, if anything, faces a tougher task on this occasion. Kelly Mallon can be regarded a serious contender on the back of her sensational performances at the Marsh Road in July, when a pair of All-Ireland titles were annexed, but it is her first appearance in this competition and with a tough draw, the teenager from Madden may have to wait another year. Catriona O’Farrell/Kidney is bang on form producing a series of top notch displays in the qualifying tournament and will take a lot of beating in a competition that she has made her own, winning it on a previous four occasions. Munster champion, Marie Noonan, will be aiming for her first title and will be anxious to put a disappointing All-Ireland final behind her. She has the ability to trump them all. Add in the Jim O’Driscoll Cup final, a mouth watering clash between Seamus Sexton (Jun) and intermediate champion Brian O’Reilly, three doubles contests involving many of those who shone through the summer championships and an atmosphere guaranteed to lift the spirit then the King and Queen of the Roads festival should provide a fine weekends entertainment.

The King and Queen of the Roads programme is as follows:
Friday October 12; 12.45, Pizza Plus Queen of the Roads semi-final 1; Sandra Schimanski v Marie Noonan v Kerstin Freidrichs (holder); 2pm, Hurley’s of Midleton King of the Road semi-final 1: Bill Daly v David Murphy; 3.30, Pizza Plus Queen of the Roads semi-final 2; Kelly Mallon v Catriona O’Farrell/Kidney.
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Saturday October 13; 10.30am, Hurley’s of Midleton King of the Roads semi-final 2: Phillip O’Donovan v Eddie Carr v Ralf Klingenberg; 12 00, Dairypower challenge Ger Fitzpatrick/Mickey O’Regan v Stephen McCann/Paddy Short; 2pm, for Charlie McCarthy cup (McCarthy insurances) Liam Barry/Killian Kingston v Sean O’Reilly/Thomas Mackle; 3.30pm, Dick Hudson Challenge; Eoin O’Riordan/Gerry O’Riordan v Pat Mallon/Padraigh Nugent.

Sunday October 14; 11.00pm, in from O’Connell’s green, Pizza Plus Queen of the Roads final; Winner €1,000, runner-up €250; 12.00 Jim O’Driscoll Cup final Seamus Sexton (Jun) v Brian O’Reilly; winner €750,runner-up 250; 3pm Hurley’s of Midleton King of the Roads final start from Rathgobin line. winner €2,500, runner-up €500. 5pm, Victory march led by Cobh Pipe Band followed by Presentation ceremony.

Official start and finish lines: First score on Friday and Sunday down from ‘O’Connell green to ‘Moore’s gate line’; first score on Saturday start from Smart’s Bar to ‘O’Connell line; King of the Road final start at Rathgoban line and finish at ‘Moore’s gate line’.

Three important fixtures on this past weekend completed the line up for the King and Queen of the Road programme. On Saturday at Ballincurrig Seamus Sexton (Jun) was an emphatic winner of Cork side of the Jim O’Driscoll Cup overcoming Eamonn Bowen (Jun) by a margin of close to three bowls of odds. For a total of €6,000, Sexton led all the way. Bowen was under the cosh after a poor second and was almost a bowl down after three. The odds had increased to well over the bowl at the ‘lines’ and it was nearly two on the long straight. Bowen held it at that with a few decent efforts but another error coming up to the ‘sycamores’ put further distance between them. Following a series of ‘calls’ an unsatisfactory contest petered out leaving Sexton through to an appetising Sunday morning clash with All-Ireland intermediate champion, Brian O’Reilly. Back the road there was another win for the Sexton clan when Edmund took a last shot victory from Nicholas Carey. With a stake of €3,600 at issue Carey had chances to take this one but didn’t avail. The brothers David and Aidan Murphy engaged in a griping contest on their home road, Ballinacurra, on Sunday morning, for the right to participate in next week’s festival. With no quarter asked or given the younger Aidan went almost a bowl up after seven before the contest levelled out at the GAA pitch. David Murphy led after eleven but it was going his brother’s way in the last quarter only for a poor second last to even matters again. At the end of a quality sixteen shot score David Murphy had to beat a big last tip to book his place against Bill Daly on this Friday and, of course, in doing so won the Mick Barry Cup. Then, on Sunday afternoon at Templemartin, Catriona O’Farrell/Kidney became the first holder of the Gretta Cormican Cup when she won the Queen qualifying tournament by almost two from Geraldine Daly. The winner was well out ‘Slynne’s corner in six and fifty metres ahead but it was in the next exchanges that the contest slipped from the West Cork player. Geraldine Daly’s shot from the bend went left off the play and her East Cork rival punished that error with three mighty shots to ‘O’Riordan’s’ to go well over a bowl up. Daly got a huge bowl to the ‘schoolhouse cross’ to keep it at the shot of odds but, try as she did, the margin wasn’t reduced any further. Two more bullet fast drives, the first heading down for ‘Buttimer’s lane’, the second on to the ‘monument’ put the seal on an impressive performance that augers well for her clash with All-Ireland champion, Kelly Mallon on this Friday. The stake at Templemartin was €3,000.

The five score charity fund raiser at Clondrohid on Sunday last was a tremendous success. With all proceeds going to the Crumlin Children’s Hospital it was a worthwhile exercise with a four figure sum raised for the worthy cause. The feature event was a three way doubles contest involving senior and intermediate players from various locations. With a stake of €9,000 at issue the winners were the Sexton brothers, Edmund and Seamus from Nadd who won in the last throw from the Bowens Eamonn (Sen) and (Jun) from Carrignavar with the O’Donovans Phillip and Tim Pat from Churchtown South further back. The O’Donovans led in the early stages but the Sextons and Bowens overhauled them by half way. The winners played three big shots from the ‘Bell Inn’ to ‘Geoff’s lane’ to forge ahead but the North East men matched them over the closing stages. The winning shot, delivered by Edmund Sexton, broke off the kerbs perfectly to give Eamonn Bowen (Sen) an impossible task. After that a doubles contest saw Mick Gould and Eamonn Bowen (Jun) defeat Edmund Sexton and Jim Coffey last shot for €7,400. Earlier in the day David Hubbard defeated Peter Nagle two bowls for €3,000, Michael Gould defeated Patrick O’Driscoll one bowl for €1,400 and Jim Coffey defeated Michael Hogan one bowl for €4,000.

The under-age trials brought a fine turnout of youthful talent at various venues around the county. Carbery events were at the Marsh Road, City’s at Bog Road, South West’s at the Pike, Mid Cork at Castletownkenneigh, North Cork at Bweeng, North East at Doneraile and West Cork at Togher Cross. The regional teams will take shape after further sessions in November and December.

David O’Mahony won his second score in the current running of the Jerry Desmond Cup when he scored a last victory over Michael Crowley at Shannonvale on Saturday last. On what is now a very testing venue they went level in nine each to ‘Desmond’s’. It took them six more to ‘Campbell’s’ where O’Mahony led by a valuable thirty metres. The winner threw his best shots up past the novice line and they gave him the vital leeway to thwart the best that Crowley could produce over the closing stages. They played for a total of €3,400. At Ballinacurra on Saturday Dan O’Halloran defeated Michael O’Driscoll by a bowl for €2,200 and local, Jerry Murphy, defeated Denis Murphy back the road two bowls also for €2,200. After that, in a pair of doubles contests, Jim Coffey and John Butler had one apiece with Michael Gould and Johnny Byrnes both for sums of €1,400. There were four scores at Jagoe’s Mills on Sunday evening. In the tournament fixture Pat Broderick defeated Tommy O’Sullivan last shot for €1,440. A couple of doubles had honours even between O’Sullivan partnered by Donsie O’Mahony and the Broderick brothers Pat and Val, both last shot for €1,500 each time. In the final score there, a singles contest, Val Broderick defeated Donsie O’Mahony last shot for €1,240. At Gortroe Thomas Boyle missed a beatable last shot to leave Vincent Kiely the winner of their tournament clash played for a total of €2,400. At Carrigaline on Sunday last Vincent Dillon defeated Thomas Corcoran last shot while, on the previous Sunday, Keith Kidney inflicted a rare defeat on Con O’Donovan last shot for €460. At Whitechurch Andrew O’Leary defeated Richard Murphy one bowl for €1,400. At Bweeng Pat Kelleher defeated Tony Flynn twice, last shot and one bowl for €1,200 and €1,060. At Beal na mBlath Brian Daly notched up another notable success when getting the better of Michael Bohane last shot for €5,000. In the Tadg O’Driscoll mixed doubles competition a score at Derrinasafa on Sunday evening saw victory for Denis Wilmot and Gretta Cormican over Paddy O’Callaghan and Denise Murphy one bowl for a total of €1,200. The Marsh Road excursion to Boston is, by all accounts, going extremely well even if events on the Wompatuck bowling road did not go kindly on the first days play. The North American based bowlplayers won all three contests from the visitors with the exotically named Boogie Leahy combining with Chris Finn to defeat Darren O’Brien and Vincent O’Mahony last shot for $2,800 in the opening score. Barry Curran and Kevin Twohig defeated Rickard O’Regan and Pat O’Mahony last shot and Adrian Lappin edged out J C Desmond with a massive last throw for a combined sum of $7,200. Thing improved considerably on the Sunday when Ian Callanan of the visiting group defeated Billy McAuliffe who is also holidaying in Boston. Leahy came back for a second win when he partnered Roger (Kevin) O’Riordan to victory over Sean O’Donoghue and Donal O’Brien but the visitors had the final say when Conor O’Sullivan with Connie O’Mahony took the laurels from Brendan Fleming and Frank Finn. The party are due back in time for the King and Queen of the Road finals on Sunday next.

Bol Chumann’s October meeting outlined a number of important winter dates. The Association will hold its annual convention of Wednesday December 12 at its usual base, St Finbarr’s GAA pavilion in Togher. Nominations for posts on the executive, and motions for convention must be submitted prior to the November monthly meeting on Wed 7. The novice team event is on at all regions on the Bank Holiday weekend. Again, the competition involves teams of three drawn from the novice grades throwing a total of eighteen shots with the usual handicap pertaining (A scratch, B plus 30 metres, C plus sixty metres, D plus ninety metres). The overall county final will again be at Templemartin on Sunday December 9. The inter-regional under-age team trials which began on this past weekend continue on Sunday November 11 and Sunday December 2. The Moors and German lofting trials continue at the Lee Fields on Sunday October 21 and Sunday November 4. The Bol Chumann Annual presentation dinner is, this year, moving to the West Cork Hotel in Skibbereen to coincide with the Carbery hosting of the All-Ireland finals. Saturday November 10 will see champions and runners up from Bol Chumann’s twenty one grades, from senior men and women to under 12 boys and girls, receiving recognition for their achievements during the past twelve months. The male and female player of the year will be announced as will the personality of the year and Hall of Fame recipients. The annual celebratory dinner honours all who make a contribution to the various competitions under the Associations remit and the Carbery hosting offers a night of enjoyment and relaxation away from the cut and thrust of the bowling road. Tickets, priced at €30, can be obtained from Carbery secretary William O’Brien, Corner Bar, Skibbereen at 028 21522 or Bol Chumann Honorary Secretary, Brendan Hayes, Commons, Upper Belmont, Crookstown at 021 7336437.

The long shot of bowl was once a mainstay of many a festival programme and it made a return to a fine audience at Ballygurteen threshing festivities on Sunday last. The side show competition was won by Christy O’Sullivan T.D. once, of course, an accomplished exponent of junior standard. His fine cast bettered a few worthy attempts by Fr Eddie Collins and John Burke, Oakmount.

September 17th 2007
David Murphy moved a step closer to inclusion in the forthcoming King of the Roads festival with a fairly comprehensive two bowl victory over James Buckley at Ballincurrig on Saturday last. It was a semi-final fixture in the Mick Barry Cup qualifier competition from which the winner will contest for the lucrative top prize on October 13/14 with Phillip O’Donovan (holder), Bill Daly (All-Ireland champion), Eddie Carr (Ulster champion) and a yet unnamed German contender. Buckley, playing without a stake, more than held his own for the opening half of Saturday’s contest before his challenge was totally derailed by a series of errors around the ‘big turn’. The early exchanges had Buckley holding the aces. He hit a monstrous opening shot but did follow up with enough conviction to raise significant odds. Murphy stayed in touch and when Buckley missed a chance with his fifth, they went through the lines level in six each. Buckley led in the bowling on to the ‘long straight’ but lost a great chance when missing an average Murphy tip. This was the Murphy’s cue to take control and he did so with a fine effort to ‘Leahy’s’ to rise a bowl of odds. He was aided by a miscalculation by Buckley when missing sight at the ‘big corner’. Murphy forged almost two in front shortly after and, when Buckley left his twelfth inside for a ‘dead bowl’, the victory was assured. There is a possibility of an all Murphy final in the Mick Barry Cup as Aidan Murphy is also in the equation and presently holding down a semi-final spot. Eamonn Bowen (Sen) and Nicholas Carey will have a major say. They contest next weekend in the last quarterfinal with the winner playing Aidan Murphy in the semi. Aidan Murphy and Eamon Bowen (Sen) played a pick-up back the road at Ballincurrig on Saturday last and provided an engrossing battle. Going for a total of €2,600, Bowen’s amazing shot to the ‘creamery’ had him a bowl to the good with two to go. Murphy snatched the victory though with two brilliant last shots. On Thursday at Ballincurrig, in the Jim O’Driscoll Cup, Eamonn Bowen (Jun) advanced to the decider with a two bowl victory over Tim Pat O’Donovan. With a total of €4,000 at issue O’Donovan looked in command at ‘O’Riordan’s’ throwing odds on forty metres. Bowen hit a fine drive from here and got an unexpected bonus when O’Donovan played three very poor shots in succession to sway the contest completely in the Carrignavar man’s favour. Bowen (Jun) will play Seamus Sexton (Jun) in the Cork final of the Jim O’Driscoll Cup on Friday afternoon of the festival weekend with the winner contesting with Brian O’Reilly (All-Ireland intermediate champion) on the following Sunday morning.

Meanwhile, the Queen of the Road’s qualifier tournament for the Gretta Cormican Cup is down to the last four. A thrilling quarterfinal tie at Castletownkenneigh on Sunday morning last resulted in Sharon Russell edging out a luckless Catriona Hubbard by less than a metre. The North Cork contender, Hubbard, had a shot of odds after three outstanding opening shots and she held it too through the lines and down by the ‘triangle’. Russell’s dogged persistence paid off as she levelled and led as the contest entered its final quarter. Hubbard made a ferocious attempt to win with it with two huge last shots but Russell beat both to qualify for this Sunday’s semi-final at Ballinacurra where she will play Catriona Kidney. The second semi is at Reenascreena on Saturday evening when Geraldine Daly takes on Susan Cullen. The stake in Castletown was €800.

Christy Keating overcame a big obstacle in his attempt to regain superiority in the vintage grade when he eked out a last shot victory over Celly Spillane at Jagoe’s Mills on Saturday last. The seeded A section decider was a cracking contest played for a total of €5,600, with Spillane edging the fore by ten metres after three to the first bend. Keating led with a big throw to the ‘stones’ and held valuable metres when going full sight at ‘O’Brien’s’. A misplaced shot saw Spillane go a bowl down beyond half-way but he staged a splendid recovery to narrow the gap to twenty metres by ‘Lawton’s’. Keating stayed in control with a good attempt to the ‘power station’ but then hit the ‘wall’ with his next with the result that his advantage was cut to five metres. The final exchanges were top class with the Curraheen man beating a big tip to increase his distance to forty metres for the last shots and these proved vital when Spillane’s shot for victory failed to turn as he intended. Keating, who claimed a hat trick of championships in this grade 2003-2005 before Thade Murphy interrupted his run last year, will now go head to head with another formidable adversary, Con O’Donovan, Newcestown, the B section winner, in the overall vintage decider at the Half-Way venue.

Tommy O’Sullivan won the Dan Coomey Cup at Grange on Sunday evening last. He forged a last shot victory over Freddie Scannell after an entertaining duel played for a combined total of €6,600. Playing out from the Grange Tavern, O’Sullivan won the opening shot with a nice touch to sight before getting a big break when Scannell misdirected his second throw. The Bandon man took full advantage with a big second of his own to rise the bones of a bowl of odds. It stayed that way to the school cross but Scannell might have been tighter at that point had he cut his eighth a little better. The Pike player made serious inroads with a super shot from ‘Hegarty’s garage’ and was well in the score, just thirty metres in arrears, with two to go. O’Sullivan stayed strong and beat the best his opponent could offer in the closing stages and received the Dan Coomey Cup, a glass tankard plus €600 at the after score presentation. South West regional chairman and Grange club coordinator, James Barry, presented runner up, Scannell, with a glass trophy and €400 while semi-finalists, John Nagle and Con O’Sullivan were also in the money. A busy week’s bowling at Beal na mBlath culminated in two novice D tournament finals being played over the weekend. Gene O’Callaghan and his organising team were obliged to split the original entry for the competition due to the disparity in bowling ability between many of those competing in the lower category. Denis Kelly, Newcestown, the Mid Cork regional treasurer, won Saturday’s final from Michael O’Callaghan. Going for a total of €2,200, O’Callaghan won the first three shots but, thereafter, could do little with an excellent performance by Kelly won made it close to the line in ten shots. Tim Allen of Newcestown won Sunday’s final from Paul Walshe, Castletownkenneigh, by a good fore bowl. There was €1,500 at issue in this one with Walshe in front in the early stages. Allen came right back into it to lead before going on to rise a bowl of odds at ‘Shorten’s cross’. Still a shot down with one to go, Walshe cast a massive drive to give himself a glimmer but Allen beat the finish line with a good delivery to capture the winner’s prize. Earlier in the week Dinny Nyhan defeated Aidan Foley in a first round novice 1 score, last shot for €1,400, while Johnny O’Driscoll and Killian O’Sullivan returned to the fray on Thursday with the Clon man winning this latest joust in the last shot for €1,500. At Ballinacurra on Saturday Johnny Murphy defeated Dan Joe Holland almost a bowl for €1,400. The former veteran champion returned to action with a bowl victory over Michael O’Driscoll in a score back the road winnig by one bowl for €1,400. On Sunday at the same venue Michael Gould defeated David O’Mahony last shot for €2,200 and Peter Nagle defeated David Hubbard last shot for €2,280. At Whitechurch, on Friday, Pa Ryan defeated Maurice Connolly by one bowl for €1,000 while at Drinagh, on Sunday morning, Denis Wilmot defeated Kevin Minihane one bowl for €2,200. Wilmot rose his odds with his shot from ‘Shandrum cross’ to the ‘blackstick’s’. At Curraheen, where a deluge washed out the first fixture on Sunday morning, the score that did take place resulted in a win for Newcestown’s peerless Con O’Donovan over a tough opponent in Pat Calnan. A tournament semi-final at Gortroe saw Thomas Boyle advance to the decider with a bowl of odds win over Jim Coffey. The stake at issue was €4,000 and Boyle now faces Mallow’s John O’Donoghue in the decider. At Donoughmore Padraigh Kelleher defeated John Joe Savage last shot for €1,000. At the Clubhouse, Denis Murphy advanced to the semi-final of their junior A tournament with a win over Andy O’Callaghan. With €1,700 at issue, Murphy made sight at ‘O’Brien’s in three to go a shot up. O’Callaghan had a half chance beyond ‘Dineen’s lane’ but it went a begging. Murphy bowled the second half of the score in good figures and O’Callaghan did well to stay in touch. The North Cork man did save the bets on the bowl with a mighty last shot but it is Murphy who joins Tommy Connolly, Ian Callanan and Billy Hurley in the last four. In a couple of scores at Sally’s Cross, local, Padraigh Kelly defeated Charlie McCarthy (Mallow) by a bowl and McCarthy was also on the receiving end in the second contest going under to Paddy O’Keefe of Banteer. In the Denis Horgan Club Maurice Cashman and Rose Twohig defeated Tadg Curtin and Liam Casey last shot and Danny Murphy with Paddy O’Keefe defeated Tadg and Dean Sexton by one bowl.

Road bowling with an international dimension was on offer at Shannonvale on Sunday morning last when a large contingent, accompanying the triennial ‘Crowley clan gathering’, descended on the road determined to try their hand at the old game. The visitors, some of whom had travelled from such far flung destinations as New Zealand and Hawaii, displayed a keen interest in the bowling game and enjoyed the opportunity spin the iron ball as their forebears, in all probability, once did. Following a short briefing on the history, rules, and regulations of the sport along with a few demonstration shots given by Pat McCarthy and local clubman, Liam Daly, the main business of the morning, a four way match commenced involving teams selected from across the globe. The winners were the North America/Canada selection by a two bowl distance, gained in the main through some splendid throwing by Jim Best, New Jersey. In second place was the New Zealand/Australia combination while an international ladies quartet brought up third spot. Also competing were a team comprising of visitors from Wales, France and England. At the prize giving ceremony after an enjoyable morning’s bowling coordinator of the Crowley clan celebrations, Liam Crowley, Bandon, expressed his thanks to all who had contributed to the latest addition to their programme of events.

Unlimited Road Bowling Finals

The 2007 Unlimited Road Bowling finals were held on the Creamery road, Bantry on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of last week and were once again a resounding success. The event, growing in popularity and in numbers competing with each passing year, alternates between the bowling heartlands of Cork and Armagh and this years hosting gave the local contenders an opportunity to regain titles lost to their Ulster counterparts at last year’s finals in Madden, Co. Armagh. One to do so was Martin Dullea, CoAction, Bantry, who is the new senior champion after defeating Martin McClathchy, Armagh, in an exciting final on Thursday. Having spurned chances with his third and fourth, Dullea eventually rose his bowl of odds winning margin with big seventh and eighth throws. He also had the satisfaction of defeating his great rival and defending champion, Jimmy Greene, Armagh, in Wednesday’s semi-final. It was Dullea’s third title but he has yet to win it at the away hosting and that remains his focus for next year. Collette O’Leary, Beara won the women’s senior final playing a fine score to defeat her two rivals Anita Lynch, Bantry and Jane Hill, Steadfast, Monaghan. The full result list from the Bantry road finals read: Senior Men; Martin Dullea, CoAction, Bantry, defeated Martin McClathcy, Armagh by one bowl; Senior women; Colette O’Leary, Beara, defeated Anita Lynch, Bantry, and Jane Hill, Monaghan; Intermediate men; Jim O’Shea, Glengarriff defeated William Seymour, Durrus, one bowl; Intermediate women; Mary O’Leary, Bantry, defeated Catherine O’Sullivan, Beara; Junior men; Michael Foley, CoAction Skibbereen, defeated Gerry McCarthy, CoAction, Bantry; Women’s junior Rosemary DeHoit, Monaghan, defeated Emer Tully, Monaghan, Men’s novice; Peter Callan, Steadfast, Monaghan, defeated Padraig J Kelly, Rehab Monaghan, and Martin Hennigan, Armagh. Women’s novice; Maeve Collins CoAction, Skibbereen, defeated Fiona McQuaid, DAU, Monaghan; Wheelchair; winner Noel Duffy, runner-up Patrick Santry. Satellite; winner, Anne Thornhill, Skibbereen; runner up, Miriam White, Skibbereen. Competitions in Targets and Skittles disciplines were also run off and the results of these were as follows: Targets; Mens senior/intermediate, 1.Jim O’Shea (NLN), 2 Kevin Harrington (Beara); Women’s senior/intermediate, 1 Aine McCarthy (Beara) 2 Jane Hill (Steadfast, Monaghan); Men’s junior, 1 Finbarr O’Driscoll (Skibbereen) 2 Timo Zahl (Bantry); women’s junior 1 Margaret Harrington (Beara) 2 Fiona Hickey (Clones); Men’s novice, 1 Padraigh Kelly 2 Peter McConnell (Steadfast, Monaghan) Men’s novice B/Wheelchair, 1 Mark Harrington (Beara) 2 John Paul O’Donoghue (Bantrey). Skittles results; Men’s senior, 1 Jimmy Greene (Appleby, Armagh), 2 Jim O’Shea Rehab, Bantry; Women’s senior, Colette O’Leary (Coaction Beara) 2 Catherine O’Sullivan (Coaction Bantry); Men’s junior 1 Marco Van Dalen (Coaction Beara) 2 Sean Healy (Coaction Bantry); Women’s junior, 1 Rosemary DeHoedt (Monaghan) 2 Matrusa Tudor (Coaction Skibbereen); Men’s novice 1 Martin Hannigan (DAU) Monaghan) 2 John Sheehan (Coaction Beara); Women’s novice, 1 Julie thornhill (Coaction Skibbereen) 2 Zoe Salter-Townsend (Co Action Skibbereen). Presentation of prizes was at the Westlodge Hotel, Bantry, and doing the honours were All-Ireland champions, Mick Young (veteran) and Lorraine Hurley (U16). Event co-ordinator, Nobby Dunne, expressed his thanks and appreciation to all who helped make the Unlimited Bowling finals a success, the residents on the bowling road who provided snacks for the competitors, his own hard working team amongst whom were Batty Hurley, Sarah Cotter and Mary Jo Kissane and Bol Chumann personnel who attended each day. Former junior A county champion, Jack Dan O’Donovan, who was present at all the events, donated a special new trophy for one of the competitions. The bowling finals brought competitors from the Carrickmacross and Clones centres in Monaghan, Appleby in Armagh as well as several centres from all over county Cork. Individuals came to compete from Tipperary, Kerry and Cork.

September 10th 2007

The English hosting of the junior C and novice All-Ireland finals produced champions from Ulster (Pat Mallon), Boston (Brendan Fleming) and, finally, with the last event on the programme, Munster, when Jerry O’Riordan’s power packed performance ended a seven year Cork wait for a novice 1 title. For the many hundreds who travelled from Cork, Mayo, Louth, North America and London it was a weekend to remember as score after score on a magnificent road generated excitement, talking points and passages of superb bowling that further enhanced the status of these championships, now in their sixteenth year. The star of the weekend, it has to be said, was that doughty warrior from Keady, Pat Mallon. Over a bowl down at half-way into his Saturday semi-final he thundered home to a last shot win over Kevin O’Riordan (Boston) and Joe Sheridan (Mayo) before confounding everybody with an even more spectacular turn around on Sunday to claim the junior C title from a gallant Eoin O’Riordan the Gaeltacht and Munster champion from Macroom. That junior C decider, played in the Eglish route, will live long in the memory as O’Riordan, similar to the opening day, blazed away with two outstanding opening shots to gain a seventy metre lead approaching the ‘bottom corner’. The Ulster champion struggled in the subsequent phase of play and eventually fell a bowl adrift to an immaculate sixth thrown from ‘Davy’s shop’ by O’Riordan. The failure to hammer home his then undoubted superiority was to cost the Macroom man dearly. Mallon’s ninth to the bend by ‘Mary Alice’s’ was no more than average but O’Riordan’s missed the mark and, when his next went right, there was a window of opportunity for Mallon. He took it in some style too with an awesome throw from the ‘gate corner’ that ran with pace past the ‘bus shelter’ down to ‘Stenson’s’ and it yielded a fifty metres lead on the long time front runner. Getting around that difficult bend by the ‘top corner’ was a daunting experience for many over the weekend, and for O’Riordan too on Saturday, but he negotiated it with skill on this pressure occasion to counter Mallon’s expertise and remain well in contention with two to go. His All-Ireland hopes vanished though when he caught the spur of the bend with that vital second last throw. Mallon made no such error and cast an accurate drive which gave him an unassailable lead for the final exchanges. It was an exemplary closing performance by the ageless Ulster man who was playing under the cloud of a family bereavement. Mallon’s chequered career includes an Al-Ireland senior title from 1979 when he defeated Johnny Creedon, Clondrohid, in Blackwaterstown and he also contested this year’s veteran’s final going under to Bantry’s Mick Young. The stake at issue in Sunday’s junior C final was 9,600 with the usual combination of euro and sterling in the make up

Jerry O’Riordan from Cill na Martra was too strong for Boston’s Mike Fleming in Sunday’s novice 1 final. He was the raging favourite too in the 5,800 total stake, but was not overly impressive in his opening shots leaving Fleming to the fore by thirty metres after two. The Gaeltacht man can thank a tremendous third shot perfectly judged around the ‘top corner’ for giving him the impetus for this victory. It not only wiped out the earlier deficit but put him a full bowl of odds ahead and gave him the necessary confidence to stamp his authority for the remainder of the contest. Fleming got a tasty rub with his fifth that knocked the bowl but O’Riordan regained it with his own fifth and continued to hold it in eight and nine to ‘Mary Alice’s’. Fleming fought it with spirit and a splendid tenth brought the margin under the bowl once again but, with an age difference spanning several decades in his favour and a superior level of speed in his bowls, O’Riordan was not yielding much more. A big touch off the left with his fourteenth put the Gaeltacht champion over the bowl ahead and, with the finish line in sight, he was declared the All-Ireland novice 1 champion for 2007. Fleming was a previous novice 1 winner in Drogheda in 1997.

The redoubtable Fleming brothers from Boston did not go home empty handed as Brendan of the clan did the business on Sunday morning to claim the All-Ireland novice 2 championship. Although the slight underdog in the 3,800 combined stake against London’s Pat O’Neill, the Butlerstown native was consistency personified just as he was in Saturday’s three way semi-final against Mike O’Regan and David Lucey. O’Neill, who had won a thrilling battle with Ulster’s Paddy Shortt and Connacht’s Padraigh Gobbons on Saturday, got the better start in Sunday’s final. He followed up a big opening shot with three good throws to lead by a bowl after four. It might have been more had he cut his fifth a little tighter and was left to rue when Fleming got into his groove. Belying his senior years, the Boston man hit a superb seventh from ‘Skeffington’s’ that brought the margin well under the bowl. Fleming led then for the first time with his tenth and in truth he looked the likely winner from that point onwards. A lucky brush enabled him to stay in front down from the ‘shop’ and he managed the downward bends the better to hold a valuable fifty metres aided by a good touch off ‘Dunseark road’. O’Neill fought on and forced it to the last shot but that fifty metres advantage stood to the Boston champion and he comfortably beat his London rival’s last tip to claim the coveted title.

Saturday’s exhaustive six score semi-final schedule was packed with exciting fare with every contest decided only in the last shot. The West Cork and Munster champion, Mike O’Regan, got proceedings under way with the opening throw in his three-way semi-final against Brendan Fleming and Leinster’s David Lucey. The youthful Louth player, Lucey, was the hot fancy but his challenge petered out after the first quarter. The stakemoney revolved around O’Regan and Lucey and amounted to a sum in the region of 4,000. The Ballineen man’s attempt at a ‘parleyque’ did not come off leaving him well over a shot down on Lucey’s bright opening. Fleming was well back also but recovered to bowl a grand score from the first third onward. O’Regan made a big surge as well and won the money but could not overcome the very dependable Fleming. Pat O’Neill won the second novice 2 semi after a tremendous duel with Ulster’s Paddy Shortt. He beat a massive second last by Shortt and then held on in a fraught finish. Mayo man Padraigh Gibbons was nearly two bowls out. The first junior C semi-final was a mighty duel with all three in contention for the last shots. Eoin O’Riordan won with a brilliant final delivery that denied London’s Brendan O’Brien and a very game Connaught man, Joe Sheridan. It was no less exciting in the first of the novice 1 semi-finals as Mike Fleming came from fifty metres hind to defeat a courageous Martin Briscoe from Louth. Briscoe looked to have it won but his second last agonisingly stooped less than a metre from the line allowing Fleming a last opportunity which he duly took Peter Gibbons of Mayo was also in strong contention for a while by was a shot back at the end. The second novice 1 semi was a two way clash that saw Jerry O’Riordan edge a five metre victory over Ulster’s Padraigh Nugent for a combined tally of 6,000. To complete Saturday’s programme Pat Mallon staged the first of his recoveries to oust Boston’s Kevin O’Riordan with a finishing salvo that was similar to Sunday’s sequence. Louth man Peter Clinton performed well in the early stages but could not stay the pace in a fascinating contest.

Overall it was a welcoming and hugely enjoyable weekend in the homelands of football greats, Sean Cavanagh and the late Conor McAnnalen. It is a location that is steeped in bowling history. As outlined in Jarlath Devlin’s contribution to the championship programme, it was on a nearby road that Danny McParland won his third All-Ireland in 1971 when defeating Mick Barry. Indeed the man revered in song as ‘the gun from the Armagh town’ was an interested observer at all of Sunday’s scores as was author and former secretary, Brian Toal. The host club were an efficient and hard working unit throughout the weekend with Pat Smith a helpful and informative guide to the visitors. The Ryandale in Moy hosted the presentation of medals on Sunday night.

Bill Daly annexed another fine prize on Sunday last when he won the Marsh Road ‘Trip to Boston’ senior tournament by a two bowl margin from Martin Coppinger. Going for a total of €4,400 Daly, as in his semi-final clash with Eamonn Bowen, did not make the best of starts, and like Bowen, Coppinger failed to take full advantage. The Bantry man did lead after three but it was the Al-Ireland champion who had a decisive advantage at the ‘steps’. Coppinger, unluckily, got caught right with his shot for sight to go almost a bowl down. A ‘called’ bowl then worked in Daly’s favour and he went a full shot clear with his throw away from the bend, a massive effort to ‘Thornhill cross’. When he went well around Ballyhilty with his next there was two between them and matters were terminated in the Glanmire man’s favour shortly after. Daly, for his efforts, received the cash equivalent of the ‘Trip to Boston’ plus €500 and, foregoing the trip, will now concentrate on the forthcoming King of the Roads competition on at the same time in October. 2006 Munster novice 1 champion, Patrick Hodnett, Ballydehob, was in good form in a return at the Skibb venue winning by a bowl from Clon’s John Hurley for a total of €6,000. Also at the Marsh Road, on Saturday evening, Ted Hegarty won the junior B tournament semi-final in the last shot for a total of €1,200. Hegarty’s final opponent will be Leap’s Deccie O’Donovan.

It came good this year for Banteer girl, Helen Cooney, as she captured the women’s junior final at Ballingeary on Saturday evening from Clair O’Brien, Dunbeacon. There was over two bowls difference at the end on a difficult road. Cooney was determined to avenge last year’s final defeat, when she lost out narrowly to Martina Foley, and was a bowl and twenty metres up after ten shots. Previous to that O’Brien had thrown a good seventh to stay in touch. Despite a good fight by the Carbery champion, it was a losing battle and there was no way back after Cooney threw a massive thirteenth shot to rise two bowls of odds. Still on women’s bowling, a good score at Drinagh saw Gretta Cormican win over Sharon Russell for a combined stake of €2,620. Cormican was well ahead at the ‘pond’ before Russell miscalculated her run in and dropped her bowl over her mark to forfeit further odds. In a cracking Paddy O’Donovan cup semi-final, also at Drinagh, Tadg Crowley defeated Donie Harnedy in the last shot for €3,100. Crowley now meets Dinny Nyhan in the semi with Connie Connolly safely through to the decider. There was a five score programme at the Clubhouse on Sunday last where, in the feature event, a junior a tournament quarterfinal Ian Callanan scored a two bowl win over John Young for a total of €5,000. Callanan’s massive second shot enabled him to go sight at the ‘chips’ in three and a bowl of odds to the good. Young closed it well to ‘Clon cross’ but Callanan bowled the second half of the score in exemplary style to win by two. The Grange club intend hosting the final of the Dan Coomey Memorial Cup on Sunday evening next. Battling it out here will be Freddie Scannell and Tommy O’Sullivan. Neither of the scheduled Jerry Desmond Cup fixtures went ahead on Sunday last. Andy O’Callaghan and Michael Crowley had no opposition at The Pike and Ballygurteen respectively. Brian Wilmot defeated J C Desmond last shot at Ballinacurra on Saturday for a total of €2,600.

The preliminary stages of putting together a strong panel to compete in the European Championships here on May 1 and 2 next were undertaken at the Devonshire Arms on Tuesday last when a registration night was held for those aspiring to selection. A fine turn out saw in excess of sixty players enrolled for the forthcoming trials which will determine the final panel. Mark McManus, National Coaching and Training Centre, Limerick, gave a presentation on what his involvement would be in supporting the teams in the build up to the championships. ‘Preparation, practise and performance’ would be the focal points during the teams training schedule and, with thirty six gold medals on offer for the winners in the various disciplines, he hoped the Bol Chumann team would give Ireland the leading place on the rostrum. The home teams are fortunate that there is a wealth of experience at their disposal as the trials get under way in the coming weeks. Bill Daly, Christy Mullins, Gretta Cormican, Geraldine Daly and Bol Chumann youth’s officer, Dan McCarthy, will coordinate procedures as the teams begin to take shape. A great deal of help will be required of course from referees, markers and various personnel and it is expected that each region will contribute to the overall workload.

Saturday 15, marks the end of week evening bowling for the current season. As the nights draw in scores will now only be sanctioned for the weekend times.

Catriona O’Farrell/Kidney is making a bold bid for qualification for the Queen of the Roads weekend in October. The four time Queen has reached the semi-final of the qualifying competition currently being played, for the Gretta Cormican Cup, a timely inclusion in honour of one of the sports greatest exponents and administrators. Kidney was a bowl too good for former World U18 champion, Denise Murphy at Doneraile on Wednesday last. It was a tough contest played without a stake in which Kidney squandered an opportunity rise big odds nearing the ‘turn of the wood’ before falling behind to Murphy’s good throw to sight. Kidney’s two fine efforts to ‘Ryall’s corner’ gave her the bones of a bowl but Murphy knocked it to forty metres again down from the ‘cow gate’. Missing the line in two to ‘Creagh castle’ after that was costly for the Ballinagree girl and Kidney moved to a last four slot by a bowl. The qualifier semi-final line has yet to be announced but Geraldine Daly, Susan Cullen are also there with the winner of Sharon Russell/Catriona Hubbard to join them.

There is little let up in the post championship bowling action. Competitions continue with some coming to a close and others coming on stream. In East Cork, where the King and Queen of the Roads at Ballincurrig will command attention right up to October 13/14, the prestigious John Cronin Cup is also underway. The competition is split into intermediate and junior sections and is approaching it s conclusion. The junior final was run off at Cobh on Sunday September 2 and here Dave Coffey and Dave Dennis contested for a total of €1,400. After a good contest, Coffey emerged to contest the overall final against the intermediate winner. That is shaping to be an interesting finale. Eamonn Bowen (Jun) and Nicholas Carey meet in the section semi-final with the winner taking on Seamus Sexton (Jun), already in the final at Ballincurig. The overall John Cronin Cup decider will be held at Churchtown South the home of the esteemed former Bol Chumann fixtures secretary. The Flor Crowley Cup, for so long a competition for intermediate players, will, this year, be confined to those in junior ranks. The Mid Cork region has outlined four first round scores for the Crowley Cup. Jerry Murphy v John Young at Templemartin; Ian Callanan v Bill McAuliffe at Beal na mBlath; Denis Murphy v Michael Crowley at Ballinacurra and Michael Bohane v Trevor McCarthy at Castletownkenneigh.

September 3rd 2007

The English bowling club, adjacent to the town of Moy in south Co. Tyrone, will, on this weekend, host the final series of All-Ireland championships for 2007 when the champions of the provinces along with Bol Chumann’s two external regions will battle for honours in the junior C and novice grades. These competitions, introduced in 1992, have grown in stature and popularity in the intervening years and have, barring a hiccup or two, provided thrills and bowling skills aplenty as the leading men from the lower ranks attempt to achieve their ultimate goal. For the many travelling from these parts it will be a first ever visit to the Red Hand county and an eagerly looked forward one at that. The Munster champions, Eoin and Jerry O’Riordan from Macroom and Cill na Martra respectively, unrelated, but both from the Gaeltacht division and Mike O’Regan from Ballineen and West Cork will command large support following lengthy winning campaigns around the county, but it will be a tough task on this weekend to achieve outright success with a demanding three-hand semi-final on Saturday the first obstacle to be negotiated. Victories in recent years for Paddy O’Callaghan, Sean Murphy, Nicholas Carey and Gerry Gibbons might suggest Eoin O’Riordan has a very good chance in junior C and, on recent form, he has the ability to carry on that sequence. It’s a different story in novice 1 as Jerry O’Riordan will be attempting to become the first Munster champion to win outright since Robert O’Meara in Clogherhead in 2000. He has a tough semi-final battle on Saturday against Ulster’s Padraigh Nugent. In novice 2, Mike O’Regan has every chance of progressing to the final with an opening score against Boston’s Brendan Fleming and Leinster’s David Lucey. On the other hand Lucey did look a formidable operator in last years novice 1 final when going under to Brian Keirnan and the Ballineen man may have to counter the Louth player’s superior speed with better accuracy. Recent All-Ireland winners in that particular grade were Fergal Callanan (Westport 2005), Brian Daly (Boston 2004), John Falvey (Castlebar 2002), Darren McCarthy (Ballywilliam 2001) and Brain Wilmot (Westport 1999). Whatever the outcome a thrilling weekend’s bowling is envisaged at this new location which is, incidentally, just a dozen kilometres or so from the famed Cathedral Road in Armagh. The full programme for Saturday and Sunday is: Saturday 8 10.00am From Moy point (out) novice 2 semi-final; North America (Brendan Fleming) v Munster (Mike O’Regan) v Leinster (David Lucey); 10.30am, from Moy point (out); novice 2 semi-final; London (Pat O’Neill) v Connaught (Martin Gibbons) v Ulster (Paddy Shortt); 12.00 From horse sign (in); Junior C semi-final; London (Brendan O’Brien) v Munster (Eoin O’Riordan) v Connaught (Joe Sheridan); 1.30 from Moy point (out) novice 1 semi-final; North America (Mike Fleming) v Connaught (Peter Gibbons) v Leinster (Martin Briscoe); 2.00pm from Moy point (out); novice 1 semi-final; Ulster (Padraigh Nugent) v Munster (Jerry O’Riordan); 4.00pm, from horse sign (in); junior C semi-final; North America (Roger O’Riordan) v Leinster (Peter Clinton) v Ulster (Pat Mallon).

The Ulster novice 1 and 2 finals were run off at Eglish on Sunday last. It came near being a double for the Nugent twins with Padraigh contesting novice 1 and Tomas in novice 2. Padraigh won his duel for the higher nomination with Denis Trainor in the last shot of a good score to set up an eagerly awaited joust with Munster’s Jerry O’Riordan on Saturday next. Paddy Shortt of Keady defeated Tomas Nugent by almost a bowl in the novice 2 decider.

The eagerly awaited ‘Trip to Boston’ senior tournament final at the Marsh Road between Bill Daly and Martin Coppinger was deferred from Saturday evening last to this Sunday afternoon. The former Leap man has received recognition for his All-Ireland winning exploits in the form of two major awards in recent weeks. At the Vienna Woods Hotel on Wednesday August 29 he was the recipient of the Glenmore and District Sports Star Award for July. Bill Daly has been nominated as joint winner with jockey, Kevin Coleman, of the Celtic Ross Sports Star of the Month for August and will be presented with this award later this week. Senior action was mainly confined to Ballincurrig where the King of the Road qualifiers continued. On Saturday last David Murphy won a lack lustre score with John Creedon by a wide margin. Going without a stake, Creedon’s recent poor form was again evident as he struggled to make an impact. Murphy was well in control coming to the ‘lines’ in six with a bowl advantage. Creedon’s poor attempt through the lines did him no favours and he was two down at the half way point. Murphy made no errors in repeating his Rosscarbery win over the Gaeltacht man and was almost three up later on with only a splendid loft when all was lost the sole highlight of Creedon’s performance. The Sunday evening meeting of James Buckley and Christy Mullins did not take place at Ballincurrig. Long time operators, Eamonn Bowen (Sen) and Mick O’Driscoll (B) clashed at Donoughmore in the Pat Barry Cup. Bowen won this by a bowl of odds for a stake of €800. O’Driscoll led in the early stages but a poor effort coming up to half-way cost him his advantage. Bowen threw two big shots on the straight that gave him his winning odds although O’Driscoll stayed on his heels until the closing stages.

Two superb finals on Saturday evening last at Togher Cross brought the curtain down on the girl’s under-age championships for 2007. The rising curve of women’s bowling can only be further boosted by the emergence of so much talent in under-age ranks. Michelle Ryan, Aisling O’Callaghan, Megan Collins and Julianne Hayes were the latest to exhibit their youthful enthusiasm and abundant bowling skills as they battled it out for county honours before an appreciative gathering. The U14 final out the road got proceedings under-way and here the Carbery champion Michelle Ryan from Caheragh took on Aisling O’Callaghan, the Castletownkenneigh and Mid Cork standard bearer. A magnificent shot for shot duel ensued with the lead changing hands on no fewer than half a dozen occasions before the title went, in the last throw, to the Carbery representative. O’Callaghan, using an accurate under-arm swing, cast a big opening shot that yielded a fifty metre lead but crossed her second to the right to lose some ground. Ryan led after three and pushed on to go forty metres ahead at the ‘old forge’ before her Mid Cork opponent turned it around again with a beauty right through the first bend at the ‘chips’. Ryan led again at the ‘bridge’ as the see-saw struggle continued before another tightly cut effort around ‘Hurley’s farmhouse’ saw the ascendancy revert to O’Callaghan. Mere metres separated them over the last quarter and the decisive throw came with just two to go. Ryan tracked a huge second last to forge a sixty metre lead for the final exchanges and it proved enough as her gallant opponent could not get enough purchase on her own final effort to trouble the Caheragh left-hander. The U12 decider was no less exciting and provided a wonderful contrast of styles as Megan Collins, Crossbarry and Mid Cork engaged with Julianne Hayes from Drinagh who is the West Cork regional champion. Also using the under-arm swing, Megan Collins took an early lead with strong accurate play but saw her advantage reeled in as the Drinagh girl’s classy throwing saw her making a big impact. Collins had that little edge in speed in her shots and she continued to lead around the turn but had to give best to her opponent’s accurate bowling away from the bend. Hayes took the lead beyond half-way and gamely held it beating big shots by her Mid Cork rival as the finish line loomed. The closing exchanges matched what had gone before and it was here that Megan Collins made the vital breakthrough. From twenty metres hind she shot a tremendous effort up the slight incline and it gave her victory as Julianne Hayes valiant reply fell just short. Chairperson, Susan Greene praised all the finalists at the after score presentation and paid tribute to the efforts of Gretta Cormican who co-ordinated the women’s championships. The women’s junior final between Clair O’Brien (Carbery) and Helen Cooney (North Cork) will take place on Saturday evening next September 8 at Ballyvourney at 6.30pm. At Caheragh on Sunday evening a Queen of Roads qualifier saw Geraldine Daly score an emphatic win over 2005 competition finalist, Louise Collins. With €2,300 at issue Daly was always in control in this one and ran out a two bowl winner.

This coming week marks the end of evening bowling for the current season. Safety procedures, so crucial to the running of all scores, dictate the cessation at this time. Saturday evening, September 15, marks the deadline for this year. Bol Chumann’s fixture list for the various clubs, meticulously put together each month by fixtures secretary, Harry Jennings, is now available online on the Bol Chumann website www.irishroadbowling.ie

The New Half-Way bowling club presented a cheque for €10,000 to the Children’s Leukemia Ward, Mercy Hospital Cork at a special ceremony at the Lord Mayor’s Chamber, City Hall, Cork, on Monday August 27. The funds were raised mainly through a series of benefit scores played during the past two years but also through donations and sponsorship. The worthy venture was spearheaded by Paddy Crowley and Mick Burke who are at the helm of the Half Way operations and they wish to express to thanks and appreciation to the many bowlers and their backers who supported the cause. Paddy’s interest in the game is steeped in its history for he is the nephew of all time great, Red Crowley, of Bandon. They had a good contest at Half-Way on Sunday morning and it marked another good victory for Billy McAuliffe. Taking on strong City junior, Patrick O’Driscoll, for a combined sum of €2,200, McAuliffe did good bowling up to the mid point of the score by the ‘fireplace store’ to rise a bowl of odds. The Glanworht held it for the remainder of the contest and won by that margin.

In North Cork the final of the Mick Connors Cup was a poignant occasion. Played at Dromahane on Saturday evening, it produced a fitting commemoration of the great Berrings native who passed away earlier this year. Paddy Kinsella, Mallow, and Mick Murphy, Donoughmore, produced a cracking confrontation with victory, thanks to a super last shot, going to the North East player. Kinsella compensated for a poor opener after which he was down seventy metres, with a big second to lead. Murphy hit two amazing shots, his third and fourth, to the ‘double gap’ to forge into a lead fifty metres short of a bowl of odds but an unlucky sixth saw that margin halved. Crucial errors with his seventh and eight were Murphy’s undoing and handed Kinsella, who had been doggedly pursuing his rival, back the initiative. The closing stages were exciting as Murphy tracked a mighty effort from ‘O’Callaghan’s pillars’ only for Kinsella to beat it. Like wise Murphy followed up with a big cast towards the line but Kinsella closed it out when beating not only the Donoughmore man’s big tip but the finish line as well. Antoinette Connors, wife of the late and fondly remembered Mick, presented the imposing cup dedicated to his memory to Paddy Kinsella at the after score presentation in Corkery’s Bar.

Mick Gould won the Carrignavar junior tournament quarterfinal on Friday evening from local, Martin Daly. Daly spurned a great chance of gaining significant leeway with his third shot to the ‘doctor’s’ and was left to rue when Gould took command beyond half way. It stayed a close contest with Gould winning in the last shot. The stake at issue was €2,100. At Whitechurch on Sunday evening Trevor O’Meara repeated his Ballineen success over Andrew O’Leary. O’Meara won by a bowl at the City venue for a stake of €2,200.

At Rylane Danny Murphy of Kilcorney defeated Paddy Ronan, Rylane, last shot for €1,400. In two scores at Sally’s Cross Vincent Kiely defeated John O’Rourke by a bowl of odds for €1,700 while in the return Mickie O’Driscoll of the City defeated Kiely last shot for €2,200. In the Denis Horgan Club series for the Jackie Daly Shield Mike Murphy and Dean Sexton won a doubles from Timmy Murphy and Tadg Sexton one bowl; Caroline Cronin/Liam Casey/Joanne Murphy defeated Johnny O’Riordan/Rose Twohig/Kelly Cronin by a bowl of odds; Thady Murphy/Maurice Cashman defeated Danny Murphy/Tadg Curtin by a bowl and Evan Murphy/Rose Twohig/Caroline Cronin defeated Brian Kearney/Joanne Murphy/Kelly Cronin last shot. The Munster multi-bowling festival which was held recently in the St.Vincent’s GAA club was a great success. A total of €4,000 was raised for various organisations in the area, Senior Citizens, ‘We the People’, Ogra Chorcai and St Vincent’s GAA under-age fund. St Vincent’s bowling club would wish to thank everybody who contributed in any way. The Macroom social clubs doubles final was won by the partnership of John O’Sullivan and Noel O’Riordan who took a last victory from Tony Healy and Joe Lyons.

Bowling News 27th August 2007

The Munster junior C championship final between Eoin O’Riordan of the Gaeltacht region and Neil Crowley (Carbery) at Derrinasafa on Friday evening last took a while to come to life. The bowling from the ‘darkwood’ onward compensated for a pedestrian opening half in which neither player showed anything near their potential. The Gaeltacht man was the punters favourite before a good sized crowed as the stakemoney balanced out at a combined €7,060, but saw his first hit a ‘pillar’ to leave Crowley with an early if slight advantage. They exchanged the lead over the next exchanges before O’Riordan opened a handy fifty metre lead with his fourth. Crowley’s tendency to pull his shots to the right manifested itself in the bowling past ‘Foxe’s lane’ allowing his opponent to extend his odds. A particularly good seventh left O’Riordan with vital law as they went around ‘nattie’s’ in eight and nine. There was just metres short of the bowl between them at ‘darkwood’ where the figures of eleven and twelve represented a below par performance from both. The contest exploded into life from there though as firstly O’Riordan tracked a fine effort that looked likely to rise the bowl only for Crowley to beat it by twenty metres. After O’Riordan’s next just beat ‘Walshe’s lane’, Crowley produced the shot of the score with a monstrous drive onto the straight that gained him an unlikely lead at a vital juncture in the score. Now behind, having controlled the score since the early stages, O’Riordan’s response was awaited and he showed a fair degree of resolve with a bullet like shot that brushed the left and ran all the way to ‘O’Neill’s cross’. Crowley now needed a big one to stay in it and got it too when his slightly crossed reply also got a perfect rub, this time off the right, to come within twenty five metres of a formidable tip. There matters rested for the evening as referee, Jerry Hurley, properly adjourned proceedings owing to fading light. On the resumption, on Sunday evening, Crowley’s hit a good effort but those twenty plus metres were more valuable than they first appeared and it showed immediately in O’Riordan’s reply. The Gaeltacht man shot a sublime throw with accuracy and speed and it ran with the brow to within metres of the finish line. Crowley was eighty metres down for the last shots and, although he tracked his final attempt well, there was no doubting O’Riordan’s victory and a place in the All-Ireland series in two week’s time in Tyrone. Chairperson, Susan Greene, congratulated both finalists on reaching the decider following an extensive championship that has been ongoing through regional and county level over the summer months. She paid tribute to both players dedication to the sport, O’Riordan in his Gaeltacht division and abroad, when in exile, in Boston and New York and Crowley for a life time playing scores at venues around the county.

Eamonn Bowen’s best chance of avenging his championship semi-final defeat to Bill Daly came in the early stages of their latest clash at the Marsh Road on Sunday afternoon last. The host club’s very popular ‘Trip to Boston’ tournament has reached it final stages and Daly is there again after a comprehensive two bowl victory over the Carrignavar man. Bowen gained no significant ground on a poor opening shot by the All-Ireland champion and a badly misdirected third of his own had Daly in the driving seat and in no mood to forsake it. Daly went a bowl up playing across ‘Curragh hill’ and, although Bowen knocked it briefly, there was two between them following the Glanmire man’s big ninth to sight at the ‘steps’. Bowen did exhibit that remarkable ability to spin bowls around bends on occasions, at ‘the steps’ and again at Ballyhilty but they only served to keep the rising odds at bay. Daly was well over two clear at the ‘avenue gate’ when matters were terminated in his favour. The stake at issue was €6,600. Martin Coppinger of Bantry is the next to attempt to halt the Daly bandwagon when they contest the top prize of a €1,300 Trip to Boston in early October at the Marsh road on Saturday next.

Con O’Donovan, Newcestown, won the vintage (over 60’s) section B play-off from Willie Dennis, Cobh, on Sunday forenoon at the Bog Road venue. From over forty starters the two durable performers provided a fitting decider that was played for a combined total of €1,500. Dennis led for the first three shots but there was nothing between them in the bowling to ‘Danny’s lane’. O’Donovan edged away in the shots to the ‘Major’s’ and rose his winning odds when Dennis erred in the exchanges from this juncture. The Cobh man left his effort too far to the left and, with O’Donovan hitting a sweet reply, the bowl of odds came between them. O’Donovan made no mistakes from there and won by the bowl. In the overall vintage final the Newcestown player will meet either Christy Keating or Celly Spillane who meet in the A section final at Half Way. O’Donovan previously contested the overall final in 2004 going under to Keating at Donoughmore. In a score back the Bog Road the Cobh contingent gained some recompense when Paul Butler defeated Celly Spillane (Jun) last shot for €1,100.

Finals in the remaining girls under-age grades are due for decision on this Saturday at Togher Cross. Last weeks action at Newcestown and The Phale Road, Ballineen, has set up three interesting deciders in junior, U14 and U12. Last year’s finalist in women’s junior, Helen Cooney from Kilcorney, is back for another tilt at outright honours. In her semi-final with Clair Williamson at Newcestown on Thursday she put in a fine finishing spurt to come away with a bowl of odds victory. Playing out from the village it was even to ‘O’Brien’s’ with the South West representative, Williamson, matching some good shots by her North Cork opponent. The closing phase belonged to Cooney however as three well-thrown efforts in succession saw her progress to a final showdown with Carbery’s Clair O’Brien. That decider has been deferred from Saturday evening next to a later date. On the same evening at Ballineen Aisling O’Callaghan, the Castletownkenneigh based Mid Cork champion advanced to the county final with a narrow and fairly dramatic victory over a gallant Aoife O’Connell who was carrying the South West banner. The Castletown girl was a bowl up at half way but lost it all to a determined comeback by O’Connell. In the closest of all finishes, both missed the line by mere centimetres before O’Callaghan took the verdict in the very last throw. Michelle Ryan, also of Carbery, awaits in the upcoming final. Mid Cork were also victorious in the U12 penultimate round clash as Megan Collins, a grand-daughter of bowling great servants, Tom of Crossbarry, just edged out South West’s Sinead O’Donovan. There was little enough between them in a good score before the Mid Cork champion advanced to a final meeting with a new star in the Driangh bowling scene, Joanna Hayes. The Queen of the Roads qualifiers continued with a score at Templemartin on Friday evening. The contest saw the elimination of 2000 winner Gretta Cormican. Catriona Hubbard, the former Catriona O’Rourke was the master in this contest running out a two bowl winner for a stake of €400.

The Carbery-South West inter-regional fund raising scores were ongoing through out last week in the Carbery division. In a big fixture at Bauravilla on Saturday local, Michael Crowley, and Clon’s Johnny O’Driscoll had an exciting encounter. Going for a total of €2,400, Crowley’s fine throw past ‘Dekkers’ had him a bowl ahead. O’Driscoll put it up to the Carbery man with a super throw to sight at the ‘bridge’ only for Crowley to follow in like manner. He beat another big shot by the South West man into the ‘lag’ and that proved decisive in a home victory. Twenty one scores were played at various venues over the week with honours fairly evenly divided and a goodly sum raised to aid the ongoing operational expenses.

In club tournament action there was plenty of activity around the county. Trevor O’Meara produced a scintillating performance at Ballineen on Saturday evening to win the three-way intermediate festival competition there from Nicholas Carey and Andrew O’Leary. Going for a total of €2,100, O’Meara was out of the traps early going sight up the hill in two and rising a full bowl on both opponents with a super third. Carey put up the best resistance but was still a big throw down to O’Meara’s six to ‘O’Regan’s cross’. O’Leary lagged further behind and was unable to impose himself on the contest. O’Meara hit the narrow road in ten still only a shot ahead of Carey but there was no catching the Waterfall man who was close to the line in three more. Carey and O’Leary engaged in a return pick-up with Carey, bowling exceptionally well, wining by over two. The stake in that encounter was €1,200. At Durrus a junior B tournament final saw victory for Tom Coppinger over Mattie Hurley. The long serving Bantry man was the underdog in the €1,200 stake but delivered a commanding performance to take the laurels. Hurley failed to get a lead in the score but it was always tight until the last bend at ‘Dukelow’s’. There Coppinger unleashed a terrific shot to gain sight and rise the bowl of odds. He held with conviction to the finish. At Ballinacurra on Friday evening Mick Gould took two from two with Ian Callanan, both winning margins over the bowl and for sums of €2,000 each time. At the same venue on Saturday Paddy O’Donoghue defeated Eamonn Bowen (Jun) last shot for €3,000, Michael Hogan came from two bowls down to defeat James O’Donovan last shot for €3,000 and in two further doubles scores David Hubbard and Declan O’Mahony won twice from Maurice Connolly and Johnny Byrnes for €1,500 each time. On a busy weekend at Curraheen Vincent Kiely won a tournament quarterfinal from Jim Coffey by two bowls for €2,600 and, for good measure won their second joust as well last shot for a sum of €1,000. Tournament specialist, Dan Joe Holland, did it again at Curraheen, winning a competition semi-final from intermediate Eamonn Bowen (Jun) on Sunday morning. A completely off form Bowen allowed Holland go two bowls up at the ‘Mill corner’ but a series of big shots to ‘Richard’s lane’ knocked al the odds. Holland just stayed the course and beat a handy last tip for a notable win. At Donoughmore in a tournament fixture Patrick O’Driscoll defeated John Young by almost a bowl. Going for a total of €2,200, Young made a slow start missing sight at eh first bend with his opening shot. He lost big leeway after that but stayed in touch enough to keep the result in doubt right to the end. On the way back Michael O’Driscoll defeated John O’Rourke last shot for €1,800. At Donoughmore on Friday Tony Flynn scored two from two with Denis Hickey. Flynn won from arrears on both occasions for sums of €1,600 each time. At Drinagh Connie Connolly ensured home representation in this year’s Paddy O’Donovan Cup final. Connolly won his semi-final joust with Drimoleague’s Dan O’Mahony on Sunday morning. With €1,100 at issue Connolly went a bowl up in the shots from the ‘rectory gates’ and, when O’Mahony missed going into the ‘pond’ there was no way back. Connolly’s final opponent will come from a trio still in contention on the other side. Tadg Crowley plays Donie Harnedy in a quarterfinal on this weekend with the winner engaging last year’s runner-up, Dinny Nyhan in the second semi. At Whitechurch early last week David Hubbard defeated Kieran Daly one bowl for €2,000. At Rylane on Sunday last Donncha Lucey defeated Bobby Healy by one bowl for €1,800 and, in a return, Danny Murphy defeated Paddy Ronan last shot for €1,600. At Sally’s Cross Bobby Healy scored a win, defeating Eddie Hunter by a bowl for €1,000. In social club events at Ballyclough (Ballyclough v Banteer) for the Gerard Healy Perpetual Shield, the visitors won by 4 points to 3. Some results are: Ballyclough (Billy O’Sullivan, Jimmy Buckley, Aisling O’Sullivan) defeated Banteer (Danny Murphy, Thady Murphy Caroline Cronin) by a bowl of odds; Banteer (Maurice Cashman, Dean Sexton, Rose Twohig) beat Ballyclough (Timmie Murphy, Joanne Murphy, Kiera Buckley) by a bowl of odds; Ballyclough (Austin O’Neill, Christy Leahy, Orla O’Sullivan) defeated Banteer (Liam Casey, Johnny O’Riordan, Caroline Cronin) last shot; Banteer (Mickie Murphy, Paddy O’Keefe, Tadg Sexton) beat Ballyclough (Daniel Murphy, Billy O’Sullivan, Austin O’Neill)

Bowling News August 6th 2007

A weekend of almost total success for the Munster champions on the Cathedral Road in Armagh concluded with Bill Daly bridging a twenty three year gap to claim a second All-Ireland senior championship title on Sunday afternoon last. Bol Chumann Ard Mhaca’s staging of the second series for 2007 was a splendid bowling spectacle but, from the visitor’s perspective, the winning of six of the seven national titles on offer was the crowning glory. Victories in boys and girls U16, men’s veteran, junior B and senior, and women’s intermediate were the rewards for top class performances by the Cork champions with only Thomas Mackle’s sensational closing spurt, which deprived Thomas Buckley of the U18 championship, preventing a complete rout for the home representatives. Revenge for Skibbereen, when the Ulster champions claimed four of the six titles played for in July, it may well have been and there was certainly much to admire in the top drawer displays that reaped such rich dividends. Delivering on the All-Ireland stage is always a demanding test of skill and mental fortitude and this latest series showed the Munster standard bearers on top of their game in every respect. Daly is the prime example and he maintained the focus and fluency of his Munster championship campaign to inflict a one bowl defeat on Eddie Carr and capture the Hughie Trainor Cup. A little surprisingly maybe, he was the rank outsider with the punters as they played away for a combined tally that amounted in euros to 5,300. A ‘call’ on his first and third shots didn’t upset the Corkman’s rhythm either as, after trailing by a few metres after his first, he took a eighty metre lead with a super second shot and held that to the ‘well’. Carr got a big brush to ‘Haughey’s’ to keep the pressure up but Daly was relentless and pushed on to lead by half a bowl as they played on to ‘Starr’s Hill’. There was just eighteen metres short of a bowl of odds at ‘Donnelly’s’ and he eventually rose the shot with a big throw to the ‘coal sheds’. Carr was always dangerous though and cast a massive shot down to the ‘lime kilns’ that Daly fell forty metres hind of and, with a quarter of the score to go, anything was possible. Daly’s brilliant shot past ‘rowantrees’ regained most of his earlier advantage and he eventually restored his bowl lead at ‘Grimley’s corner’. Carr staged a storming finish but Daly matched him shot for shot to win the duel by a bowl and twenty metres.

Ger Fitzpatrick won the All-Ireland junior B decider from Sean O’Reilly by a bowl of odds margin. It was the feature score on Saturday’s programme and provided a full-blooded contest that showed the South West champion in determined mode as he resolutely defended a hard earned early lead. The youthful O’Reilly, a brother of intermediate champion, Brian, was hotly fancied on his home patch as the score went off for a combined total of 13,160. O’Reilly had the misfortune of incurring a nasty fall as he released his opening shot with the result that he fell fifty metres adrift of Fitzpatrick’s well-tracked reply. The bowling was good over the first quarter as the Clon player held his odds to varying degrees before he was presented with a good opportunity of extending the leeway when O’Reilly got caught at the ‘concrete’. Fitzpatrick did not take immediate advantage but did gather momentum as they bowled to ‘Donnelly’s’ where the margin was thirty metres less than the bowl of odds. He rose the shot of odds shortly after but O’Reilly was fighting his corner well and unleashed a smashing drive down to ‘Brannigan’s. It called for a big response and Fitzpatrick provided it, following in like manner to hold his grip on the score. The Munster champion might have put the seal on it when O’Reilly, going for broke, played too tight with his next. He didn’t and the northern man came again with a big throw that came close to knocking the odds. Fitzpatrick did enough to stave off that challenge as well benefiting from a good touch at ‘rowantrees’ to hold most of his lead. The final exchanges belonged to Fitzpatrick and he emerged a popular winner of a first All-Ireland after a lifetime dedicated to the game.

Sunday morning’s rain didn’t spare the Orchard County and conditions were extremely unpleasant as Thomas Mackle and Thomas Buckley went into combat with the All-Ireland U18 title at stake. It was Mackle’s second outing of the weekend and, having gone under to Arthur McDonagh in Saturday’s U16 decider, few gave him much of a chance of toppling Buckley who has an unrivalled under-age pedigree. Buckley’s opener hopped the kerb leaving Mackle ahead briefly though it was as the Cork youth immediately took control to lead at ‘the well’. There was little indication of what was to come as Buckley hit two fine throws between ‘Donnelly’s and the ‘coal sheds’ to rise a half bow of odds. Crucially, he failed to drive home his advantage from there, and two very average attempts left his opponent back within shouting distance. That Mackle grabbed his chance might be an understatement for he literally tore into the contest with a series of superbly executed shots from ‘McGrath’s’ onwards. Buckley couldn’t match this onslaught and lost the lead with four to go. It was Mackle’s exceptional drive down and around the ‘lime kilns’ that swung it totally his was and he had too much in hand for the final exchanges for the gallant Buckley. Mackle along with Buckley and McDonagh are outstanding prospects and will, doubtless, come head to head again in future All-Ireland clashes.

To many observers the veteran (over 50’s) final played in the Cathedral Road on Sunday morning was the most exciting of the weekend. Mick Young and Pat Mallon went at it with rare gusto and served up an absorbing encounter that see-sawed one way and the other before that Bantry man produced that bit extra over the final shots. The lower graded Mallon was the underdog as the outset but led the contest for the first three shots. Young drove a good fourth to the ‘coal sheds’ to take his first lead but it was short lived as Mallon was back in front after five. Young got a good run down ‘Starr’s Hill’ but Mallon tenaciously held the fore before losing it eventually to the Munster champion’s mighty shot to McGrath’s’. Once again Mallon came back to lead the contest at the ‘well’ but came hind to Young’s big effort to ‘Lester’s’. Young now had the force with him and went forty metres clear at ‘Campbell’s’ and extended that to eighty for the final shots. Mallon made a brave effort with his last shot over the line and the Bantry man had to sharp with his reply. Mick Young claimed the veteran All-Ireland with an assured last shot, a fitting reward for the long serving stalwart from West Cork. At the after score presentation he paid tribute to those who supported him throughout his campaign and made particular reference to the large contingent who made their way northward from his native Drinagh.

Juliette Murphy scored a splendid victory in the women’s intermediate final played in the Cathedral Road on Saturday afternoon. The Tyrone based Ulster champion Denise Daly showed bowling ability in abundance in her provincial campaign but found the versatile Donoughmore player a step too far. There was plenty of support for both contenders as the final stake tally amounted to 13,000 and it was an even contest over the first quarter. Murphy led by fifty metres after two but that was reduced to ten in the subsequent exchanges. Daly continued to press but then the Munster champion hit two outstanding shots around the ‘coalsheds’ that put significant daylight between herself and he rival. The upshot of these was that a bowl and ten metres separated them after seven shots. Murphy was not threatened thereafter allowing her opponent no chance of staging a recovery. Her bowling was assured typified by an exquisite cast away from ‘Campbell’s’ that doubled her margin. Juliette Murphy’s winning margin at the end was two bowls of odds.

Arthur McDonagh drew first blood for the visitors with a thrilling U16 All-Ireland win from a tough opponent in Ulster champion, Thomas Mackle. Getting proceedings under way Mackle hit two outstanding opening shots to lead by seventy metres and, although reduced to thirty metres after four, it was big odds again in the Armagh boys favour as they played to the ‘well’. McDonagh showed his mettle with an extraordinary effort from the ‘well bend’ that ran all the way to the ‘concrete’. It afforded the Fermoy boy his first lead and he powered on to lead by one hundred metres on to ‘Starr’s Hill’. It looked a bowl of odds in the making then but there was a sting coming as the Munster champion hit a rocky patch playing four average attempts that allowed Mackle catch up and level the contest. Mackle forged in front and held on to lead right up to the last shots. With little between them McDonagh played a big last shot and it was enough to claim the national title when Mackle’s replay missed by fifty metres.

Lorraine Hurley completed Saturday’s clean sweep for the Munster champions when she took the All-Ireland girls U16 championship from a gallant Louise Grimley in the final score of the day. This was another polished display from the talented Togher Cross performer and she needed to be at her best to see off the determined challenge posed by the Ulster champion. Hurley started with aplomb. Three stylishly delivered opening shots yielded the bones of a bowl of odds and a big win looked a formality. Louise Grimley started to show the form that brought her a provincial championship and a tremendous battle developed as the Munster champion saw some of her best efforts equalled and there was further drama when the Armagh champion hit two amazing shots down the incline to take a sensational lead at the ‘concrete’. It would be a solitary lead as Lorraine Hurley immediately upped her game another notch and shot a beauty right on to ‘McGrath’s’ to regain control. In the bowling beyond this juncture the Dunmanway girl rose a bowl of odds and went on to win a hugely entertaining contest by that margin.

As is the custom on All-Ireland weekend in Armagh, The Charlemont Arms hosted the after score presentation. A packed audience heard Phillip White Tyres representative, Liam White praise the organisers and express his delight at his companies association with the All-Ireland series. Respective Association chairpersons Sammy Gillespie and Susan Greene addressed the gathering and extended congratulations to all who participated.

The support scores on Friday evening saw a win each from two interesting encounters. In a doubles clash the northerners Brian Kinchen and Stephen McCann just held on to defeat Johnny Murphy (Beal na mBlath) and Tim Young for a stake of 8,000. Kinchen/McCann had two bowls of odds for a while in this one but a big claw back centres mainly around a monstrous last shot by Murphy forced McCann to beat a big tip to win the contest. Aidan Murphy and intermediate champion, Brain O’Reilly, engaged then for a total of 18,000. Murphy it was who held the ascendancy and, although unfinished due to fading light on Friday, had enough in hand to complete the job on Saturday morning for a good victory for the visitors. The All-Ireland finals brought closure to the main championships but there is still a lot to play for as the competitions in the junior C and novice grades have yet to be concluded and will have their own final weekend on Sept 8/9 at Eglish in Co Tyrone. We are very grateful to James O’Driscoll for his updates on all the events in Armagh over the holiday weekend.

The Munster junior C and novice 1 and 2 championships commanded plenty attention as they dominated the mid-week action on the bowling roads of the county. The junior C is the premier of the three but the standard of bowling didn’t match the lower grades at a good many of the venues. Nevertheless, for those still in contention, it’s results that count at this stage and just five remain in contention for outright provincial honours following last Thursday’s preliminary round and quarterfinal fixtures. Clondrohid hosted the clash of the left-handers as Martin Murphy (North East) and John Sweetnam (West Cork) went head to head. Going for a total of €600, with Sweetnam the host favourite, it was clear from the early stages that Murphy was the man in form. He gradually edged away from the West Cork to rise a bowl of odds in the shot to ‘Tier Beg’ cross. Murphy extended his odds to almost two beyond ‘Geoff’s lane’. Murphy was in total control coming on to ‘Kelleher’s farm’ but here was a hiccup on the way. Sweetnam hit a good throw down the centre and, following two very short efforts by Murphy, the odds were halved. It was as close as the Drinagh man got though as Murphy ran out the winner by over the bowl. At Jagoe’s Mills South West’s John O’Leary had a comfortable win over East Cork’s Paul Butler. This one was played for a total of €4,000 and Butler leading after seven to the ‘stones’. Nothing went right for the East Cork champion after that and O’Leary was soon back in charge before going on to rise a bowl of odds at the ‘power station’. He extended that to two by the finish to set up a semi-final meeting with Eoin O’Riordan or Christy Butler. At Templemartin the Carbery champion, Neil Crowley, advanced to a semi-final meeting with Martin Murphy after a one bowl victory over City’s Thomas O’Callaghan. The bowling was average to Slynne’s corner where Crowley went in six to his opponents seven. Crowley held most of that to the ‘school house cross’ but, from here O’Callaghan made serious inroads with a big throw down towards the next bend. The Carbery man just beat that in two to bring the margin back to twenty metres but got a reprieve when his opponent played too far to the right with his next. Crowley gained big law again and this time held it with good bowling to the line. They played for a combined tally of €2,000.

In novice 1 there was a splendid confrontation at Clondrohid on Tuesday when Tim Murphy (North East) went head to head with Aidan Hurley (West Cork). A mighty thirteen shot duel ensued as the youthful contestants fought it shot for shot. Murphy’s big break off the wall below ‘Kelleher’s’ was vital in his narrow victory. This contest was played without a stake. City’s Declan O’Leary is next up for the determined Murphy. At Whitechurch Gealtacht’s Jerry O’Riordan finished the stronger to oust Mid Cork’s Paul Walsh before a big Wednesday evening gathering. With €2,200 at issue this was going Walsh’s way at ‘bula lane’ where almost a bowl separated them in the Mid Cork man’s favour. O’Riordan’s recovery started with a big shot to the ‘farm’ and he eventually led with two to go. The force was with the Gaeltacht man now and he took full advantage of a miscued second last by Walsh to forge big law for the last shots. Two big victories in the county rounds has O’Riordan now in a semi-final slot against either Conor McCarthy (East Cork) or Conor O’Sullivan (South West).

At Jagoe’s Mills on Friday Paul Hunt (South West) edged out James McCarthy (East Cork) in a novice 2 quarterfinal clash. Played without a stake, McCarthy held a bowl lead after seven shots but a poor throw away from here allowed Hunt back in contention. The Kilbrittain hit two big shots to and from ‘O’Brien’s corner’ to gain important leeway. In the well-contested closing stages hunt held his odds to advance to a semi-final meeting with Mid Cork’s Con O’Donovan. O’Donovan won an exciting quarterfinal tussle with North Cork’s Paddy O’Regan at Whitechurch on Wednesday. Playing for a total of €2,600 they exchanged the lead on numerous occasions. O’Regan had the ascendancy from the fourth to the eighth shots before O’Donovan assumed control for a while. There was never much in it and it came to the final throws before O’Donovan came away with a hard earned victory that might now entitle him to be held as the one to beat in this competition. There is still a lot to play for and there was drama aplenty at Clondrohid on Tuesday when Mickey O’Regan (West Cork) snatched victory from Tadg Hunter (North East) after an amazing contest. O’Regan was literally running away with this one having rose a bowl after three and nearly doubling it coming up to half way. Hunter hit three magnificent shots from the ‘Bell Inn’ to wipe out the odds and forge into a seemingly unassailable lead himself. O’Regan came at the death aided by a late error by Hunter and the semi-final spot went westward. O’Regan now meets Carbery’s Jerry O’Sullivan in the penultimate round.

In the women’s junior and girls U14 and U12 competitions a number of scores advanced the championships to the semi-final stages. At Clondrohid, in U14, Karen Hunter (North East) played a mighty last shot to deny Marie Collins (West Cork) and at Templemartin Michelle Ryan (Carbery) edged out dual city under-age champion, Noelle Moynahin, by a bowl. In girls U12 at Clondrohid J Hayes (West Cork) won a great score from Ciara Buckley (North East). In women’s junior at Castletownkenneigh on Friday a poor start by Mary Browne saw her fall two bowl down to Helen Cooney. Playing outward the Gaeltacht champion did narrow the gap beyond the lines but the North Cork representative Cooney finished with five exceptional shot to come away with the victory.

In the Jerry Desmond Cup at Lyre Sean Murphy defeated John O’Brien by almost a bowl for €1,800. Murphy also took the return score result from O’Brien last shot for €1,200. At Ballincurrig on Sunday, in the John Cronin Cup, Seamus Sexton (Jun) won by a bowl from Billy McAullife for a stake of €1,000. In club action at Templemartin on Thursday local man Tim Murphy hit top form to defeat City man David O’Donovan by a bowl for €1,600. At Jagoe’s Mills on Friday Christy Butler defeated Christy Keating one bowl for €2,000 and, on Thursday Pat Broderick and Kevin O’Donovan teamed up to defeat Dave Coffey and Patrick Butler one bowl for €2,000.

Bowling News July 30th 2007
On this August Bank Holiday weekend, the Cathedral Road on the outskirts of Armagh City will stage the seven score All-Ireland programme that will decide national honours in men’s senior, junior B and veteran, Boy’s U18 and U16, women’s intermediate and girls U16 categories. The two-day event promises a feast of bowlplaying on the famed old northern venue with each of the seven finals having their own intrigue and the variety of participants from veteran campaigners such as Mick Young and Pat Mallon to upcoming starlets, Lorraine Hurley and Louise Grimley, all enhancing the spectacle for the huge numbers expected to attend. The Cathedral road was, in fact, second choice for Bol Chumann Ard Mhaca as the Newtown Bol Fada road was the original selection, but unsuitable resurfacing necessitated a return to the familiar route. Sunday afternoon’s battle for the Hughie Trainor Cup, the All-Ireland senior championship title, is, of course the premier fixture and a rare showdown it might well be. Eddie Carr and Bill Daly will bid for outright honours on an occasion that promises a supreme test. Both are bidding for a second senior All-Ireland with Daly’s only success, a surprising statistic given his exalted status in the sport, coming all of twenty three years ago at Ballyshonin against Aidan Toal, while Carr achieved ultimate glory in 2003 against Edmund Sexton. Daly’s form has been magnificent in an extended Munster campaign but Carr showed what a dangerous foe he can be in demolishing the challenge of Phillip O’Donovan in the Bol Fada festival at Easter, although, on the other hand he has seen little action in the intervening time as Michael Toal’s injury has left him unopposed in the Ulster championship. Thomas Mackle will attempt to repeat Kelly Mallon’s Marsh Road feat of two All-Ireland’s on the one weekend when he takes on Arthur McDonagh in U16 and Thomas Buckley in U18. He could have his hands full with the Cork champions. Ger Fitzpatrick will carry the Cork hopes in junior B against the youthful Sean O’Reilly while Mick Young’s remarkable season should fittingly conclude with a veteran Al-Ireland if he can overcome Pat Mallon. Juliette Murphy is a proven competitor on the big stage and, if Croke Park holds no fears, then the Cathedral road shouldn’t faze the Donoughmore player who may well claim another All-Ireland trophy, albeit a first in the bowling game. Denise Daly will not be a pushover as those who were in Doneraile twelve months ago will well remember, when she came within a whisker of winning the intermediate crown from Emma Fitzpatrick. A Cork banker might well be Lorraine Hurley in girls U16 for, unless Louise Grimley, is a newcomer of the highest calibre in the bowling sense, the Togher Cross star should surely claim the Monsignor Raymond Murray Cup. All in all a fascinating line-up to look forward to as the best in the land in their respective grades go head to head and, whatever the outcome, all who participate have contributed much to hugely enjoyable bowling year thus far.

The full programme for the Cathedral Road is as follows: Saturday Aug 4; 11.30 am, Boy’s U16 final, Thomas Mackle (Ulster) v Arthur McDonagh (Munster); 1.00pm, women’s intermediate final, Denise Daly (Ulster) v Juliette Murphy (Munster); 3.00pm Junior B final Sean O’Reilly (Ulster) v Ger Fitzpatrick (Munster). Sunday August 5: 11.00 am, Boy’s U18 final, Thomas Mackle (Ulster) v Thomas Buckley (Munster); 12.30pm, Veteran final, Pat Mallon (Ulster) v Mick Young (Munster); 3.30 pm, Men’s senior final, Eddie Carr (Ulster) v Bill Daly (Munster). Phillip White Tyres are the event sponsors. Bol Chumann Ard Mhaca has stipulated that practise shots will not be allowed from the start line prior to the start of the score. They may be taken on a different stretch of road or from the start point well in advance to the crowd gathering.

The Ulster veterans final on Sunday last was won by Pat Mallon in the last shot form Harry Toal. Toal was clearly carrying an injury and his early play was wayward. Mallon, in contrast, reached the ‘pump’ in five shots from ‘rowantrees’ to lead by a shot. A fortuitous kick off the stones down ‘Starr’s hill’ enabled Toal go all the way to the bottom. Mallon took two to beat that mark. Toal ‘made’ sight at ‘Lester’s’ but Mallon stayed consistent and held on to scrape home. Mallon was, of course, the All-Ireland veteran champion in 2004 claiming the title after a mighty battle with John Joe O’Donovan at Ballincurrig.

The Gaeltacht regional club, Clondrohid, hosted the women’s intermediate and girl’s U16 finals on a murky Tuesday evening, July 24. Four capable exponents provided passages of excellent bowlplaying in trying conditions before the honours on the evening were decided in favour of Juliette Murphy and Lorraine Hurley. The Cullen School of Motoring sponsored intermediate decider was first under-way playing in from the ‘Mill’s entrance’ to Clondrohid village and here the Donoughmore native Murphy, now, of course, a nationally acclaimed sporting figure as captain and star mid-fielder of Cork’s All-Ireland winning ladies football side, was contesting against a rising contender in women’s bowling and certainly one the sport’s staunchest followers, Emer O’Donovan from Mid Cork. Both carried considerable support among the big gathering that braved the unseasonable elements with the result that the score went off for a combined total of €2,580. The bowling in the opening phase was mixed with neither availing of a few opportunities although Murphy was edging ahead by a small margin. In the shots from Tier Beg cross to the ‘Bell Inn’ the greater power of the North Cork player began to tell as she gradually extended her margin to a bowl of odds. O’Donovan fought against the rising odds but conceded more in the shots away from the ‘Bell corner’. O’Donovan might have brought it back to the even bowl with a better judged effort to the top of the brow but Murphy was well in command beyond half way. There was a superb exchange in the shots down past ‘Kelleher’s farmhouse’ where Murphy pitched a beauty down the left track that seemed sure to end the contest there and then. Showing fine defiance, O’Donovan did likewise and beat the mark. Murphy yielded no more and won by almost two. It was, in fact, the fourth women’s county crown for the multi-talented Juliette Murphy having won U14 in 1994 from Fiona Dwyer, also played at Clondrohid, U18 from Louise Collins in 1998 but lost to Dervla Toal in the All-Ireland in Armagh, and, prior to that, winning junior in 1997 from Mary Twomey at Bengour. She will be a capable operator in senior ranks in 2008 and will go with confidence for a tilt at the national intermediate title when she plays Denise Daly in Armagh. For Emer O’Donovan, who lost no caste in defeat, it was an honourable performance given her youth and inexperience and she will be a force in the championships of the future.

Back out the road Lorraine Hurley and Adrianna Creedon went head to head in the girls U16 final. Women’s bowling, is surely on a rising curve if these superb practitioners are an indicator. Hurley was eventually a two bowl winner but the winning margin does not reflect a terrific contest that might have gone either way at the three-quarter stage had not the Togher Cross girl not produced yet another of those exquisite deliveries to finally quell the spirited Gaeltacht challenge. Hurley led by seventy metres after two and this transferred into a bowl lead after five. Creedon knocked it in the next exchanges before Hurley threw a truly amazing sixth that glued to the centre track. It was executed in a style reminiscent to that of her father Billy, whipped away bullet like and immediately gained big odds with the bowl. Adrianna Creedon wasn’t unduly fazed and responded with an incredible shot of her own from near to ‘Geoff’s lane’ that ran all the way to the ‘Bell’. The high quality exchanges continued as Hurley cast another peach of a bowl that cut across the bend to run to ‘Tier Beg’ cross. Creedon kept it at bay with good bowling of her own but, with the end in sight, she was unable to haul back the deficit. So Lorraine Hurley’s precocious talent continues to garner the under-age titles. U12 in 2003, U14 in 2005 and now an U16 Munster championship to give her an opportunity of All-Ireland glory against Louise Grimley on August Bank Holiday weekend. Bol Chumann chairperson Susan Greene and women’s events coordinator Gretta Cormican, congratulated the winners and runners up on their performances and thanked all who participated and helped run the competitions. The remaining championship competitions, women’s junior, girls U14 and U12 have commenced the county rounds. At Templemartin on Saturday evening Carbery’s Claire O’Brien advanced to the junior semi-final when her opponent City champion Wendy Ann McCarthy had the misfortune to incur an injury after six shots and was forced to withdraw. O’Brien was in the driving seat as a fine opening sequence saw her over a bowl ahead at the scores termination. At Castletownkenneigh on Sunday morning the champions of North and Gaeltacht regions went into action in girls U12 and U14. Ciara Griffin (Gaeltacht) won her U12 contest from Sarah O’Connell (North Cork) while Edel O’Connell (North Cork) just edged out Laura Creedon (Gaeltacht), last year’s U12 county finalist, in U14.

A unique record in under-age bowling was preserved at Carrigaline on Friday evening last when Thomas Buckley of Dublin Pike captured the Munster U18 title. In doing so an unmatched feat over an eight year span of two U12, two U14, two U16 and now a pair of U18 provincial championship titles will be forever to his credit. An All-Ireland defeat to Stephen McCann last year at Doneraile was the only blemish in an otherwise faultless career to adult level. Buckley’s speed and general know-how on the bowling road is his greatest attribute and, with a steady hand at the helm in the person of his father Liam, progress from the higher junior ranks which he already occupies to intermediate and perhaps senior level should be well within his grasp in the years to come. Buckley did not, it has to said, depart the Munster under-age scene in a blaze of glory for his decider with Coachford’s Mark Sheehan contained some wayward play and inexplicable lapses from both contenders. Sheehan has a good under-age pedigree as well having won at U14 in 2004 and U16 in 2006, but made an inauspicious start at Carrigaline allowing Buckley, who got away with a scattered third, to move a big bowl of odds ahead, and nothing changed much in the shots to ‘Ashamn’s’ although Buckley was edging further in front although by a small margin. Buckley upped it considerably beyond half-way and went two up, but as both were now finding their true form, the best of the bowling was over the last quarter. Sheehan hit a mighty third last to halve the odds. It was under the bowl for a while but the North Cork champion could not get closer and Buckley won by almost a bowl. He will go now to Armagh on Sunday morning last in quest of a seventh under-age national title against Thomas Mackle.

Arthur McDonagh, like Thomas Buckley, represents the North East region and showed a fine mastery of the excellent Carrigaline route with a two bowl victory over Raymond Ryan (South West) to add the Munster U16 championship to his previously won U14 titles. Using a slower, more measured run in than the sprint-like method used by the U18 finalists, McDonagh was accurate, strong and calculated in his play. The early exchanges were top class even if the South West champion was a shade lucky with his first two. In any event Ryan led after three big shots but could do nothing with a truly magnificent fourth throw by McDonagh that raised a bowl of odds. The Fermoy youth, who escaped from a close call with Peter Nagle (Carbery) at the semi-final stage hit a few more down the straight to increase his odds but not by a big margin as Ryan played a few admirable efforts of his own. McDonagh covered much of the course in ten shots before going onto rise a second bowl in the closing stages. The dual Ulster champion Thomas Mackle stands in the way of a national tile on Saturday next in Armagh. Bol Chumann treasurer, James O’Driscoll and Youth’s Officer, Dan McCarthy, were on hand to present winners and runners up with their prizes and wish them well in their All-Ireland bids on this weekend.

The Munster Social clubs annual multi-bowling festival went of at St. Vincent’s GAA club in Hollyhill on Saturday. A good day’s competition was concluded just ahead on that evening’s downpour and was once again a fine success. The results of the day were as follows: Team competitions; Liam O’Keefe Cup (Dutch Moors) 1 Bog Road (Martin O’Leary, John O’Connor, Denis Daly) 703.2 metres; 2 St. Vincent’s (Tony Scully, John Dolan, Conor Kelleher) 691.9 metres; 3 Banteer (Maurice Cashman, Simon Atkins, John Breen) 686.5 metres. Fachtna O’Sullivan Shield (Dutch Moors) 1 Bog Road (Declan O’Leary, William Long, Paddy Kent) 701.2 metres, 2 Banteer (Mike Murphy, Timmy Murphy, Dean Sexton) 686.5 metres; 3 Carrigaline, (John Healy, John Cronin, Tim Barry) 684 metres. Donal Cashman Shield (Dutch Moors) 1 Banteer (Rose Twohig, Joanne Murphy, Stephaine Scully) 314.6 metres. Individual Competitions: Con Twomey Memorial Cup, (Italian Accuracy) 1 Declan O’Leary (Bog Road), 2 Tony Scully (St. Vincent’s), 3 Timmy Murphy (Banteer). Vintage Junior Carroll (Bog Road). Steven O’Connell Memorial Shield (German Loft) 1 Declan Fennessy (Youghal) 81.0 metres 2 Martin Murray (Youghal) 71.9 metres, 3 Paddy Kent (Bog Road) 67.4. German Loft (handicapped) 1 Liam Lynch (Bog Road) 66.5 metres, 2 Dean Sexton (Banteer) 65.0, 3 Michael Murphy (Banteer) 60.0. Best player from scratch Michael Murphy. German Loft (Ladies) 1 Rose Twohig 50.8, 2 Stephanie Scully 30.0, 3 Breda Scully 28.0. Long shot (Dutch Moors) novice handicapped 1 Dean Sexton 90.2, 2 Paddy Kent 80.0, 3 Michael Murphy 77.6 metres. Long Shot (Dutch Moors) Social clubs, Declan Fennessy (Youghal) 81.0 metres, 2 Martin Murray (Youghal) 87.7, 3 Martin O’Leary (Bog Road) 86.2. Long shot (Dutch Moors) ladies, 1 Rose Twohig 47.7 metres, 2 Breda Scully 25.6, Stephaine Scully 25.0.

The inter-regional rounds of the novice I and 2 championships commenced at Templemartin on Wednesday July 25 when the City and Carbery winners went head to head in quarterfinal fixtures. It was one apiece after evening’s bowling but not entirely the way that might have been expected. The score out the Mid Cork venue was the novice 1 meeting of Declan O’Leary (City) and Donie Harnedy (Carbery) with the western player the over whelming favourite. His performances in his regional A final against Donal Crowley at Ballydehob and in the play-off at the Marsh Road against Adrian O’Neill augured well for a repeat of Patrick Hodnett’s county winning exploits of last year, but it was not to be for the Carbery player for Declan O’Leary proved more than a handful and, with a monstrous last shot, denied Harnedy any further interest in the competition. The contest went off without a stake with Harnedy making the early running in the shots from ‘Slynn’s corner’. Throwing odds on sixty metres beyond ‘Collins’ he left his attempt to far to the right allowing O’Leary, who had been impressing with his deliveries up to that point, to level the contest at the ‘schoolhouse cross’. O’Leary was in the top of his form in the shots down to ‘Buttimer’s gate’ and gained some leeway on the Carbery man. Harnedy fought it well and cast a monstrous second last to within metres of the line. It was all in vain though for O’Leary put paid to any hopes of a last shot finish with a brilliant final effort that beat the line, shot that sees him advance to a quarterfinal meeting with the winner of

Gerry O’Sullivan of Carbery won the novice 2 score back Templemartin on Wednesday when he defeated David Spillane (City) by a bowl for a stake of €2,200. Spillane struggled in the opening stages and fell two bowls adrift up the rise to the ‘school house cross’. O’Sullivan, who grows in confidence with each successive victory stayed that margin ahead coming up to the three-quarter stage before Spillane halved the odds with a big throw at ‘O’Riordan’s’. He might done further damage had he followed up but he scattered his next and O’Sullivan was untroubled after that. At Castletownkenneigh on Friday evening there was a Gaeltacht double as their novice 1 and junior C representatives advanced to the quarterfinal rounds. Playing out the road Jerry O’Riordan (Gaeltacht) and Pat Kelleher (North Cork) had a tremendous battle down to the ‘diamond’ at which point Kelleher led the contest by twenty metres. O’Riordan unleashed four superb shots in a row to completely swing the score his way. He won at the end by almost a bowl to set up a quarterfinal meeting with Mid Cork’s Paul Walsh at Whitechurch. The combined total at issue was €4,600. Eoin O’Riordan (Gaeltacht) set down a marker for junior C honours with a big performance back Castletown to deny Mick Murphy (North Cork) by a two bowl margin. Playing fast and straight, the former Boston novice 1 champion, now back in his native Macroom, started to edge away from the half-way point onwards. Murphy stayed in touch with good bowling before O’Riordan hit two lengthy efforts to the first line to make a big breakaway. The odds was close to two midway between the lines and from there O’Riordan ran out a comfortable winner. The stakemoney amounted to €3,600. Next up for the Gaeltacht man is a meeting with Christy Butler (Mid Cork). Still at Castletownkenneigh, on Sunday morning, in the novice 2 preliminary round, North Cork’s Paddy O’Regan defeated Gaeltacht’s Denis P Bradley by almost two bowls to set up a quarterfinal joust with the bang in form Mid Cork champion, Con O’Donovan of Newcestown.

The regional play-off’s are completed after last week’s action. In North Cork, at Ballinagree, Paddy O’Regan won the novice 2 representation with a victory over D winner, Willie Murphy. O’Regan, from Rylane, won by two to move to a Castletownkenneigh meeting with his Gaeltacht counterpart, Denis P Bradley. In the North Cork women’s junior final at Sally’s Cross, Helen Cooney, last year’s Munster runner-up, won from Rose Twohig by a bowl of odds.

Con O’Donovan from Newcestown won the Mid Cork novice 2 play-off at Beal na mBlath from D winner William Allen also of Newcestown. O’Donovan will play either O’Regan (North Cork) or Bradley (Gaeltacht) in the quarterfinal rounds.

In the Gaeltacht championships Mary Browne had a hard earned victory junior final victory over Mairead Lucey at Clondrohid. The winner had a bowl of odds at the ‘Bell Inn’ but a good fight back by Lucey had the margin at the end down to the fore bowl. Also at Clondrohid in the novice 2 regional play-off Denis P Bradley defeated Paul Lynch by a bowl.

The King of the Roads qualifier for the Mick Barry Cup has commenced at Ballincurrig. John Shorten was an early winner a few weeks back and another is John Creedon who saw off the challenge of Donal O’Riordan on Sunday afternoon last. Playing for a total of €900 it was even enough to the ‘big corner’. O’Riordan failed to make it up to sight from there and Creedon capitalized. The Gaeltacht man won by the bowl. At Ballincurrig on Thursday Michael Gould scored a double from Andrew O’Leary both last shot for €2,800 and €3,400. The very active Curraheen club completed another tournament on Saturday afternoon. Brendan O’Neill of Enniskeane won by almost two bowls from Brian Healy, Dripsey. This was a good contest with both going to the ‘bridge’ by the Mill corner in seven each. O’Neill pulled away with six good shots to ‘Richard’s lane’ after which the lead was near to two shots. Healy tried to the end but could not make inroads. The redoubtable Jerry Long was on hand to present the Christy Ronan cup to Brendan O’Neill along with a glass decanter and €600. Healy as runner-up received €400 with the tournament semi-finalists, Dan O’Regan and Denis Wilmot, also in the money to the tune of €100 each. The stake in Saturday’s decider was €1,600.

Club scores around the regions continue. A doubles fixture at Whitechurch on Monday 23 saw victory for Edmund Sexton and Damien Fitzgerald from former senior Mick O’Driscoll (B) partnered by Thomas Boyle. The winning margin was a bowl of odds for a combined stake of €1,000. Back the road Thomas Boyle defeated Kieran Daly by a bowl for €1,600. At Ballinagree on Wednesday Stephen Murphy defeated Colm Noonan in the last shot for €1,200. At Sally’s Cross Sean Moylan defeated Kevin Ruby one bowl for €1,500 on Wednesday 25. At Wood Road Con O’Donovan, Newcestown kept a remarkable championship and tournament run going with a victory over Johnny Byrnes last shot for €900. At Gortroe on Sunday morning Celly Spillane defeated Kevin Ruby last shot for €1,280 while, at the Bog Road, Maurice Connolly won a tournament semi-final from Kevin O’Donovan one bowl for €1,600. Another in a rich vein of form is Drinagh’s John Young. He chalked up another in an impressive sequence since his galling Desmond Cup defeat to David O’Mahony when he accounted for Gerry Gibbons and Denis O’Driscoll at Kilcrohane on Sunday afternoon last. Going for a total of €3,900, Young was in arrears in the early stages but turned it around with a series of big shots from the half-way point onward. The Gaeltacht region hosted a Cancer Research fund raising series of scores on the Muckross-Loughguitane road near Killarney on Sunday afternoon last. First out was a junior clash between Darren Oliver and Brendan Callaghan that ended in a last shot victory for the Armagh native, Oliver. It was a close contest played for a total of €1,500. Back the road the outward duo combined for a doubles fixture with North Cork’s Vincent Kiely and John O’Rourke. This one went for a total of €900 and produced a dramatic finish. From hind O’Rourke cast the proverbial ‘miler’ and it won the contest despite a game effort from O’Callaghan that looked for a while as if it might beat the daunting tip.

Bowling News July 23rd 2007
From the early stages Bill Daly stamped his authority on the 2007 Munster senior championship final played at Kilumney on Sunday afternoon last. Focused and determined in his demeanour, he was accurate and precise in his bowling as he led the contest from the off. He presented James Buckley, whose undoubted ability was diminished by some wayward play, very few opportunities to impose any dominance with the result that the score rarely sparkled and certainly never developed into the see-saw battle that many had anticipated. On a perfectly adequate venue where shot play and road handling rather than raw power were the required attributes necessary for victory, Daly had both in abundance. His style of throwing too was more suited to the Kilavullen road with low spinning bowls hitting their target and, for the most part, getting their full run. Buckley, as is usual for him, whipped away most of his shots, some fifty to sixty metres, but not always with the precision that was of the utmost importance for a good return. Daly’s resurgence in 2007 is extraordinary and six consecutive championship victories can leave no doubt that the laurels for this year deservedly rest where they belong. He will not, of course, lose sight of the ultimate goal, an All-Ireland title on a historic first visit to Armagh as Munster champion. That remains the next assignment for the former Leap man and his head to head with Eddie Carr on the Cathedral Road on August Bank Holiday Sunday promises an enthralling encounter.

Daly’s forceful performances against Phillip O’Donovan and Eamonn Bowen were enough to sway to punters into making him the favourite at the outset of last Sunday’s decider. Buckley, though, had big backing as well and was not long in balancing his side of the €22,200 stake money that rode on the result. Straight away Daly shot low and powerfully into the left hand track to gain a handy thirty metres on Buckley’s reply as they played to the first wind of the road. Buckley’s second was slightly right and Daly increased his margin with his response. Buckley hit a good fourth but Daly was in a good groove at this stage and beat that mark by seventy metres. The next exchanges to the ‘pump’ brought the odds between them to within metres of a bowl and matters looked very much in his favour at that stage. Buckley, to his credit set, about rectifying the situation and beat a big sixth by Daly to hold off the bowl of odds before unleashing two mighty efforts his seventh and eighth along the tree-lined road that cut Daly’s margin to sixty metres. Buckley kept up the pressure in the next exchanges but then, when he needed to up it another gear, calamity befell him with a badly misjudged tenth that missed Daly’s mark to leave the full bowl between them. Buckley’s hopes rose again as he brought the margin under the bowl with his twelfth and thirteenth and the chance was there to hit the bridge with his fifteenth shot, an execution that might have brought the score level, but, with a poor attempt the opportunity was lost. Daly throwing from at this juncture hit a smashing drive to rise twenty metres with the bowl. There was no let up from the former four time Munster champion as the contest wound down. He threw a monstrous eighteenth to coperfasten his lead but Buckley was game to the last and beat the finish line with a powerful twenty first shot in gallant attempt to save the bowl of odds. True to form, with his final shot of the score, Daly yielded nothing and beat that formidable mark as well.

The new champion was a gracious victor. At the after score presentation he commiserated with his long time rival for whom little went right on the day and he thanked his big band of supporters many of whom travelled from his native West Cork. Bill Daly was fulsome in his praise for the sports governing body Bol Chumann and he commended the work undertaken by its leading officials in maintaining the game in a new era. He referred particularly to the organisational expertise that went in to running the major championships. For the host club, Kilumney, it was a job well done. The contest attracted a huge gathering but was well marshalled and the presence of so many who made the All-Ireland series in Doneraile such a success ensured another trouble free event in the North East division. Overall it was a good enough senior championship and certainly one to move on with following last years debacle when Kieran Gould’s legal challenge halted the closing stages. There was sportsmanship and respect from the leading contenders in this campaign even if some shabby practises remain as residue from the unseemly episodes that marred last year’s events. The standard of bowling in too many of the senior fixtures did come up to the expected level. It might have something to do with the multitude of scores played by the current senior crop, but then not too long ago, it was the opposite situation as virtually the entire quota of those occupying top status were inactive throughout most of any twelve months. The group stages, introduced at the behest of chairperson, Susan Green, are, in all probability, here to stay and they have brought renewed interest in the championship. For Bill Daly it has been a wonderful swansong if it is to be one but that second All-Ireland would be the crowning glory in two week’s time.

Ger Fitzpatrick from The Pike is the Munster junior B champion for 2007. Along time servant to the game and one of its finest sportsmen, Fitzpatrick claimed his greatest triumph at the expense of an opponent with far less experience but with enough ability to present plenty problems, Tim Young of Bantry. Fitzpatrick was the hot favourite, never an easy load to carry, and proceeded to give an assured display throughout denying Young a single fore bowl before romping to victory by a margin of close to two bowls. The West Cork champion did put in a spirited challenge particularly in the shots to the ‘rock’ where, with a little luck, he might have brought the score level. His travails, however, started with his opening shot that he crossed a little too much to the right as he attempted to counter Fitzpatrick’s tightly cut drive. Unable to make sight at ‘John’s cross’ in two, the western man fell sixty metres adrift to Fitzpatrick’s splendidly played third. The leading man was around the ‘netting’ in five with the same margin between them before Young tacked a big seventh beyond ‘Dekker’s’ that rose hopes of parity. That did not materialise as his eighth unluckily failed to get sight at the ‘rock’ and, with Fitzpatrick continuing to keep mistakes to the minimum, almost the bowl separated them there. Fitzpatrick’s ninth was a peach of a shot, perfectly drilled into the left hand track past the ‘railing’s’ to ‘O’Sullivan’s’ entrance’ to bring the lead over the bowl. His next was good enough too to enable him avail of a big break with his eleventh off the bridge after which the odds were doubled and the contest effectively over. The closing stages were academic and centred on the wining of the odds. Young strove manfully on and had the satisfaction of saving the bets on the two but the laurels and Munster championship, the third so far this year, for the South West region, rest deservedly with Ger Fitzpatrick. His victory brought the curtain down on a fine campaign that started with his wining a tough league type regional championship. His best performance was probably his semi-final showing at Breal na mBlath on Saturday last when he had to be at the peak of his form to oust Gaeltacht’s Paddy O’Callaghan. Fitzpatrick was also the South West junior veteran champion. The stake money on Saturday last was €8,600.

Anything other than a Mick Young win in the veteran play-off at Drinagh on Wednesday evening last would have been a major surprise. Given the grading disparity between the Munster junior A finalist from Bantry and novice sectional winner, Jerry O’Driscoll from Ballinspittal, the outcome might have been inevitable. Young did make it through but had a harder battle than he might have anticipated although, from his younger days, he would have fully aware of the battling qualities of his opponent. Both were returning to close to their boyhood stomping ground as they played in the Shandrum road. O’Driscoll won the opening shot before Young surged ahead. The bowling was good to the ‘church’ in six with the junior man well down towards the ‘rectory gates’. It was handy law that transferred into a bowl lead at the ‘blackstick’s’. In keeping with a high quality score both hit exemplary shots from there into the ‘pond’ with Young holding his margin. Over the line in thirteen represented excellent figures for the road and Mick Young needed them all with O’Driscoll just a shot back. The Bantry man now makes the trip northward for an All-Ireland attempt in the grade where the opposition could well be formidable with Pat Mallon and junior finalist, Harry Toal, still in the frame in the Ulster championship.

Three scores in the U18 championship has seen the title race down to a shoot out between the indomitable Thomas Buckley, in his final year in under-age and Mark Sheehan, another with a strong championship pedigree. In a quarterfinal fixture at Carrigaline on Monday Killian Kingston, the East Cork champion ended the aspirations of Aidan Hurley of Togher Cross and West Cork. The margin at the end could hardly have been narrower with the referee deciding the East Cork youth had fored Hurley’s mark be mere centimetres. Hurley might not have been in such a position had he made better use of a few opportunities in the last quarter. Kingston it was who advanced to Thursday’s semi at Kilumney against Mark Sheehan. Here Kingston looked to be on the verge of an upset as he held a full bowl of odds on the North Cork youth at the novice line. Sheehan roared back with a ferocious bowl to the next bend but Kingston continued to hold sway with two to go. In a tense climax Kingston just missed the finish line with his shot for victory before Sheehan, with a do or die effort, hit an unbeatable last shot to give him his only fore bowl and a place in the decider. On Wednesday, at Rylane, Thomas Buckley had a good tussle with Noel O’Donovan, the Mid Cork champion. Buckley won at the end by a bowl after having two following a blistering start to the ‘tarmac’. O’Donovan hit a smashing drive on the ‘new road’ to halve the margin and it was the even bowl at the ‘convent cross’. Buckley beat a big bowl of O’Donovan’s in the later stages to go and win by the bowl. Carrigaline is the venue for this week’s U18 decider between Buckley and Sheehan.

In an U16 semi-final at Bauravilla on Tuesday Raymond Ryan (South West) won a terrific contest with Cian Shorten (Mid Cork). Producing bowling that bettered the intermediate contestants in the previous Sunday’s John Joe Murphy Cup, it was a ding dong battle from the off. Shorten ‘made’ ‘robin’s cross’ in two but was no more than level with a tenacious opponent. Both went sight at the ‘rock’ in seven before Ryan made the vital breakthrough. On to the Half-Way venue on Monday last where a terrific semi-final contest resulted in victory for another from the North East division, Arthur McDonagh who edged out a gallant Carbery champion, Peter Nagle. McDonagh led by a bowl after the half-way point before Nagle’s spirited rally knocked it. It was the Carbery youth’s turn to lead with three to go but the North East boy showed fighting qualities to regain the initiative and win by fifty metres. McDonagh versus Ryan may well be also at Carrigaline.

It is timely to review the likely contenders from Ulster that stand in the way some badly needed All-Ireland victories for our Munster champions on August 4/.5. Bill Daly will play Eddie Carr in the senior showdown which will no doubt be the feature event on Sunday afternoon. Sean O’Reilly is Ulster junior B champion after his defeat of Pat Mallon on Sunday last. This was a surprise result as Mallon was hot favourite but O’Reilly who has emerged unheralded in this years championship won by nearly three. He is nineteen years old and a brother of intermediate champion Brian so may well be a tough obstacle for Ger Fitzpatrick. The veteran champion from come from either Harry Toal, junior A finalist from the Marsh Road or the same Pat Mallon. Thomas Mackle is both U16 and U18 Ulster champion. Louise Grimley is girls U16 winner and Denise Daly won the intermediate women’s title from Jane O’Neill.

In the vintage championship at Beal na Morrive on Thursday Davy Doyle defeated Tom Collins to set up a semi-final B section clash with Willie Dennis.

The girl’s U16 championship is also down to the decider. At The Clubhouse on Monday evening Adrianna Creedon from the Gaeltacht division turned in a fine performance to take the verdict from Maria O’Donovan (South West). The Gaeltacht girl made the breakaway with excellent bowling to ‘Clon cross’ but it was never a runaway as O’Donovan challenged to the end. At The Pike on Tuesday 17 Lorraine Hurley (West Cork) was in tremendous form in winning over Sharon Shannon. The Durrus girl representing the Carbery region bowled well on the evening but could do little with Lorraine Hurley’s outstanding six shots from the start line to ‘White’s cross’. Clondrohid on Tuesday this week will double bill the women’s intermediate Juliette Murphy versus Emer O’Donovan and U16 Lorraine Hurley v Adrianna Creedon.

News July 9th 2007
Teenage Kelly Mallon from the Madden club in south Armagh was the undoubted star of the All-Ireland bowling championships hosted at the Marsh Road, Skibbereen on Saturday and Sunday last. National titles in U18 and senior women on successive days were her reward for two faultless performances where her coolness and bowling skills shone through to give her big band of supporters a weekend to remember. The championships were a resounding success for the host club with atmosphere, crowds, some magnificent bowlplaying and, mercifully, an absence of the heavy showers that prevailed in the locality making it an occasion to savour in every respect. From a Cork standpoint there might have been a little more for just two victories from the six finals played was not the hoped for return. Ian Callanan in junior A and John O’Sullivan in boys U12 were the only ones to come up trumps as the northern champions took the laurels in men’s intermediate, women’s U18 and senior, and boys U14 as well as a good portion of the sizable sums gambled on many of the events. The men’s intermediate final on Sunday afternoon was shaping up to be the expected thriller as Nicholas Carey, the Munster standard bearer, beat lengthy fourth and fifth drives from Brian O’Reilly to hold thirty metres of an advantage as the road narrows slightly coming on to ‘Curragh Hill’. O’Reilly had scattered his opener badly to the right but recovered with his subsequent shots to keep Carey’s lead to manageable proportions. Had the Carrigtwohill youth cut his sixth a little more tightly he might have been in a better position to take advantage of the northern man’s error with is seventh. That golden opportunity was there when O’Reilly hit the ‘nook’ but it went a begging when Carey miscalculated totally and missed the tip. The Munster champion seemed to have resurrected his hopes with a brilliant ninth down from the ‘silvery gate’ but a vital touch enabled O’Reilly’s reply to come within reasonable reach. The Armagh champion went sight at the ‘step’s’ with is tenth before a second major error saw Carey cross his bowl and miss the bend. It was the turning point for O’Reilly now consolidated his new found ascendancy with a superb drive to ‘Thornhill cross’. That rose the bowl of odds and, when Carey missed up ‘Ballyhilty’ from an impossible position, the deficit amounted to close on two. O’Reilly’s drive to the ‘avenue gate’ put the full two between them and it was there maters were terminated with the Ulster champion in an unassailable position. The stakemoney at issue was €46,000.

On her eighteenth birthday Kelly Mallon achieved a unique double on Sunday morning when she claimed the All-Ireland women’s senior championship for 2007. She followed her U18 success of the previous day with a comprehensive two bowl victory over Munster champion, Marie Noonan. The Munster champion from North Cork won the opening shot but, thereafter, her bowling was nowhere near what she is capable of delivering. Mallon won the second shot after Noonan choose a left hand play that yielded a poor return. Mallon was assured in her play and assumed a sixty metre lead after four shots and gradually extended that to a bowl of odds up the smooth to the ‘quarry gates’. Noonan knocked the bowl with a fine effort across to ‘Curragh’ but it was soon well over that margin again as they played to the ‘steps’. On a stretch of road that she bowled in exemplary fashion against Sharon Russell, Noonan lost further ground with three wayward shots to go two bowls down and virtually rule herself out of contention. Kelly Mallon was consistency personified, every shot through the green with a smooth and fluid delivery and there was no doubting her victory long before the end. In winning the U18 and senior in the one year Kelly Mallon was emulating a similar feat of the same Sharon Russell, then Sharon O’Driscoll who, in 1993, won the U18 from Karen Daly and Majela Mallon and senior All-Ireland (Orla Galvin, Munster) and Paula Gillespie (Ulster). The stake in Sunday morning’s final was €11,420.

The All-Ireland junior A final will be remembered as a classic battle between two champions in the peak of their form. That Ian Callanan is the outright title holder is a tribute to his determination and resilience and a refusal to buckle under a ferocious onslaught from Harry Toal. This was one of the former senior champion’s finest performances but it was still not enough to claim the laurels from the Munster representative from Ardfield. Playing without a stake the opening phase of play did not signal the later heroics from both contenders. Callanan won the opening three shots but his second and third were off the play and the lead was just thirty metres. Toal’s fourth brought him ahead after Callanan hit a bollard and then the fireworks started. The Armagh man held the lead following two big shots by Callanan but was forced to give way to a monstrous seventh by the South West man that he pitched with perfection into the track past Curragh hill. Toal was back in front after eight and followed a super throw to the ‘steps’ to hold twenty metres. From way back Toal went sight at Ballyhilty with a shot that surely seemed decisive but, with a defining response, Callanan beat that formidable mark to hold a slender advantage. It was the Munster champion who was the more forceful over the closing stages. Callanan ‘made’ the ‘avenue gate’ and a good way to ‘Crowley’s lane’ with his next two and it was here that he finally saw off the Toal challenge. The Armagh man did ‘save’ the bets on the bowl in the final exchanges. This fifteen shot tour-de-force by Ian Callanan was a fitting climax to a magnificent campaign and brought the curtain down on one of the best junior A championships for many years.

Kelly Mallon won the girls U18 final from Emma Fitzpatrick by a wider margin than many would have anticipated. Well over two bowls separated them at the end of a decider that failed to sparkle. Much of the scores onesidedness hinged on poor opening shot by the Carbery and Munster champion who was defending the U18 title. Missing sight from the line at Ballyhilty gave Kelly Mallon a golden opportunity to impose her dominance and, to her credit, she took it with aplomb. Blazing to sight at the first bend with her opening shot, she followed up with a sublime second that would have done justice to a top junior or intermediate player. A bowl and forty metres to the good then, the lead increased further when Fitzpatrick cut too tightly at the ‘steps’. It was close to two as they played along the flat but Fitzpatrick did attempt a rally with a fine effort up the rise that brought the margin under the two. Mallon wasn’t yielding much more and she upped the ante again to rise and win by well over the two. They played for a combined total of €8,100.

With a few well chosen words of welcome and imparted good wishes to all participants, Bol Chumann honorary secretary, Breandan O’hAodh set the All-Ireland championships in motion under glorious sunshine early on Saturday afternoon. The boys U14 decider got proceedings under way and a most enjoyable battle it was before a big and vocal gathering. Martin Cullen from the Rock Road club held the early advantage over the Munster champion, Anthony Broderick, from Kinsale gaining distances of between thirty and fifty metres over the first quarter. Broderick’s tendency to hold his shot or take it too far when a lower trajectory might have been more beneficial was in contrast to his opponents under arm spinning style. The lead, though, was never insurmountable and Broderick soon got into his groove and narrowed the gap considerably with a fine cast from the ‘quarry gates’ across to ‘Curragh hill’. Better was to come from the Kinsale boy and he unleashed a superb throw down the right from the ‘silvery gate’ to charge in front for the first time. If it rattled Cullen he didn’t show it and from hind he hit a good response to narrow the gap. Broderick might have thrown a little more distance on the northerners tip and put himself in position to hit the ‘steps’ with his next where his margin could have been significant. The next exchanges had a vital bearing on the outcome for Martin Cullen exerted an extraordinary pull on his bowl around the ‘steps bend’ to gain valuable yardage for the final quarter. It transferred into a bowl of odds as they played up past ‘Thornhill cross’ and there was no way back for Broderick after that. For Martin Cullen, in his first year in competitive action, it was a bowl of odds victory and the All-Ireland U14 championship.

John O’Sullivan, representing the South West region, made it a notable double for the division when he retained the boy’s U12 championship on Sunday morning last with a three bowl victory over Colm Rafferty from Armagh. The stronger O’Sullivan opened with a spectacular shot down the centre from Thornhill cross that immediately gave him a bowl of odds cushion. Rafferty knocked with a good second but it was over the bowl again at the ‘steps’. O’Sullivan looked to rise two with good bowling along the flat but Raffferty, showing great determination, kept it under that margin until well over half way. O’Sullivan played two splendid shots onto the tarmac and down to the ‘Skibb sign’ to double his lead and, although Rafferty, guided by his uncle, the multi honoured Michael Toal, tried to the end, there was no denying the defending champion his right to another title.

Bol Chumann chairperson Susan Green presented the winners and runners up with their prizes after each days events in the pleasant surrounds of Skibbereen Town Park. Cllr Joe Carrolll and Skibbereen Town Mayor Brendan McCarthy congratulated all on making the finals such a fine sporting spectacle and wished the many hundreds who travelled a happy stay in the locality. Referees, Finbarr Aldworth, Michael Cormican, Jim Fitzpatrick, Ritchie Fitzgerald and William Daly, stewards marshals and markers, Cork County Council, residents on the bowling road, fixtures secretary, Harry Jennings as well as the many club officers around the region were thanked for their help and support on a hugely enjoyable weekend.

The All-Irelands may have concluded a portion of the championship programme but a good deal remains to be played off in the coming weeks and months. The Murphy’s senior championship quarterfinal at Donoughmore on Sunday evening last saw a continuation of the amazing resurgence of Bill Daly. He dismissed the challenge of Phillip O’Donovan by a near two bowl margin at Firmount on Sunday evening last. Three big opening shots set Daly on his way and he went a bowl clear coming onto the straight. He increased that margin to close to two in subsequent shots before O’Donovan rallied with two good shots to the ‘bridge’. The lead was down to sixty metres and O’Donovan had a chance of levelling with a handy throw to the ‘grotto’. He missed and Daly resumed from that point with a bowl lead again. A big touch off the right near the ‘creamery yard’ put him close to two ahead again and on his way. So O’Donovan is out and Daly moves to a semi-final meeting with Eamonn Bowen (Sen) at Carrgialine on this Saturday evening at 6pm. James Buckley and Christy Mullins go head to head in the second semi-final at Grange on Sunday afternoon at 3pm. The Munster junior B semi-finals are also down for next weekend when John O’Rourke and Tim Young meet at Ballinacurra on Saturday 1pm and Ger Fitzpatrick plays Paddy O’Callaghan at Beal namBlath.

Mick Young’s exceptional championship year did yield a Munster championship when he won the junior veteran final from a gallant Liam Barry at Jagoe’s Mills on Thursday evening last. He scored a good fore bowl victory in thirteen shots but the win was hard earned as the Tallow based Barry, himself a two-time regional champion from this years competitions, pressed right to the end. The contest went for a total sum of €2,060 and Barry was just ahead in three each to the first turn. A big shot by Young at ‘O’Brien’s corner’ pushed him fifty metres in front and further sequence brought him a bowl and twenty metres advantage at the ‘stones’. A poor shot and strong play by Barry brought the margin down to forty metres at the ‘railway line’ only for the Bantry man to stretch away again to rise the bowl at the ‘power station’. Barry came a second time to halve the odds and was there with a shout as the finish line loomed. There was to be no last shot dramatics for Young, benefiting from a fortunate rub with his last, scored the finish line by metres to claim the title. All that remains now to decide the outright Munster veteran champion is the play-off between the junior and novice section winners. Ironically that decider pits Mick Young now of Bantry but formerly of Derryclough, Drinagh against one-time neighbour from the same townland, Jerry O’Driscoll, now of Ballinspittal. The Shandrum road in Drinagh is the obvious venue for that decider.

The youths U16 and U18 championships are next in line to be completed and last weekend’s action progressed these competitions. In U18 the Munster champion Thomas Buckley (North East) scored a one bowl victory over City’s Mitchell O’Herlihy. Mid Cork’s Noel O’Donovan is making a bold bid with two wins’ he defeated Paudie Lucey (Gaeltacht) at Togher Cross on Monday and then, on Thursday, in a cracker at the Clubhouse he edged out Carbery’s Finbarr Coughlan. In U16 Arthur McDonogh (North East) defeated Kevin Cotter (West Cork) at Clondrohid and Raymond Ryan (South West) defeated Killian Kingston (East Cork) at Jagoe’s Mills.

In the vintage grade, at Grange on Thursday, Con O’Donovan ended the good run of Steve Hayes ousting the Rosscarbery man by one bowl for €1,300.

In the regional championships the closing rounds of the junior c and novice grades prolong the interest of those who see less of the limelight. The City novice B winner is Declan O’Leary who won a fine contest in the last shot from Kieran Busteed at Carrigaline. They played for a total sum of €1,600. O’Leary now meets A winner, Aidan Foley in the novice 1 decider. In the Ladbrokes novice C final at Half Way Pat Lane defeated John Lane.

In Mid Cork, at Castletownkenneigh in novice C Paul Kingston defeated Mark Cahalane; at Dunderrow Ger Broderick defeated Owen McCarthy and at Jagoe’s Mills Alan Butler defeated Finbarr O’Sullivan. The novice B final at Jagoe’s Mills on Friday was won by Joe Aldworth who put in a storming finish to deny Killian Sheehan who had a bowl of odds in the early stages. They played for a total of €3,000. The novice A final at Beal na mBlath went the way of Paul Walsh who had a two bowl winning margin over 2005 All-Ireland novice 2 winner Fergal Callanan. They played for a total of €2,800. He will now play Joe Aldworth for the regions novice 1 representation.

In South West at Lyre on Thursday in the novice A semi-final Freddie Scannell defeated Tadg Crowley last shot for €1,700. Raymond Ryan won the South West U16 final on Wednesday with a narrow victory over Ethan DeBurca at The Pike. Denny O’Brien won the West Cork novice D final at Derrinasafa on Friday evening. For a stake of €1,400 O’Brien availed of a poor finishing sequence by Martin O’Neill to win by almost a bowl. In the West Cork junior ladies final Mairead Collins from Gloun defeated Sarah O’Sullivan, Kealkil, by almost a bowl at Togher Cross. In the North East novice c final at Doneraile Tadg Hunter defeated Chris Mulchinock by almost a bowl and, at the same venue in the novice B final Tim Murphy defeated Con O’Brien.

In an opening round score in the new Jerry Desmond Cup competition at the Pike on Sunday evening David O’Mahony defeated John Young last shot for €5,800. The Marsh Road All-Ireland weekend opened with a senior fixture on Friday evening when Martin Coppinger and Gavin Twohig went head to head in repeat of their Trip to Boston tournament fixture of a few weeks back. Again Coppinger emerged the winner by mere metres having come from a bowl down at the ‘steps’ and availing of big break with his last to roll over Twohig’s formidable tip. They played for a total of €6,000. On the way back Johnny Murphy (BnB) came at the death to deny northerner Jim McCann in the last shot for €2,200. At Curraheen in a doubles contest last week Dan and Denis O’Regan defeated Aidan Foley and Neally O’Leary last shot for €1,600. At Sally’s Cross Danny Murphy, Kilcorney, scored a double from Niall O’Keefee (Doneraile) the winning margins being two bowls and one bowl for stakes of €2,000 each time. At Jagoe’s Mills after the junior veteran final on Thursday John Young made it a double for the Drinagh/Bantry contingent with a one bowl victory over the man who is the current All-Ireland veteran champion, Dan Joe Holland. The stake in that one was €2,000.

News July 2nd 2007

The Marsh Road, Skibbereen, will be the Mecca for bowling followers on this coming weekend when the champions of Munster and Ulster will vie for national honours in six grades of championship competitions. The All-Ireland series is visiting the Carbery region for the second time in its existence and the first since the Bauravilla club were hosts in the years 1988-90. It will again be a special occasion as old acquaintances are renewed, old rivalries re-enacted, winners and runners-up acclaimed and, at the end of it all, the camaraderie and fellowship that exists between these bowling strongholds at opposite ends of the country will remain as strong as ever. There is much to enthuse about in this weekend’s line up but surely the stand out fixture is the feature one on the clar, the All-Ireland intermediate play-off between Nicholas Carey the newly crowned Munster champion and his erstwhile challenger, Brian O’Reilly the Ulster representative. Their scheduled meeting will take place on Sunday afternoon next. Both just out of their teens, they possess the raw athleticism of youth combined with a full array of bowling skills honed at the highest level in under-age and junior championship winning campaigns. It could be a classic confrontation. On Saturday afternoon Ian Callanan will pit his talents against the seasoned campaigner Harry Toal. Callanan will surely be buoyed by his recent Munster championship success at the same venue against Mick Young. Another who will be hoping to emulate a Munster final performance will be Marie Noonan from North Cork. She will be aiming for a second All-Ireland title when she goes head to head with the youthful Kelly Mallon who will by then be playing her second score of the weekend. Emma Fitzpatrick will carry the Carbery banner in Saturday’s second final when she hopes to retain her U18 crown against the same Kelly Mallon. Two boy’s under-age finals complete the bill. On Saturday Kinsale’s Anthony Broderick will attempt to wrest the U14 title from Martin Cullen of the Rock Road club in Armagh while, on Sunday, John O’Sullivan will be aiming to retain the U12 championship when he plays Colm Rafferty who is, incidentally a nephew of the much honoured Michael Toal. The event programme contains a host of interesting articles. Brian Toal pays tribute to the late Con Murphy who always held a special place in the hearts of Armagh sports people. In a further contribution he outlines the major contribution of Eamonn O’Carroll. Aidan McVeigh relives the outstanding rivalries that have characterised the many sporting visits to and fro undertaken by the bowlplayers of Cork and Armagh. Noel Magnier mentions the upcoming European championships and there is, of course, player profiles of those participating in the weekend finals.

The weekend programme for the Marsh Road is as follows: Saturday afternoon July 7, 2pm, U14 boys, CH Marine start to Ballyhilty, Anthony Broderick (Munster) v Martin Cullen (Ulster); Down, 3pm, Girls U18 final Ballyhilty to CH Marine, Emma Fitzpatrick (Munster) v Kelly Mallon (Ulster); 4.30 World Start line to upper finish past ‘Crowley’s avenue; Junior A final Ian Callanan (Munster) v Harry Toal (Jun);(Ulster). Sunday July 8, 11.00am Women’s senior final; CH Marine start to Ballyhilty Marie Noonan (Munster) v Kelly Mallon (Ulster); Down 12.30pm Boys U12 final, Thornhill Cross to CH Marine finish John O’Sullivan (Munster) v Colm Rafferty (Ulster); 3pm Men’s intermediate final from Roundabout line to upper finish, Nicholas Carey (Munster) v Brian O’Reilly (Ulster).

It was another week of almost unrelenting action as regional and Munster championship continued. On Tuesday evening at the Marsh Road, Skibbereen, Emma Fitzpatrick retained her Munster U18 crown with a comprehensive victory over Bernadette Murphy, the Mid Cork title holder. Playing down from Ballyhilty, Fitzpatrick opened sight wither first and, when Murphy missed, the trend of the score was set. It was over the bowl in the Rosscarbery girls favour at ‘Thornhill cross’ and, hard as Murphy tried, there was no way she could stem the tide as the odds doubled at the ‘step’s’. Fitzpatrick will have first tilt at Kelly Mallon on this weekend as the U18 decider goes on on Saturday. In their previous meeting in the U16 All-Ireland in 2005, Fitzpatrick emerged the winner and hopes will be high for a repeat on Saturday. The last of the All-Ireland finalists to book his place was John O’Sullivan who, like Emma Fitzpatrick, retained his Munster championship when he claimed the U12 title at the Marsh Road on Saturday evening last. Niall Crowley of Togher Cross was a worthy opponent for the Bandon boy and led their final for the first two shots. It stayed even around the ‘step’s’ and still without a clear cut leader up to ‘Curragh’. It was in the bowling down past the quarry and council gates that O’Sullivan pulled away to run out a winner by nearly two bowls. Up north the Ulster junior A final went the way of Harry Toal (Jun) the redoubtable warrior of many championships. The former senior champion now in the twilight of a lengthy career

Shannonvale was the setting for the Murphy’s senior championship quarterfinal on Sunday evening between Christy Mullins and David Murphy. With a combined stake of €8,900 at issue, the great campaigner from the west took a hugely important step towards a first ever Munster senior title. He got away with a performance that might not suffice on another day as he mixed periods of very indifferent play with a few good shots that counted. David Murphy’s big turn of speed had him many peoples fancy for outright honours but the necessary consistency that’s required for that achievement is not there at the moment. Mullins won the first shot by sixty metres followed by two poor attempts by both that had the lead down to twenty metres. Mullins lost the lead with a short sixth at the ‘quarry’ but regained as they both lofted ‘Desmond’s’ in nine. Murphy got two good shots past ‘Sammy’s lane’ to forge a sixty metre lead but that was short lived too as they both took three more to ‘Campbell’s’. Up at the last bend Mullins had ten metres when Murphy mad a grave misjudgement with his seventeenth playing far too much to the right. That was an opening too good to miss and Mullins duly went a hundred metres clear. When Murphy missed the line with his next Mullins’ win was a formality. A championship semi-final with either Bill Daly or Phillip O’Donovan is Christy Mullins’ next assignment.

This weekend saw a visit from the German lofting legend Hans Georg Bohlken to these parts and he imparted his advice and know-how to several groups of younger players over his three day stay. Ballincollig rugby pitch on Saturday evening was spoilt by incessant rain but there was still a worth while session undertaken. Bohlken attended the senior championship fixture at Shannonvale on Sunday evening and had a further training session at Lyre on Monday.

The junior B championship is down to the last four and the prospect of a finale on a par with the junior A title race is very much on the cards. At Carrigaline on Wednesday evening the West Cork champion, Tim Young finished strongly to deny Liam Barry of East Cork. Going for a total of €3,000, Barry again showed much of the form that has him in the junior veterans decider and the holder of two regional championships. He held sway for a while before Young, a powerful player in his own right, got a few big shots over the last quarter. They were enough to swing it his way and take him to a semi-final just North Cork’s John O’Rourke. O’Rourke was in sizzling form at Carrignavar on Saturday when comfortably dismissing the challenge of London’s Donie O’Driscoll. There was a stake of €2,000 in this one as O’Rourke set the pace with a super opening shot that went right up to sight. That yielded a bowl of odds and he was close to two ahead in eight to the ‘creamery’. Up to the novice line there was no let up and matters were terminated in the North Cork man’s favour shortly after. At the Clubhouse on Friday it was the quarterfinal clash of Paddy O’Callaghan (Gaeltacht) and John O’Brien (Carbery). O’Callaghan, having taken over two decades to capture an All-Ireland, which he did in style with the junior C last year, shows no sign of leaving it at that. Winning his regional junior B this year set him up for an assault on the higher grade All-Ireland and he is now in the semi-final after a comprehensive victory over the Carbery man. O’Callaghan’s incredible shot from ‘Walsh’s lane’ to ‘O’Neill’s cross’ at Derrinasafa in the previous round against Mid Cork’s Sean Murphy is still a topic of conversation among the bowling public but there was no need of such heroics on Friday evening last. John O’Brien, a previous two-time All-Ireland winner himself, failed to get going on this occasion. A poor start saw him go a bowl down after three and he needed a huge fifth to stave off a two-bowl deficit at the ‘chips’. O’Callaghan, consistent and playing the stronger, followed a big bowl of O’Brien’s to ‘Dineen’s lane’ to hold his bowl lead and he increased it to close to two in ten throws to ‘O’Riordan’s’. The two shots were up as they bowled to the ‘old school’ where the contest was conceded by the western man. The stake at issue was €13,300. O’Callaghan now has an interesting semi-final joust with the former Pike man, Ger Fitzpatrick had his mettle tested at Firmount on Saturday evening as City champion, Leonard Bowen, made a good start to gain fifty metres after three. Still ahead after four Bowen saw his lead halved by Fitzpatrick’s big fifth throw. Bowen should not though have missed the South West man’s sixth to concede the lead and thereafter he was playing catch up. Fitzpatrick went sixty metres clear and rose the bowl at the ‘grotto’. He extended it to a bowl and big odds before the finish. They played for a total of €3,600.

The women’s intermediate semi-final went ahead at Drinagh on Thursday and here Emer O’Donovan of Innishannon got the verdict after an exciting duel with Orla O’Driscoll of Holyhill. Going for a total of €800, the winner went the bones of a bowl up with good throwing to the ‘rectory gate’s’. O’Driscoll reeled it back with a good rally that knocked the led to twenty metres. A very tight finish looked likely until O’Donovan hit the shot that won over the brow into the ‘pond’. A final meeting in this Cullen School of Motoring sponsored competition against either Bernadette O’Regan or Juliette Murphy is next up for O’Donovan. In the women’s senior league, at Rosscarbery, Geraldine Daly notched up a point from Susan Cullen. This contest was played for a total of €1,300 and Cullen led over half-way but Daly’s strong finish was decisive.

Scores in the vintage championship went as follows. In the seeded A section Timothy Cahalane is thorugh to the last four as is Denis Burke who won a good score with Mick O’Driscoll at Waterfall on Friday night for a sum of €400. Celly Spillane is through too after his victory over Mick Murphy at Macroom, a win that sets him up for a meeting with Burke. In the unseeded side of things John Coleman defeated Jim Fitzpatrick at Castletownkenneigh on Friday by a bowl of odds for €480. A slack patch between the lines cost Fitzpatrick in this one. Coleman’s good throwing did the rest. At Cobh J J O’Shea defeated Jim Geasely and, at the Bog Road, Willie Dennis had a narrow win over Sean O’Coilean.

In the regional championships the closing rounds of the remaining grades are being played out. In South West two junior C league scores during the week have put the finalists in place for that competition. The new concept was justified as the entire ten score quota had to be completed before the last two were definitely unveiled. On Wednesday John O’Leary defeated Greg Crean last shot and Jim Callanan defeated Donal O’Donovan last shot for €1,200. The upshot of those is that O’Leary and Callanan meet in the final. Patrick Deasy won the South West novice D final for the Mark O’Donovan Cup at Lyre on Friday evening defeating Harold Kingston by two bowls for €1,300. In the South West novice B semi-final at Fisher’s Cross Conor O’Sullivan defeated Neil O’Gorman last shot for €1,800. In East Cork the nationally acclaimed athlete, James McCarthy defeated Carl Randalls to win the novice C championship and here too that doyen of the pen Seamus O’Tuama, after close on thirty years of trying, won a regional championship when he captured the novice D title win a famous victory over Martin Healy of Bartlemy. In Mid Cork Cian Shorten won the U16 championship from Kieran Murphy at Ballinacurra. Aisling O’Callaghan of Castletownkenneigh is the girls U16 champion after victory on her home road over Evlynn Foley and Mairead Kelleher. William Allen is in the novice D semi-final after victory over Kevin Walsh at Beal na mBlath last shot for €1,240. Liam O’Callaghan is already in the last four in the grade. The novice B championship in Mid is down to the final. At Jagoe’s Mills Killian Sheehan defeated John Butler last shot for €2,000 while Joe Aldworth defeated novice veteran winner, Jerry O’Driscoll. In North Cork a junior C semi-final at Gortroe saw Willie Joe Leahy progress to the final. He scored a bowl of odds win over Eugene O’Sullivan for a stake of €720. In North Cork novice C at Kilcorney Paddy O’Regan defeated Haulie O’Mahony last shot and Danny O’Shea defeated Ollie O’Riordan by two bowls for €1,200. Willie Murphy is in the final of the novice D after his victory over Paddy O’Keefe last shot for €800. Murphy meets Pat Fleming in the decider. In the North East novice b semi-final at Bottlehill Timmy Murphy defeated Charlie Sheehan by a bowl of odds for €600. In West Cork it’s final time in all grades. Johnny Cronin eliminated Liam Young at Bantry so the family treble of junior championships in the region will not be achieved. Young did look on course to emulate his brother Tim and father Mick as he held a bowl lead with three to go but Cronin finished strongly to progress to a final meeting with John Sweetnam. In novice A, Aidan Hurley is in the final after his victory over Bernie O’Donovan at Corran. Hurley is blazing a trail on two fronts as he also the regional U18 champion and he will face fellow Togher Cross man Dermot Cotter, who defeated Finbarr Cahalane at Derrinasafa, in the upcoming novice A final. In novice B Morgan Hickey defeated Trevor Deane at Drimoleague and will meet either Con Cronin or Conchuir O’Sullivan in the final. In novice C Mike O’Regan qualified for the final after defeating Con McCarthy at Gloun and he will play Denis F Nyhan who got the better of Kevin Hayes at Bantry. The novice D decider will be fought out between Martin O’Neill and Denny O’Brien. O’Neill defeated Finbarr Kearney at Kealkil while O’Brien won from Alan Keane at Kilcrohane. Kevin Cotter is the West Cork U16 champion. In the City novice D final at Paddoes David Spillane won through from John Cronin.

The Marsh Road ‘Trip to Boston’ tournament provided further high quality scores during the past week. Martin Coppinger qualified for the final after a blazing sequence of shots from the ‘council gates to ‘Ballyhilty’. Edmund Sexton, the favourite in the €4,400 stake made a poor start and fell a bowl adrift after four. He was unable to resurrect his chances as Coppinger hit four to sight at the ‘steps’ and two more to the next bend. The fourth first round score on Saturday between Eamonn Bowen (Sen) and Aidan Murphy was a thriller. A magnificent shot for shot duel was won in the final throw by the veteran Bowen whose booming second last gave him vital metres. One amazing exchange characterised this epic set-to between the older and younger generation of senior player. Bowen shot a ferocious drive to sight at Ballyhilty from way back of the ‘yellow sign’ that seemed certain to signal victory. With the ‘lead no more’ ringing around amongst the punters Murphy hit a bullet of his own that passed Bowen’s massive mark by twenty metres. The amazing Bowen, of course, was unfazed and drilled his way to victory subsequently. They played for a total of €8,500. An opponent of similar vintage in Bill Daly awaits Bowen in the semi. At Cobh Moss Twomey defeated P J Delaney in a novice 2 tournament. At Ballincurrig in doubles fixtures Patrick O’Driscoll and Thomas Boyle had two from two with Eamonn Bowen (Jun) and Paul Butler both last shot for €2,800 and €1,600. At Cobh on Sunday, in the John Cronin Cup Seamus Sexton threw three big shots from the ‘top of clash’ that propelled him to victory over Willie O’Donovan. There was a bowl of odds in it at the end for a stake of €5,000. In Clashmore on Saturday evening in the same competition John O’Donoghue defeated Johnny Murphy last shot for €2,000. At Ballyvolane Gary Daly defeated Michael Gould one bowl for €2,000 and, at Curraheen, John Twohig defeated John Walsh.

The recent passing of Jimmy Coleman of Millstreet and formerly Kilcorney severed another link with the North Cork bowling world. The Kilcorney bowling club has produced some great players over the years and, without doubt, Jimmy was on top of that list. He had a long and varied bowling career. In the 1960’s he had great scores with Mallow man, Jackie Murphy. They met in a North Cork junior final with Murphy emerging the winner. Jimmy came to prominence again in the nineties playing in two North Cork junior B finals back to back. In 1990 he played the late Mick Connors of Dromahane in a final at Berrings and the following year Mick O’Sullivan of Ballyshonin on the Ballyshonin road. He reached the pinnacle of his career when he played City man, James O’Sullivan in the Munster intermediate final at Grenagh in 1995. O’Sullivan was to win that decider. He was also involved in many tournaments in the early days of his career. He played Clement Kelleher of Millstreet in the Kilcorney junior tournament final. He played against clubmates and partnered many of them in doubles scores and will be long remembered for his contribution to the bowling game. Jimmy was a gentleman to his fingertips and will be sadly missed. Jackie Sheehan of Kanturk was another great bowling man who went to his reward recently and the bowling fraternity extends their sympathies to both bereaved families.

News June 25th 2007

With a final throw that deserved a title, Ian Callanan closed out an engrossing two-hour battle with Mick Young to claim the 2007 Munster junior A championship at the Marsh Road, Skibbereen, on Saturday afternoon last. The much heralded clash, for the most part, lived up to its billing as fortunes swayed to and fro amid a series of high quality exchanges. There were shots of the other variety too for Mick Young will surely rue that lapse of form when, from holding a bowl and twenty metre lead, he fell hind bowl in the short span of road from the ‘silvery gate’ to just beyond the ‘the step’s’. That he rallied later to come within a whisker of victory is to his credit, but there can be no denying Callanan’s entitlement to the laurels if only for his ability to follow an average attempt with a score winning shot and this he did on two crucial occasions in the middle segment and at the end of the contest. The crowd was big as expected and the level of support that each of the combatants commanded was reflected in the sizable €28,600 total stake. The Bantry man, Young, drew first blood when his slightly crossed opener broke off the kerbing to yield a twenty metre lead. As the opening quarter progressed Callanan looked in trouble as Young’s superior speed at that stage saw him gaining ground with each throw until the lead amounted to a hundred metres after four. It was just under the bowl after six and seven to ‘Curragh Hill’ as the West Cork’s champion’s dominance continued. Ironically it was in the next exchanges, when Young went twenty metres with the bowl ahead, that the first portents of a turnaround were seen. The leading man was fortunate as his tendency to play too far to the right manifested itself again only to get a big brush and run its distance. Callanan played his effort more accurately but it failed to get justice. He persevered though with two excellent drives to the ‘step’s’ and got his reward when his opponent totally miscalculated to leave the score level in a swift change about. Callanan looked to have blown his chance to increase the pressure with a poor eleventh but amazingly Young missed his tip to lose the lead for the first time. This time the South West man cast a ferocious bowl up past ‘Thornhill cross’ that swung a hundred metre advantage his way. Young came back with a super throw past the ‘avenue gate’ and had the lead down to fifteen metres as they played on the rough to ‘Crowley’s lane’. His last was good too coming within thirty metres of the line and it looked as if a final throw of the dice was needed as Callanan faced a daunting tip to finish it off. On the newly chipped unregulated surface, the Ardfield man put down his shot with precision and it ran its course over the finish line to give him a victory to savour. Susan Green presented the Fr. Michael O’Driscoll cup to Ian Callanan and wished him well in his All-Ireland bid at the same venue on the weekend 7/8 July.

Close on one hundred miles away, on the following Sunday afternoon, the West Waterford club, Clashmore, in conjunction with the East Cork region, hosted the Munster intermediate decider. Here, one of the sports rising stars, Nicholas Carey of Carrigtwohill, continued on his upward curve with a big last shot victory over Tim Pat O’Donovan, a win that ensures his place in the top echelon in 2008. This was a gruelling struggle, played without a stake of course at O’Donovan’s insistence, that saw the lead change hands on more than a half dozen occasions. For the first half of the score O’Donovan won all the shots. He easily beat Carey’s poor opener but the gap was narrowed following a good second by the Carrigtwohill youth. O’Donovan had a big chance of rising considerable odds with his third at ‘Flavin’s’ but spurned it although he continued to hold sway on to ’Ballinaclash turn’. The margin never amounted to more than forty to fifty metres and Carey finally took the lead with his eleventh shot just as the heaven’s opened and halted proceedings for over half an hour. On the resumption both players got poor shots and the lead changed around again in each of the next three exchanges. Eventually it was Carey’s majestic twentieth throw from the middle of the straight to sight at the last bend facing the finish line that changed the course of the score in his favour. O’Donovan, leading at that point scattered his reply to the right and missed sight. Carey did not yield anything with a good second last and ran out a comfortable winner. His meeting with Ulster champion, Brian O’Reilly, another young exponent with a burgeoning reputation may well be the highlight of the All-Ireland series at the Marsh Road on the weekend after next.

It was back then to the Marsh Road for Sunday evening’s Lowney’s Jewellers sponsored women’s senior final. The crowds flocked again, almost on a par with Saturday’s junior decider, and were witness to a five star performance from the North Cork challenger, Maria Noonan. Sharon Russell brought huge support, unsurprising given the quality of the opposition she had eliminated on her path to the final, names that included reigning champion, Carmel Ryan, as well as Catriona O’Farrell/Kidney and Louise Collins, but she had no answer this time to the powerful play of the 2002 All-Ireland winner from Aghabullogue. The stake money amounted to €18,000 with Noonan the slight favourite and the opening shot was won by Russell but not by a great distance. Noonan’s strong play brought her ahead with her second and she would not be headed again. The former Sharon O’Driscoll strove with determination to stem the tide and kept it at bay with a smashing fourth. Noonan’s lead was thirty metres short of a bowl at the ‘council gate’s’ but Russell stayed in touch with super shots to bare sight at ‘Curragh Hill’. The score totally belonged to Noonan in the bowling from the ‘silvery gate’ onward. Showing accuracy, speed and no little style in delivery, she scorched to the ‘step’s’ in three outstanding throws to rise two bowls of odds. She followed up with two more exquisite efforts well past ‘Thornhill cross’ to put the seal on the Munster title. Chairperson, Susan Greene, back from Clashmore, was again on hand to present the winning prize to Marie Noonan and extend her best wishes for All-Ireland glory against Kelly Mallon.

Staying in the Marsh Road for Monday’s evening’s boy’s U14 final and another enjoyable play-off to decide the Munster winner for the upcoming All-Ireland weekend. Anthony Broderick from Kinsale will carry home hopes after a two bowl win over a very game David O’Brien from Dunmanway. The winner led from the early stages but had to beat a big throw of O’Brien’s past the ‘council gates’ to retain a slender lead. The stylish Broderick executed a wonderful throw from the ‘silvery gate’ that ran the centre with pace but didn’t quite follow up and O’Brien had a reasonable opportunity of levelling it at the ‘steps’. The Dunmanway boy cut too tightly tough and the chance was lost. Broderick showed real class with two splendid shots away from this point to put considerable distance between them and that brace effectively sealed his championship. Bol Chumann youth’s officer, Dan McCarthy presented the winner and runner up prizes and thanked all who helped make the competition a success. The boy’s U12 final also for the Marsh Road involving John O’Sullivan (South West) and Niall Crowley (West Cork) was deferred to later in the week. In between the girls U18 decider with Emma Fitzpatrick (Carbery) and Bernadette Murphy (Mid Cork) in opposition takes place on Tuesday this week. In the U12 semi-final at The Clubhouse on Wednesday John O’Sullivan bowled impeccably to defeat Mid Cork’s Brian O’Halloran.

The first of the weekend’s finals was the veteran novice section play-off at the Phale Road, Ballineen, on Friday and it set the tone for what was to come. Jerry O’Driscoll’s gritty comeback earned him a county title in splendid style after he finally wore down the determined challenge of Neally O’Leary. It was a well-contested decider played off for a combined sum of €4,080 on a balmy evening as the Mid Cork representative, O’Driscoll, made a stuttering start going a bowl down to O’Leary’s perfectly delivered first two. The City champion from Carrigaline got the ideal break with his third to rise sixty metres with the bowl and, at that stage, an O’Driscoll win looked anything but likely. The hind man did reduce it to just under the shot at ‘O’Regan’s’ but O’Leary, with his economic two step run in, was still in charge and hit a grand effort to ‘Healy’s lane’. In a response that was vital to the outcome O’Driscoll came within metres of that fine mark to keep the odds to the bowl and then followed up with a super drive to ‘the avenue’ that halved the margin. The force was with O’Driscoll now and he gained his first lead in two more to the ‘narrow road’. O’Leary pressed hard in the shots to the ‘green door’ but the Ballinspittal man held his valuable forty to fifty metre lead and closed it out with a big last throw over the line. Susan Green presented Jerry O’Driscoll with the Dermot O’Sullivan cup and thanked both contestants for a sporting contest. The winner thanked his supporters amongst whom were a large contingent from his native Drinagh and made particular reference to Jagoe’s Mills clubman, Tim Buckley, whose persistence in including him in the championship paid rich dividends.

In the A section of the vintage championship Christy Keating had to pull out the stops to defeat Tom Browne at Half-Way. Browne was a bowl up with three to go but Keating came back.

The regional championships continue. In the City novice 3 section 2 final at Half-Way on Wednesday John Healy defeated Kevin O’Leary in the last shot for €1,300. At the Bog Road Pat Lane ousted a likely contender for outright City novice honours when he defeated Jason O’Leary in the semi-final and now meets Liam Lynch in the decider of that particular competition. In the South West novice B semi-final at Fisher’s Cross on Monday 18 the local man Denis O’Donovan defeated last years C winner, Donal O’Sullivan after a good score played for a total of €1,000. In a novice C semi-final at Shannonvale Paul Hunt won from the promising Fineen O’Donovan almost a bowl for €1,300. In U18 Gerard Connolly defeated Darragh O’Driscoll and Raymond Ryan won from Seamus Crowley both at The Pike. Connolly went on to win the regional U18 final defeating Ryan by one bowl. Ryan still has the U16 final to play for and here he meets Ethan DeBurca. In U16 Stephen O’Connell defeated Davy Cahalane and Ethan DeBurca defeated Matthew O’Driscoll. Also in U16 Darragh Coakley defeated Donal Crowley last shot. On Friday in the novice A semi-final at Lyre Owen O’Gorman defeated Joe Tyner almost a bowl for €1,300.

Christy Butler won the Mid Cork junior C final at Jagoe’s Mills on Saturday evening. It was a two bowl winning margin in seventeen good shots for the Bandon man as he saw off the challenge of Trevor O’Mahony. O’Mahony led to ‘Lawton’s’ but enjoyed no luck from there as his opponent finished strongly to claim the winner’s trophy. Butler rose the first bowl at the ‘power station’ and the second at ‘Ballinavard cross’. They played for a total of €4,400. In Mid Cork novice B Alan Butler defeated Dan O’Donovan at Ballinacurra. In Mid Cork U16 Cian Shorten defeated Kieran Murphy at Ballinacurra.

In North Cork Mick Murphy of Donoughmore defeated Bobby Murray of Berrings in their junior C championship semi-final clash at Gortroe. It was a last shot victory for Murphy for a stake of €1,900. At Firmount in novice B Pat Kelleher of Kilcorney defeated John Walsh of Berrings last shot for €1,000. In the North East regional championship at Ballyclough Florrie O’Mahony of Carrignavar defeated Paddy McSweeney, Bottlehill last shot for €400. It was a novice D fixture. In West Cork, John Sweetnam qualified for the final of that divisions junior C championship. He accounted for Pat Buttimer of Bantry at the Clubhouse on Sunday morning last. It was a good showing by the Killinga man, who although defeated by Finbarr Lynch in a return challenge, won the main contest by nearly two. He will meet either Johnny Cronin or Liam Young in the decider. In novice C Denis F Nyhan defeated Kevin Hayes at Durrus and in D, Denny O’Brien defeated Alan Keane at Kilcrohane both played last Sunday.

The feast of tournament action at the Marsh Road would dominate any other weekend’s bowling. A high quality senior competition with a first prize of a trip to Boston in October brought huge crowds to the Carbery venue on Thursday, Friday and Sunday afternoon last. The inclusion of intermediate, Martin Coppinger, in such a high profile event is hardly surprising given his vast potential and, although ousted from his own grade championship at the quarterfinal stage by Noel Gould, his regular jousts with such as John Creedon, David Murphy and others gives plenty of entitlement to compete in any senior line-up. And so it proved on Thursday evening when the luckless Gavin Twohig fell victim to a devastating finishing spurt by the Bantry man. Going for a total of €5,680 Twohig hardly put a shot astray in this first rounder holding his own to Coppinger’s best in six sweeping bowls from the roundabout start to the ‘silvery gate’. Twohig went the bones of a bowl up to the ‘step’s’ and held that to ‘Ballyhilty’. When he cast his odds with a grand effort from there to the ‘avenue gate’ the taking for the evening seemed surely his but the killer blow was to come from the western man. Coppinger ‘made ‘Crowley’s avenue’ in two from just in front of Twohig’s tip and hit an almost unbeatable last to snatch a sensational victory. Twohig did make a valiant effort but missed by mere metres. On Friday it was the turn of Bill Daly and championship semi finalist, James Buckley, to face off. Here the punters were treated to a vintage display by Daly who came close to the finish line in fourteen amazing shots. It all left the senior championship semi-finalist, Buckley, trailing by less than a bowl at the end. Daly was the underdog in the €2,600 total stake but showed his form after a poor opener when he ‘made’ sight at Curragh in six. An incredible seventh allowed him gain a bowl lead with his eighth to the ‘steps’. The Glanmire man did not relent and came near sight at ‘Ballyhilty’ in two more to give himself an unassailable lead. It was Edmund Sexton’s turn to defy the odds on Sunday when he inflicted what is now a rare defeat on Bantry’s Christy Mullins. Going for a total of €4,000 this was not one of Mullins more effective showings and the very strong play of Sexton’s got him the vital runs. Sexton won at the end by well over the bowl. The next contest in the Trip to Boston competition is a Saturday evening clash of Aidan Murphy and Eamonn Bowen (Sen).

In a score back the Half-Way venue on Wednesday John Healy repeated his championship success with a second win over Kevin O’Leary last shot for €1,200 while at Curraheen in tournament semi final Brendan O’Neill defeated Dan O’Regan last shot for €400. O’Regan had big odds with two to go but it is O’Neill who moves to final meeting with either Denis Wilmot or Brian Healy. In a score back here Thomas O’Callaghan recent City junior C winner, defeated AidanFfoley last shot for €600. At Ballincurrig, in a stakeless contest Paul Butler defeated Sean Murphy last shot while, in a return, Thomas Boyle defeated Patrick Butler one bowl. At Jagoe’s Mills Mick Murphy, Innishannon, defeated Pat Broderick in a score back after the junior C final on Saturday evening. Murphy won in the last shot for €1,800. At Gortroe in a tournament semi-final Paddy Kinsella beat Daniel Murphy by two bowls for €600 and, in a return here, Kevin Cooney defeated P J Murphy one bowl for €1,200. At Firmount Pat Kelleher defeated John Walsh last shot for €1,000. At Ballinacurra on Saturday Jim Coffey defeated Kevin O’Donovan last shot for €2,000, David Hubbard beat Coffey one bowl for €2,000 and Michael O’Driscoll defeated David O’Mahony last shot for €1,200. At Rylane Gary Daly defeated Michael Gould one bowl for €1,500 and Michael O’Driscoll also defeated Gould last shot for €3,000.

News 20th June 2007
John O'Brien, Ballydehob, is once again the Carbery junior B champion after a hard-won last-shot victory over Declan O'Donovan, Leap, in the regional decider at Bauravilla on Sunday afternoon last. The bowling was mixed at times as chances came and went, but the closeness of the exchanges made for an exciting contest that went down to the final throws. O'Brien's opening shot from the line at the Coachman's Inn was a massive effort and O'Donovan did well to keep it almost level in two to the Caheragh turning. O'Brien rose a bowls of odds with his third past 'Coppinger's pillars' but O'Donovan evened it up again with a fine shot past 'Dekker's'. Just metres separated them in the bowling to 'the rock' and on to 'the bridge' where the Ballydehob man led by 10 metres. O'Donovan looked to have made a decisive break with a big throw over the brow at 'O'Sullivan's', but the western man, although a shade luckily, came within metres of the tip. The Leap man lost a golden opportunity when O'Brien's shot to the novice line fell left. The former champion made the most of that reprieve, regaining the lead with three to go, and showed the toughness for which he is renowned in beating a good last tip of O'Donovan's to claim the Coachman's Inn-sponsored championship. In winning, O'Brien was keeping up a remarkable run in Carbery championships.
Although beaten in the junior B finals of 2004 to Pat O'Donovan and last year to Michael Bohane, it was still his third title, having won from Joe Carroll in 1990 when he went on to win the All-Ireland in the grade, and again in 1999 when he defeated John McCarthy. O'Brien was a winner in Carbery's first championships, taking the junior C title from Donal Harnedy in 1987 and he has also won junior A championships in 1993 and 2001.
Carbery novice championships continued. Two novice B quarter-finals at Caheragh on Friday resulted in wins for Jerry Crowley and Jeremiah Fitzpatrick. Crowley was impressive in the outward fixture, scoring a two-bowl victory over last year's under-18 winner James Nagle. Fitzpatrick and Charles McCarthy had a tremendous duel in the second contest. The Rosscarbery player countered a strong finish by McCarthy to stay ahead and win by the fore bowl. Adrian O'Neill is another through to the last four in novice B. He accounted for last year's C winner, Michael Cussen, at Reenascreena on Thursday. O'Neill's fast, under-arm play yielded a two-bowl victory.
Enda Conneally laid down a marker in novice C when he ousted leading contender Denis McCarthy, Caheragh, at Ballydehob on Wednesday 13th. Conneally's bowling on the evening was first class and he now meets either Brian O'Mahony or James Herlihy in the quarter-final in Leap. Oliver McCarthy, Leap, is through to the semi-final of the novice C championship. He kept a great run going with victory over Charlie O'Neill, also at Ballydehob on Friday evening last. McCarthy's two big shots from 'Sammy's pillars' were vital to his two-bowl lead at 'the cottage'. Tim O'Donovan is another making steady progress in novice C. He showed pin-point accuracy at Reenascreena on Wednesday in edging out the favourite, Noel McCarthy, Leap.
Three scorers in the novice D championship advanced the grade to its
closing rounds. Leap's T.J. Collins is again in the semi-final. A
tremendous second-last shot on the inward route at Reenascreena saw off the challenge of Martin Coughlan and ensured a big last-shot win. At Caheragh, Dan McCarthy also booked a last-four spot after he held out in a tough encounter with Kevin Coughlan, Ballydehob. Also at Caheragh, Michael Leahy made it through to the semi-final draw with a narrow victory over Rick Deasy.
In the Munster vintage (over-60s) championship, Charlie McCarthy went out to Celly Spillane at Ballinacurra on Saturday. McCarthy gave his all in a close contest before losing out in the final shots.
In tournament action, Freddie Scannell won his novice 1 semi-final clash with Pat Joe Connolly at Rosscarbery on Wednesday. Scannell's bowling to 'Barry's lane', a point he reached in seven, was exceptional. The onset of an injury and a few lapses made it a close finish that Connolly challenged strongly. Scannell held out and will face another Ballygurteen man, Con O'Sullivan, in the competition final.
This week and weekend will see a period of intensive action on the Marsh Road ahead of its staging of the All-Ireland finals on July 7 and 8. The Carbery under-16 and under-18 finals are down for decision on Tuesday 19th. The Coughlan brothers, Finbarr and Danny, will fight it out for the under-18 title, while the under-16 decider is an all- Ross affair between Peter Nagle and Shane Fitzpatrick.
On Thursday, 21st, the Skibb club commences a now eight-man senior tournament with a score between Gavin Twohig and Martin Coppinger. On this Saturday, the Munster junior championship decider is on at 3pm between Ian Callanan, Ardfield, and Mick Young, Bantry.
On Sunday next, the second score in the senior competition sees Edmund Sexton and Christy Mullins go head to head and this is followed by the Lowney's Jewellers-sponsored women's senior final at 5.30pm between Marie Noonan and Sharon Russell. After this at 7pm on Sunday, the girls'
under-18 final is on and contesting here are Carbery's Emma Fitzpatrick and Mid Cork's Bernadette Murphy.
In the novice C championship at Ballydehob on Monday last, Denis Murphy defeated Kevin Bohane by a bowl to qualify for a midweek quarter-final tilt with Ritchie Harnedy at Bauravilla.
Carbery championships - junior B final at Bauravilla, Sunday 17th: John O'Brien defeated Dec O'Donovan last shot for €14,040.
Novice B quarter-finals, Reenascreena, Thursday 14th: Adrian O'Neill
defeated Michael Cussen two bowls for €600. Caheragh, Friday 15th: Jerry Crowley defeated James Nagle two bowls for €900; Jeremiah Fitzpatrick defeated Charles McCarthy last shot for €2,100.
Novice C third rounds, Reenascreena, Wednesday 13th: Tim O'Donovan defeated Noel McCarthy (L) almost a bowl for €700. Ballydehob: Enda Conneally defeated Denis McCarthy (C) one bowl for €1,200. Quarter- final,
Ballydehob, Saturday 16th: Oliver McCarthy defeated Charlie O'Neill almost two bowls for €1,200. Men 18, third round, Ballydehob: Denis Murphy defeated Kevin Bohane one bowl for €1,000.
Novice D quarter-finals, Reenascreena, Tuesday 12th: T.J. Collins defeated Martin Coughlan almost a bowl for €900. Caheragh, Sunday 17th: Dan McCarthy defeated Kevin Coughlan (B) almost a bowl for €1,200; Michael Leahy defeated Rick Deasy one bowl for €900.
Vintage championship: Celly Spillane (sen) defeated Charlie McCarthy
(Skibb) last shot for €2,700.
Rosscarbery, novice A tournament semi-final, Wednesday 13th: Freddie Scannell defeated Pat Joe Connolly last shot for €1,300. Return scores, Donal O'Sullivan and Pat Footman had a score each, both last- shot
victories for €1,900 and €1,400.
Bauravilla, Sunday: Patrick Hodnett defeated John Sweetnam almost a bowl for €6,000.
Grange, Saturday, junior tournament: Gerry Gibbons defeated Neilus Hurley one bowl for €1,800.
Ballydehob, Saturday: Vince O'Mahony defeated Oliver McCarthy last shot for €1,200. Monday 18th: Enda Conneally defeated Kevin Coughlan.
Rosscarbery, Sunday 17th, novice D tournament: Trevor Jagoe defeated Stephen O'Regan one bowl for €600. Mattie Hurley defeated Pat Joe Connolly in return score for €800.
Reenascreena, Tuesday: Michael Lane defeated Finbarr Hourihane two bowls for €600. Wednesday: Ritchie Harnedy defeated Kevin McCarthy last shot for €800. Thursday, three-way score: P.J. Collins defeated Tim Joe O'Mahony and Finbarr Hourihane last shot and one bowl for €630.
The Pike, Saturday, women's tournament quarter-final: Susan Cullen
defeated Catriona O'Rourke one bowl for €600. Return score: Declan White defeated Trevor Deane last shot for €1,200.
Lyre, novice tournament: Dave Finn defeated Barry O'Donovan last shot for €1,400. Return score: O'Donovan defeated Finn last shot for €1,000. Return score on Wednesday 13th: David Murphy defeated Martin Coppinger last shot for €3,800.
Phale Road, Ballineen, doubles: Bertie Poole and Emma Fitzpatrick defeated Christopher Williamson and Susan Cullen two bowls for €800.

Bowling News June 4th 2007
James O’Donovan of Bandon captured his first major trophy in adult competitions when he won the coveted Jerry Desmond Cup at Ballygurteen on Monday evening last. Facing a tried and trusted performer in Dan Joe Holland, Ovens, O’Donovan held his nerve in a pressure finish after an erratic tenth shot cost a big portion of his hard earned bowl of odds lead. It was a fitting finale to a splendid competition organised and carried out in exemplary fashion by the clubs and officers of the South West division. The Bandon player was the favourite with the big Bank Holiday crowd and he had the advantage of youth and speed if not the decades of experience that the Ovens so often put to good use in his John Cronin Cup and veteran championships victories. Playing away for a combined total of €3,200, both went sight in two, Holland to the fore. O’Donovan played his third to the right and fourth to the left but, crucially, Holland did not put telling law on either tip. O’Donovan led for the first time with a big fifth past the ‘women’s lane’ before the veteran player responded with a good sixth to regain the fore. The score changing exchanges came next when O’Donovan tracked two massive shots from ‘Oakmount pillar’s’ to open up a big lead. An equally good ninth past ‘O’Mahony’s’ rose a bowl of odds and then came what might have been a calamitous misjudgement when he missed sight at the end of the straight from a relatively easy position. Holland went well around and followed up with fine attempt to ‘Burke’s’ where the lead was now down to twenty metres. O’Donovan dug deep and cast a good second last that missed the finish mark by metres. It was still not over, as Holland forced his rival to beat a handy last tip with a great last effort from sixty metres hind. O’Donovan beat it with aplomb to continue a great Courtmacsherry bowling dynasty into another generation. The magnificent cup in honour of the late and much loved former Bol Chumann chairman was presented to the winner by David Desmond, a nephew of Jerry’s. The prize money on offer was generous too, €1,000 for O’Donovan, €500 to Holland and €200 to the beaten semi-finalists, Denis O’Driscoll and Ted Hegarty. The South West chairman, James Barry paid tribute to all the players who participated in the thirty two man competition and congratulated both finalists on their sportsmanship and endeavour.

Three quarterfinal round scores in the junior A championship on Thursday and Friday last week have set up a couple of appetising confrontations at Beal na mBlath and Derrinasafa as the competition comes to an exciting finale. With the All-Ireland final in the grade down for decision at the Marsh Road on July 7/8, Michael Bohane, as regional champion, was the big hope for home involvement, but Patrick O’Driscoll of the City hadn’t read the script. In a thrilling finish at Templemartin on Thursday, O’Driscoll snatched the victory from the Carbery man by twenty metres. Bohane bowled the second half of the score in exemplary style but, ultimately, it was his inconsistency in the opening segment, from the start up to the school house cross, that was his undoing. Both ‘made’ ‘Slynne’s’ in five and level with the western man spurning an opportunity or two to make it in a shot less. From there it took Bohane seven more to the ‘cross’ with a miscalculated lofted effort costing him dearly as O’Driscoll, playing more accurately, held the bones of a bowl lead at that point. Bohane cut it back significantly with a massive throw from here and another piledriver from the ‘stonefield corner’ to the start of the straight levelled it. O’Driscoll hung gamely on to the lead though as they bowled to the last bend before Bohane unleashed a superb drive that sped to within metres of the line. It seemed enough at that stage but O’Driscoll carrying a lot of power in his shots hit a good reply that came within forty metres of his rivals tip. The City man’s last was a do or die effort. He played it too far to the right but it rode the ridge with speed and returned to the road to run its length. Bohane played his own shot for victory well, however it ran out of steam twenty metres short to leave O’Driscoll through to a semi-final showdown with Mick Young at Beal na mBlath on this Wednesday. They played for a total sum of €3,400 with the Carbery man the hot favourite.

Young, from Bantry, continued his remarkable resurgence at Clondrohid on Friday with a top-class showing that ousted the formidable John O’Donoghue, the North East champion. Bowling in to Clondrohid from the BNR point and for a combined total of €5,300, the West Cork standard bearer was away to a flier with two mighty opening shots to O’Callaghan’s gates’. O’Donoghue, who failed to clear the rough with his first, was on the backfoot but recovered with a good third. The North East man didn’t maintain his momentum and hit poor fourth and fifth attempts with the result that Young had a bowl cushion after six. O’Donoghue had to play a big seventh to keep it at the bowl and it was still that at the ‘Bell Inn’ Young’s threw two ferocious casts from the Bell to ‘Kelleher’s farm’ to rise a second bowl and that effectively was it. It was odds with the two before matters were terminated after eleven a shot beyond the farm. Also involved in the veteran championship, Young could have a busy few weeks ahead. His next assignment is a meeting with O’Driscoll this Wednesday.

Ian Callanan, the South West champion, served notice as well of his junior A intentions with a two bowl victory over East Cork’s Dan O’Connor at Jagoe’s Mills on Friday. The margin at the end does not reflect the trend of the score. Although Callanan led in all the shots, no more than five metres separated them after seven to ‘O’Brien’s corner’. O’Connor won the next exchange before the South West man hit two milers to ‘Lawton’s to rise a bowl of odds. O’Connor responded well again with two big throws to the ‘railway line’ to knock the odds to forty metres. That was as good as it got for the East Cork representative as his form dipped over the remaining shots. Callanan, on the other hand, displayed his power to effect to rise the odds again and was a comfortable winner by score’s end. His head to head with Mid Cork’s Trevor McCarthy at Derrinasafa on this Friday will be eagerly looked forward to.

Meanwhile, the Ulster junior A semi-finals were played of at the Cathedral Road over the past weekend. Last year’s B champion, Cathal Toal, who so memorably clashed with Denis O’Driscoll at Doneraile, is solidly in the frame after his convincing victory over John Kelly. His opponent in the Ulster final will that redoubtable battler Harry Toal who got the better of Paul O’Reilly in the corresponding semi.

In an amazing pool D senior championship qualifier at Carrignavar James Buckley just hung on to defeat Aidan Murphy and thus join Eamonn Bowen (Sen) in the quarterfinal draw. In a score most definitely of two halves Buckley mixed the sublime with the mediocre and very nearly paid the price for an insipid closing quarter that allowed the newcomer, Murphy, albeit with some god bowling of his own, to close a yawning gap to metres. Buckley blitzed the North East road with two superb opening shots, the first right up around the first bend and a second of similar distance. His third and fourth were equally good all of which left Murphy trailing by over two bowls. Buckley was close to sight in six and lofted his odds with the two. It all began to unravel for him in the exchanges to the three-quarter point as two very poor shots left the odds just under the bowl. Murphy’s spirited rally was gaining momentum with each passing shot and, from fifty metres hind cast a huge bowl for the line. Buckley had a bit to do to stave off a last shot scenario but made it over the line for a much harder earned win than looked likely in the early stages.

The Lowney’s Jewellers sponsored women’s senior championship semi-final at Bauravilla on Sunday last was won by Sharon O’Driscoll/Russell. The two-time champion from the nineties defeated Louise Collins in the last shot for a combined total of €8,000. Both made errors at different stages but the closeness of the exchanges made for an interesting duel that could have gone either way. The winner made an error with her second with the result that she required four to ‘make’ Robin’s cross’. Collins had a sixty metre lead here but lost it to Russell’s big throw past ‘Coppinger’s’. Collins had the bones of a bowl of odds at the ‘rock’ but quickly lost the lead to her rival in the shots to the ‘rialing’s’. Collins went back in front and took valuable metres at the ‘bridge’. The decisive shots came when Russell got away with a tight play at the ‘bridge’ and followed up with a well-judged attempt over the brow past ‘O’Sullivan’s’. Those two brought her to the fore and when she convincingly beat Collins game last effort her place in the decider was ensured for the first time since 2001 when losing out to Catriona O’Farrell at Clondrohid. In Armagh Dervla Toal’s provincial crown stuttered over the past weekend when she suffered defeat to Kelly Mallon in the second of their best of three. Mallon, also the U18 champion, played well enough to indicate a possible Ulster double when she meets Toal again in the decider.

In the girls U18 championship defending champion Emma Fitzpatrick won at Templemartin from Helen Pennyfather of the City. The Carbery girl had a few bowls to spare over a game opponent who will have several years more to participate in the grade. At Togher Cross on Friday Bernadette Murphy (Mid Cork) won from Aine Creedon (Gaeltacht).

The county junior and novice veteran championships have thrown up some interesting match-ups. North Cork’s Andy O’Callaghan is through to the junior section semi-final. He accounted for Mid’s Christy Butler in a lack lustre quarterfinal at Whitechurch on Tuesday. In a stakelesss contest, O’Callaghan had a two bowl lead at the ‘devil’s bend’ and won in the end by one. Also in junior East Cork’s Liam Barry raised a few eyebrows with a barnstorming display at Jagoe’s Mills where he eliminated the hitherto undefeated Ger Fitzpatrick, the South West champion. Going for a total of €1,500, Barry’s thirteen shot showing was on a par with Ian Callanan’s performance later in the week. Fitzpatrick contributed a lot to a wholesome contest and matched the East Cork man’s bowling for much of the way. Barry rose a bowl of odds at ‘Lawton’s’ and held it to the end. Barry and O’Callaghan meet in the county semi-final at Carrigaline this week. Brendan O’Driscoll (Carbery) and Pa Ryan (City) met at Templemartin on Bank Holiday Monday evening. Ryan won this by the fore bowl for a total of €7,000. The winner is now going in against Mick Young in the corresponding semi. In novice veteran there was a thriller at Whitechurch where Mid Cork’s Jerry O’Driscoll came with a thundering last shot to deny Kevin Ruby (North). Bowled in the route for a total of €2,000, O’Driscoll had a shot of odds at ‘bula lane’ before Ruby knocked it and led by the top of the hill. The North Cork man led by forty metres for the last but O’Driscoll’s mighty effort won it. East Cork’s William O’Brien is next up for O’Driscoll at Ballyvolane. In the other side of the novice section Neally O’Leary (City) defeated Liam O’Driscoll (Carbery) at Templemartin. For a total of €2,800, O’Driscoll made a poor start and didn’t really recover. O’Leary, who was ‘called’ a number of times throughout the score, won by nearly two. He now meets West Cork’s Jimmy Nyhan in the semi at Clondrohid.

A vintage (over 60’s) double bill at The Pike on Monday drew a big gathering. In a South West local derby Jim Fitzpatrick (Ardfield) defeated Denis Collins (Clon) by over a bowl of odds for a total sum of €4,000 while in the return Carbery’s Steve Hayes just held out in an exciting clash with Fr Eddie Collins, Ahiohill. On a busy week in the vintage grade Batty Hurley beat Robbie Limerick in a cracker at Caheragh for €1,200; Con O’Donovan defeated Bertie Poole at Phale Road, Ballineen, there was a double for the East Cork men at Half-Way as Jim Geasley defeated Frankie Kearns and John Joe O’Shea defeated Teddy Murphy; at Berrings John Coleman defeated Peter Buckley and at Ballinacurra Davy Doyle defeated Ernie Hayes. Der McCarthy (Woodfield) won as well defeating Bernie O’Donoghue at Jagoe’s Mills last shot for €700. Through too is Sean O’Coilean from his Beal na mBlath fixture with Denis O’Sullivan. There will be a new name on the vintage cup as defending champion Thade Murphy lost out to Mick O’Driscoll (Mayfield) at Newcestown on Friday. In a repeat of last years decider avenged that result by a one bowl margin.

Both the Murphy’s intermediate championship semi-finals went ahead on Sunday last. At Castletownkenneigh Nicholas Carey won in the last shot from Noel Gould. It was a tough encounter played again, of course, at Gould’s insistence, without a stake. Carey’s big opening shot yielded sixty metres but a mediocre third cost him most of his yardage. Gould came progressively closer and led the contest after six along the straight. The City man pulled further away in the bowling to the ‘triangle’ where Carey, after a ‘called’ bowl went against him, seemed to be heading for a bowl deficit as they played towards the first line. Carey, with a score saving drive, cast a super effort all the way to sight to level the score. Both ‘made’ the last bend in the regulation two with Gould holding a short fore bowl. The City man led by thirty metres for the last shots but Carey had the final say. The Carrigtwohill youth hit a mighty cast that held the centre and it was good enough to win it after his opponent missed by thirty metres.
In the forenoon at Cobh Tim Pat O’Donovan defeated his brother Willie to qualify for the decider. The winner rose his winning bowl of odds in the shots to ‘Clash hill’. An all East Cork final between the arch rivals is now in the offing at a venue to be decided at this Wednesday’s June executive meeting

North and Gaeltacht met on Friday at Castletownkenneigh in the preliminary round of the under 12 and 14 championships. Honours were shared as Bill Corcoran (Gaeltacht) won from Andy O’Callaghan (North) in U14 and Daniel O’Sullivan (North) got the better of Gearoid Lucey (Gaeltacht) in U12.

Regional championship continues with the emphasis mainly on novice and under-age championships. The City junior C decider is down for this decision on this weekend at Ballyvolane when Thomas O’Callaghan and Shane Brickley play off. In South West U12, John O’Sullivan defeated Paul Carroll; Daniel O’Gorman defeated Finbarr Coomey; Darragh McCullagh defeated Keith Ryan and Eoin Connolly defeated Conor Sheehan. In U14 Michael McCarthy defeated Shane Hourihane; John O’Sullivan defeated Sam Kingston; Darragh McCullagh defeated Sean O’Donovan; Denis Dullea defeated Damien O’Driscoll; Danny O’Driscoll defeated Aidan Collins; Jack O’Driscoll defeated Paul Carroll and Finbarr Coomey defeated Anthony Moloney. The recent outcome of that quango is that John O’Sullivan defeated Daniel O’Gorman in the U14 final and the same two will again battle it out in U12. In South West U18 at The Pike Gerard Connolly defeated Aidan DeBurca and Seamus Crowley won from Darren Cahalane. Still in South West there was a turn up in novice B at Fisher’s Cross when Donal O’Sullivan defeated Gerard Connolly. In the junior C championship league at the Pike Jim Callanan consolidated his position at the top of the group with a third victory. On Thursday he defeated Ger Hegarty by a bowl for €2,300. In novice C Ivan Buchannon defeated Dave Finn at Shannonvale one bowl for a sum of €1,500 and in a high octane novice A clash at Lyre Joe Tyner defeated Paul Harrington last shot for €1,500. Denis Connolly won the North East junior B championship final at Carrignavar on Saturday after an exciting encounter with Aidan Bowen. Bowen had a bowl at the lines but Connolly levelled it with a big effort from there. It went shot for shot to the finish before Connolly prevailed. In the Munster rounds he meets South West’s Ger Fitzpatrick at Kilumney. In the East Cork junior B semi-final at Cobh Michael Wall defeated last year’s winner Tony Carey by the fore bowl.

The West Cork girls U16 decider at Kealkil was a continuation of a wonderful rivalry between two of bowling’s upcoming starlets. Lorraine Hurley is the champion after a mighty battle with Laura O’Mahony leaving it one apiece in the championship stakes for 2007. O’Mahony had won their U18 final clash at the same venue but a masterful display by Hurley on Friday evening last ensured their latest head to head went to Togher Cross. A mistake at the ‘bridge’ by the Bantry girl contributed to her defeat but it was another magnificent battle. Neil Crowley is, for the second year in succession, the West Cork U12 champion. He won his final from a gallant Seadna Crowley at Bantry on Saturday evening last. It was another error free performance from the winner who has shown admirable consistency in all his scores at the host Bantry venue. Seadna Crowley faced an early two bowl deficit but cut it back with good fourth and fifth shots. Neil was well in command as the score went on and won by nearly two.

Tournament action continues amid the spate of championship fixtures. In the Tony Murray Cup semi-final at Ballyvolane Seamus Sexton (Jun) scored a last shot victory over John Young. Playing for a total of €1,200 with the intermediate, Sexton, understandably the favourite, this was a good contest as Sexton made the early running. He was going for a bowl after three before Young rallied to lead at the first line. Up to the ‘barleyfield’ in two more there was little in it before Sexton got the decisive shot with two to go, a lengthy drive that rubbed past the lane to give him big odds for the last shots. Seamus Sexton meets Thomas Buckley in the Tony Murray Cup decider. In senior action at Carrignavar on Wednesday Eamonn Bowen (Sen) defeated James Buckley one bowl for €3,200 after which Edmund Sexton defeated Eamonn Bowen (Jun) one bowl for€3,000. At Ballinacurra on Wednesday Kevin O’Donovan defeated Christy Keating one bowl for €4,400 and Pascal Buckley defeated Mick Minihane two bowls for €2,500. At the same venue on Saturday Jerry Murphy defeated Gary Daly last shot in a junior tournament fixture for €1,000. Daly did win the return challenge from Murphy last shot for €1,400. Later in the day Billy McAuliffe (Jun) turned in a top class display in defeating Paul Buckley by two bowls for €1,800. At Curraheen Andrew O’Leary defeated Trevor O’Meara on Wednesday last shot for €2,400 and on the way back Dan O’Regan defeated Denis Wilmot last sot for €440. At Firmount on Monday last Edmund Sexton was in top form defeating John Creedon by a bowl for €4,000 while, on the way back Graham Sexton defeated Dan Vaughan last shot for €900. At Doneraile on Monday South West’s Johnny O’Driscoll made it a wining journey with victory over Gary Daly. O’Driscoll won by almost a bowl for €2,000.

Eamonn O’Carroll.

Bowling lost a celebrated link with the past with the recent passing of Eamonn O’Carroll of Farran. Aged ninety seven his sporting prowess in an illustrious life-span traversed many codes, but it is for his role as a capable administrator in the formative years of Bol Chumann na hEireann that he will be forever remembered. Along with Flor Crowley, Eamonn had a hugely influential role in bringing the sport through the fifties sixties and seventies. Having unsuccessfully contested for the chairmanship of the new Association with Flor Crowley in 1954, he went on serve as its secretary for the following twenty years. He was instrumental in setting up the International Bowlplaying Association and worked ceaselessly to bring the European Championships to fruition. His ability to correspond with his German and Dutch counterparts and his powers of persuasion were pivotal to setting up the inaugural games in Losser in Holland in 1969. Eamonn O’Carroll was born in 1909 in Lios Cross near Five Mile Bridge. He attended the local national school in Ballygarvan progressing to the North Monastery where his hurling talents were soon to blossom leading to Harty Cup success. In the thirties too his aptitude for bowlplaying was soon to the fore and he embarked on a remarkably successful run during which he took on and beat the very best in a competitive era for the sport. Flor Crowley wrote in 1954, when Eamonn O’Carroll returned to contest the inaugural senior championship only to lose out to eventual winner Liam O’Keefe at the semi-final stage, ‘Twenty years ago, Carroll could take on any man in the game on equal terms. He did take them on and beat most of them. In his prime he met and beat such noted performers as Red Crowley, Mick O’Brien, George Bennett, Tim Delaney to mention but a few and it was generally conceded that he was the supreme stylist in an age when bowlplaying was at its highest in Cork from 1930 to 1940’. He captured the All-Ireland bowling championship in 1936 an event then organised by the All-Ireland Bowlplayers Association. He defeated Red Crowley of Bandon and George Bennett of Blackpool in the semi final and final at Dublin Hill. He played a famous score with Tim Delaney and Crowley again in Clonmel that went unfinished due to darkness. During this period as well he won four county senior hurling medals with Glen Rovers before retiring from the game in 1938. In his later years Eamonn founded the Tuesday club which was, in effect, a forerunner to the Social club concept that is so popular at the present time. The Tuesday club were a group of ex-bowlers who come together every Tuesday to bowl the roads of the county at their leisure. Eamonn played well into his eighties. Golf was another sport at which he excelled and he was President of the Muskerry Club when they won the Irish Senior Cup in 1962. The bowling fraternity paid their respects in large numbers at his funeral services during the past week. Former chairman of Bol Chumann, Seamus O’Tuama, in tribute, acknowledged Eamonn O’Carroll’s exceptional contribution to the evolution of the sport of bowlplaying. Eamonn was laid to rest in Ovens cemetery on Thursday last. May he rest in peace.

EXAMINER ROAD BOWLING News May 23rd 2007
David Murphy took a grip on Pool A of the Murphy’s senior championship with a win by almost two bowls over Anthony Gould at Macroom on Sunday last. The winner had to come from a bowl down in the early stages to gain his second point in the group. Gould’s opening two made the bridge where he held a big advantage before they faced up the rise to the waterfall. Murphy quickly regained parity with big fifth and sixth shots and they stayed level to the gap. At the start of the straight Murphy began to dominate. He fired a brilliant ninth along the centre to rise seventy metres. The bowl was up at Kelleher’s and the Mid Cork player held that to the Glasha. He was close to doubling his advantage in the closing exchanges.

Phillip O’Donovan took a grip on Pool B with a two bowl victory over Jerry Hegarty at Kilumney on Saturday evening last. Hegarty led by fifty metres after a big opening shot. O’Donovan’s second and third swung the initiative back in his favour. He went a bowl of odds clear after four before Hegarty knocked it at blackbird’s lane. The Carbery player fought the odds through the half-way point and it was still under the bowl at the novice line. O’Donovan upped the ante over the closing stages with two exceptional shots to double his margin and register his second win from two scores in the group. Hegarty now faces a must win situation in his final fixture with John Shorten and hope some other results go his way as well.

Vincent Kiely (North Cork) won the preliminary round Munster junior A clash at Castletownknneigh on Friday from James Cooney (Gaeltacht). They were level in three to Ballineen cross before Kiely threw a lengthy fifth to rise a bowl of odds. He tracked his sixth and seventh to perfection to double his lead. Cooney knocked it back with good bowling past Kenneigh cross but the North Cork champion regained his earlier margin to advance to a quarterfinal clash with Mid Cork’s Trevor McCarthy at Whitechurch.

Dan O’Connor won the East Cork junior A championship at Ballincurrig on Saturday. In a score of mixed bowling O’Connor saw off the challenge of Dave Coffey who lost his chance with a poor second last. Coffey led by a bowl through the lines and looked for a while s if he might extend his odds. Some indifferent play onto the short straight cost him his lead as O’Connor gained the initiative at the sycamores. Coffey was back to the fore with one to go but his misplayed second last allowed O’Connor snatch it at the death. John O’Donoghue is the North East junior champion after his victory over Martin Daly at Kilavullen. Daly held sway in this contest up to half-way and was still in strong contention until O’Donoghue hit two milers at the three-quarter stage to swing it his way. Trevor McCarthy was in splendid form on Wednesday in winning the Mid Cork junior A title. The defending champion was a bowl down to Dan O’Halloran at Templemartin but recovered with two searing drives from O’Riordan’s to the school house cross which changed the course of the score. He put the seal on his victory with a bullet from Buttimer’s lane to the monument. Ted Hegarty booked his place in the South West junior A final with a penultimate round win over Kieran O’Driscoll at Grange. He plays Ian Callanan in the decider at Grange next weekend. Andy O’Callaghan won the North Cork junior veteran title with a hard earned win over Mick Murphy at Kilcorney. Mick Young won the West Cork junior veteran at Kilcrohane with a bowl of odds victory over Pat O’Sullivan. Young was adding to his junior A title won last weekend and gained his winning odds with a big shot to the gulleys. Ger Fitzpatrick won the South West junior veteran by two bowls from Greg Crean at Ballygurteen.

Leonard Bowen won the City junior B championship at Waterfall in an exciting contest with Peter Nagle. Both had periods in the ascendancy before Bowen edged it in the last shots. Sean Murphy won the Mid Cork junior B at Newcestown on Sunday evening. In a tough score with Denis Wilmot, Murphy won by almost a bowl of odds.

In the Ulster championships Dervla Toal defeated Kelly Mallon in the first round of the womens senior grade. It was a last shot victory for the defending champion on the Cathedral Road. Denise Daly defeated Caroline Grimley in the women’s intermediate. A big doubt hangs over Michael Toal’s participation in the senior championship. An elbow injury has curtailed his preparations and may need surgery. Jane O’Neill and Kelly Mallon contest the Ulster U18 final while the sisters Louise and Caroline Grimley from Madden will vie for U16 honours. Thomas Mackle is in the boys U16 decider were he will contest with Sean Short or Conor Grimley. In the Ulster intermediate championship Malachy Lappin defeated Paul Grimley.

Bowling News 14th May 2007
Michael Bohane's storming finish saw him capture the Carbery junior 'A' championship at the first attempt. At the Marsh Road on Sunday afternoon last he came from almost a bowl of odds down to inflict a third successive final defeat on a luckless J.C. Desmond.
Last year's corresponding decider between Desmond and Tommy Connolly was a thrilling affair and this year's event matched it, although that will not be much consolation to the Skibb man, who contributed hugely to an absorbing duel. Both finalists commanded big support as evidenced in the §12,000 total stake, but neither made an auspicious start as they played away from the lower line on the slightly altered route.
Desmond scattered his first badly left before Bohane did likewise with his second. Level then, Desmond opened up a sixty-metre lead with superb fourth and fifth shots past the 'council gates'. He went almost a bowl clear with his seventh to the 'silvery gate' and held it in ten to the
'steps'.
It was still that at the gap, before 'Thornhill cross', before the leading
man made an error with his twelfth. Bohane responded with a monstrous drive to 'Ballyhilty' to take the lead. Desmond did well to come sight, but could do nothing with another exceptional effort by the Caheragh man that sped on to the newly chipped surface beyond the 'avenue gate'.
A mistake with his shot from Ballyhilty signalled the end of Desmond's
game challenge. Bohane now represents the region in the county rounds of the Munster junior 'A' championship. He plays City winner Patrick O'Driscoll, at Templemartin in a fortnight's time.
It was the new champion's third successive Carbery junior title having won the 'C' in 2005 and 'B' last year. He was novice 'A' winner in 2003 and also has a number of under-age titles to his credit.
In an extraordinary junior 'B' championship score at Reenascreena on
Friday.,Brendan O'Driscoll snatched a dramatic win from Kevin Minihane to keep his hopes of a regional double alive. Minihane did everything right for virtually all of the contest. He went a bowl of odds up at the 'four crosses' and beat the novice line in nine first- class shots. O'Driscoll hung doggedly on following big shots as the odds seemed certain to increase. He got his reward when his final effort from 60 metres hind brushed on the right to give him an unlikely win. O'Driscoll's clash with John O'Brien will decide whether a three-way play-off is needed to provide Declan O'Donovan's final opponent.
Emma Fitzpatrick won the Carbery under-18 title for the fourth and final time at Reenascreena on Thursday. The reigning all-Ireland champion in the grade was given a good test by Leap's Nicola O'Sullivan in an enjoyable contest. Five big shots to the 'four crosses' gave the winner a two-bowl cushion, which she held to the end. Carbery youths' co-ordinatro, Mick Russell, presented Emma Fitzpatrick with the Dempsey Brothers-sponsored winner's cup and wished her well in her last year in under-age competitions.
Donie Harnedy's superbly thrown bowl over the brow at 'O'Sullivan's'
turned a fiercely fought novice 'A' second-round clash with Joe O'Brien in his favour at Bauravilla. O'Brien had the advantage at the 'bridge' but could do little with Harnedy's strong finish. Liam O'Driscoll's four exceptional shots from 'Sweetnam's gate' at Caheragh gave him the winning advantage over Dan McCarthy in the Carbery novice veteran semi-final on Sunday morning. He will play either D.D. Carroll or Con Twohig in the decider. McCarthy had earlier in the week defeated T.J. Collins in the quarter-final at Reenascreena.
In novice 'C' the Herlihy brothers had mixed luck at Caheragh. Finbarr
Nyhan, Ballydehob, showed a semblance of his old form in defeating Tony Herlihy in the first fixture, while James Herlihy was too strong for Jerry O'Brien, Dunbeacon, in the second. Martin Coughlan and James Ronan advanced in the novice 'D' championship at Reenascreena after wins over Vinny O'Mahony and Michael White, respectively. Mike O'Rourke of Ross hit good form at Leap in winning his novice 'B' joust with James Whyte while, in novice 'D' at Caheragh, Rick Deasy overcame Derry O'Callaghan. The under-age championships progressed also. Shane Fitzpatrick and John Russell won at under-16; Thomas O'Rourke won a good battle with Andrew O'Sullivan in under-14; and Peter Nagle held off a great challenge from Shane Shannon in the same grade. In novice 'C' at Bauravilla on Monday
night, Aidan Hayes bowled a fine score to advance to the third round at the expense of Kenrick O'Sullivan.
There were notable tournament wins for Carbery players outside the region. At Kilcrohane on Sunday last, Connie O'Mahony of Schull won the novice 2 tournament final there. A consistent performance had him a bowl of odds winner over Christy Mullins (junior) of Bantry. O'Mahony gradually edged ahead in a good contest and rose the bowl of odds at the 'gulleys'. That was enough to secure the winner's prize.
At Ballygurteen on Sunday evening, James Hurley and Emma Fitzpatrick won the mixed doubles final from Jimmy Nyhan and Louise Collins. The winners went almost two bowls up beyond half-way, before Nyhan and Colins rallied to bring it under the bowl. Hurley and Fitzpatrick yielded no more and won by almost a shot of odds.

Bowling News May 7th 2007
The For Crowley Cup final at Templemartin on Bank Holiday Monday last was a fitting tribute to the great man to whom the competition is dedicated. Two of the best of the games younger generation battled out a tremendous shot for shot duel before Nicholas Carey from Carrigtwohill won the prestigious trophy by just metres with his eighteenth shot from a game opponent in Aidan Murphy of Brinny. The contest ebbed and flowed amid a series of high class exchanges that showed both exponents at the height of their capabilities. After an even enough opening quarter Murphy might have been a little more than thirty metres ahead at the ‘school house cross’ with a better judged effort to that point. He then followed a big throw of Carey’s to hold the lead but lost it to the East Cork man’s mighty effort to the ‘stonefield corner’. Murphy was back in front with a fine attempt to ‘Buttimer’s lane’ and held it to the ‘monument’. Carey was relentless in pursuit and ‘made’ the ‘pub cross’ in the regulation two to stay within metres of the leader. With the line now just two shots away Carey blazed a spectacular drive from the bend that ran to within forty metres of the finish. Murphy’s well drilled response was forty metres short of his opponents mark and he needed a lengthy last to recover. He duly delivered a big throw but Carey held his nerve to pass the target and claim a notable victory. Bol Chumann chairperson, Susan Greene, at the after score presentation in the Brinny Inn, complimented all involved within the region for their organisation of an excellent tournament and paid special tribute to the finalists on the day for their thrilling exhibition. The stake at issue was €5,000.

Three Murphy’s intermediate championship quarterfinal fixtures advanced the competition to the penultimate rounds. One of the grades most likely contenders, Martin Coppinger, was eliminated at the hands of Noel Gould after a bizarre closing sequence at Macroom on Sunday last. Matters were terminated in favour of the City man just beyond the junior line as he held a lead of well over two bowls of odds. There was little indication of such a gap emerging as Coppinger led at the ‘waterfall’ in five by thirty metres. A mistake approaching the ‘gap’ with his seventh and eighth allowed Gould to forge a lead of sixty metres. There was less than that along the straight to ‘Kelleher’s’ until a ‘called’ bowl worked in favour of Gould who went sight at ‘Glasheen cross’ from well back. It was less than the bowl still but the Bantry man compounded his woes with an inadequate loft and a too tightly cut follow up to go nearly two down. It was all over when Gould cast a big throw up to the junior line to rise the bones of three. Nicholas Carey or Patrick O’Donoghue await in the semi-final for Gould. The second of Sunday’s quarterfinals produced an exciting joust at Ballyvolane. Here Willie O’Donovan claimed a semi-final spot after a dramatic last shot finale with Eamonn Bowen (Jun). Bowen led by sixty metres at the first line but lost it all going on to the straight when missing an average O’Donovan tip. It was O’Donovan then who held the momentum for a while and held eighty metres approaching the ‘quarry gates’. Bowen unleashed a ferocious drive all the way to sight to level it and then proceeded to forge a fifty metre lead on to the ‘flat’. It looked to be going the Carrignavar man’s way as he held his margin amid a few hectic exchanges. Down to the last shot, O’Donovan’s do or die effort from well hind ran well for escaping a few obstacles to score the finish line. It was still a mark that was well within Bowen’s ambit but he dragged it wide and missed by a few metres. In an undistinguished quarterfinal at Glanworth on Bank Holiday Monday Tim Pat O’Donovan came from a bowl down to defeat Mick O’Driscoll (B) in the last shot. O’Donovan missed an early chance at ‘Clontinty cross’ before O’Driscoll forged a bowl ahead at the last corner with four to go. The veteran former senior champion lost it all in one fell swoop after misplaying his third last. O’Donovan went ahead again with two to go and beat the finish line with his next to deny O’Driscoll any further opportunities. The winner now plays his brother, Willie, in the semi-final round.

In the Lowney’s Jewellers women’s senior championship at Ballinacurra on Sunday morning last Sharon O’Driscoll/Russell displayed a determination to regain former glory with a highly impressive victory over the defending champion Carmel Ryan. An U18 and senior title holder in the nineties, Russell, started in superb style going close to ‘Brinny cross’ in four. Ryan was not doing a lot wrong by fell a bowl of odds adrift at this juncture. It was still the bowl in four more to ‘Perrots’ as the standard of bowling remained high. The reigning champion made strenuous attempts to reel in the odds with good bowling to the GAA pitch but Russell yielded nothing. Russell finished as she started with three lengthy drives to rise close to two nearing the line and moving ominously to a semi final spot. The last four draw will be made this week.

Gloun was the venue for the women’s intermediate first round fixture involving Orla O’Driscoll, a former U18 all-Ireland winner, and the upgraded junior title holder from last year, Martina Foley. The victory went to the Holyhill, Ballineen girl, O’Driscoll, but only in the last shot of a competitive contest. Martina Foley led by almost bowl coming up to half-way but O’Driscoll gradually whittled it down. The closing stages were exciting as O’Driscoll prevailed by a short fore bowl. Likewise at Bauravilla, in an all Carbery quarterfinal joust, last years finalist Bernadette O’Regan of Reenascreena just edged out Caheragh’s Mary Coughlan by a short fore bowl. Coughlan made the better start taking the bones of a bowl of odds to ’Robin’s cross’. O’Regan had it level at the ‘netting’ and finished solidly to advance.

The junior A championships around the county are winding to a conclusion after a few hectic weekends of action. If there was a surprise in the Gaeltacht it was in the eclipse of Patrick Moynahin who did not make the expected impact in the three-way semi-final play off at Clondrohid on Sunday evening last. James Cooney was the deserved winner but was given a stern test by Brendan O’Callaghan and for a while too by Moynahin. Playing back into the village for a combined sum of €3,600, Cooney made the running from the off and led O’Callaghan by a short distance at the ‘Bell Inn’. They didn’t run for Moynahin from the fifth shot onwards and he was a bowl in arrears at that point. Cooney got a super throw from Geoff’s lane down to ‘Murphy’s farm’ to bring him well clear of O’Callaghan with Moynahin further back. O’Callaghan did make a valiant effort with a monstrous last but cooney beat the line to avoid further drama. Terry Mallon will play Coney at Clondrohid in next weekends Gaeltacht junior A final. In the novice veteran final at the Mons on next weekend Martin Kelleher plays Ger O’Donoghue. Billy McAuliffe (Jun) is another to exit his regional junior A title race. He suffered a galling defeat to Martin Daly in the North East semi-final at Doneraile on Sunday evening. Playing for a combined tally of €2,000 with McAuliffe, an intermediate contender last year the hot favourite, they both made the ‘oak tree’ in two.
McAuliffe had almost a bowl at ‘Paudie’s house’ and held it to ‘Creagh castle’. The lead went with Daly big rub at the novice line and, in the tense closing exchanges, it was the Carrignavar player who won it in the last shot. He now faces either Damien Murphy or John O’Donoghue in the decider. Elsewhere in North East Joanna Murphy won her girls U18 semi-final from Karina Hunter at Doneraile.

For the Bantry based former Drinagh man, Mick Young, 2007 looks like being somewhat of a renaissance year. A barnstorming performance at Corran a few weeks back ousted Denis O’Driscoll from the West Cork junior A championship and there was further evidence at Derrinasafa on Friday evening last when a high quality showing saw him eliminate Billy Hurley in the junior veterans grade. It was an eagerly awaited battle between the two long time rivals at the Dunmanway venue and there was not a lot in it in six each to ‘nattie’s’ as they played away for a combined total of €2,440. Young struck some serious form from there hitting ‘darkwood’ in two well executed drives. His next two to close to the novice line gave Hurley no chance of recovery and matters were terminated shortly after. Young, now chasing regional honours on two fronts plays John Young, provisionally on Saturday evening next at Kealkil in the West Cork junior A decider. In West Cork it will an al Castletownkenneigh novice veteran final. Dinny Nyhan built on a magnificent third shot at the Clubhouse to defeat Bernie O’Donovan in their Sunday morning semi-final. Playing for a total of €2,200, Nyhan was faultless in his bowling from Clon cross on and scored the line in fourteen shots. His unrelated club mate Jimmy Nyhan defeated Finbarr Cahalane in the corresponding semi-final at Bantry. In East Cork Dan O’Connor won his junior A semi-final from Dave Dennis at Ballincurrig. The Cobh man, Dennis, had his first accidentally blocked and it contributed to his going a bowl down at the ‘line’s’. O’Connor bowled a good score but did present the Cobh man with a chance at the ‘big turn’. It didn’t work out for Dennis and no further opportunities came his way leaving O’Connor throughout contest the regional junior final against Dave Coffey again at Ballincurrig. Liam Barry is the East Cork junior veteran representative after a bloodless victory at the weekend and William O’Brien is the novice veteran winner after his win over Johnny Walsh.

Ian Callanan began in style in the South West junior A semi-final at Grange on Sunday evening. Three massive opening shots to ‘Hodnett’s’ put Neilus Hurley on the back foot and, hard as the former intermediate champion tried, he never quite recovered. For a total of €3,100, Callanan ‘made’ Hegarty’s’ in six to rise over a bowl of odds and extended the margin before the end. Ted Hegarty or Kieran O’Driscoll will be Callanan’s final opponent.
On Sunday morning at Ballygurteen Ger Fitzpatrick qualified for the junior veteran decider with victory over Donal O’Donovan. Fitzpatrick eased away from the start in this one as O’Donovan, who shocked Ted Hegarty in the previous round, failed to find form on this occasion. Earlier in the week Neil O’Gorman defeated Denis Collins in novice veteran at Kildee and Finnian O’Donovan defeated Fergal Beamish in the novice C championship at Grange. In the same grade, at Shannonvale, Ivan Buchannon defeated Seamus Crowley last shot for €480. The youthful Pike exponent Owen O’Gorman gave a stylish performance in defeating Timmie Hennessy in novice A at Lyre. In an interesting Mid Cork junior C championship quarterfinal at Monorone on Sunday evening, John A Murphy just held on to defeat Pat Broderick in the last shot. For a total of €2,400, Broderick led early before Murphy rose a bowl beyond ‘Murphy’s lane’. Broderick rallied well towards the finish but the Templemartin man it was who progressed. In Mid Cork novice D at Beal na mBlath Liam O’Callaghan won from Ronan Callanan and in novice veteran at Castletownkenneigh Billy Coomey defeated Pascal Buckley. The Ladbrokes sponsored City junior B final will be contested between Tony Morris and Peter Nagle. Morris defeated Denis Hickey at Waterfall on Tuesday and Leonard Bowen’s unavailability at the same venue on Monday last ensured a final spot for the Togher man. In novice 3 in the City Donsie O’Mahony defeated John O’Donovan and Stephen ring defeated Tony Long both at Wood Road. At Ballyvolane in the City novice veteran championships Neally O’Leary defeated Jerry Buckley by two bowls and, at the same venue in novice 3 Tom Fulham defeated Neilus heaphy and Liam Lynch defeated John Dowdall. In the North Cork junior veteran semi-final Andy O’Callaghan defeated Willie Joe Leahy at Sally’s Cross. The North Cork junior A final is on at Beal na Morrive on Saturday night next between Vincent Kiely and Andy O’Callaghan.

Tournament action continues apace. Christy Mullins won an International Fund Score at Shannonvale from Edmund Sexton. This was another trailblazing display from the Bantry man who threw two of the longest opening shot seen at the venue. He reached ‘McSweeney’s’ with that brace and continued in rich vein almost getting to ‘Desmond’s cross’ in six. Sexton was in the hunt but Mullins rose the bowl with his lofted seventh and doubled his advantage with two more exquisite efforts to beyond ’Sam’s lane’. He had three in eleven to ‘Campbell’s’ where the contest was effectively over. They played for a combined sum of €3,900. Freddie Scannell defeated Tim Cahalane in a return played for a total of €3,000. Earlier in the week at Sally’s Cross Sexton came out on top in two scores with John Creedon winning the first by the fore bowl for €2,400 and the second by two bowls for €2,600. At Firmount, Donoughmore, Donal O’Riordan defeated Gavin Twohig in the Pat Barry Cup. Playing for a total of €4,000, O’Riordan rose the bowl after five onto the straight and was going for two at the ‘bridge’. The Bantry man’s form dipped a bit in the latter stages and a half chance presented itself to Twohig to level it beyond the ‘grotto’. It wasn’t availed of and O’Riordan went on to win by almost a bowl. Still at Firmount, on Bank Holiday Monday, Vincent Kiely defeated John Young by a bowl for a total of €2,000 out the road but Connie Connolly balanced the books for the Drinagh men with a return victory over Paddy Kinsella for the same money. In a score back the road at Monorone on Sunday evening Pat Broderick avenged his championship defeat with a bowl of odds over John Anthony Murphy for a total sum of €2,450. At Ballinacurra on Saturday Donsie O’Mahony defeated Sean O’Donoghue (I) by a bowl for €2,800 and shared wins in two scores with Johnny Byrnes winning out for €2,400 before losing the return last shot for €400. Byrnes had earlier defeated Con O’Donovan one bowl for €800. At Gortroe, Ollie O’Riordan defeated Anthony Spillane one bowl for €1,600 and John O’Sullivan defeated Denis O’Sullivan last shot for €840. In the Denis Horgan Club James Walsh and Maurice Cashman defeated Mikie Murphy and Caroline Cronin last shot. Liam Casey and Rose Twohig defeated Johnny O’Riordan and John Breen last shot. In the John Cummins Perpetual Shield accuracy competition, James Walsh gained one point.

The second round vintage (over 60’s) draw reads: Ted Cotter v Leo Hughes at the Mons; Der McCarthy v Bernie O’Donoghue at Jagoe’s Mills; John Coleman v Peter Buckley at Berrings; Jim Geasley v Frankie Kearns at Half-Way; J J O’Shea v Mick Coppinger or Teddy Murphy at Half-Way; Denis Collins v Jim Fitzpatrick (A) The Pike; Tom Collins v John Thornhill at Bog Road; Batty Hurley v Robbie Limerick at Caheragh; Davy Doyle v Ernie Hayes at Ballinacurra; Sean Holland v Ger O’Donovan or John Hogan at Carigaline or Enniskeane; Steve Hayes v Fr Eddie Collins at The Pike; Paddy Twomey v Willie Dennis at Ballincurrig; Con O’Donovan v Bertie Poole at the Phale Road; Denis O’Sullivan v Sean O’Coilean at Beal na mBlath; Gerry O’Driscoll v Johnny Walsh at Ballincurrig; Terry Coakley bye. In a score in the competition during the week at Clondrohid, the Ardfield man, Jim Fitzpatrick, won by a bowl from Haulie O’Mahony.

Bowling News 30th April 2007
Eamonn Bowen (Sen) of Carrignavar rebounded from an opening score pool D defeat on Saturday week to register his first point with a bowl of odds victory over Edmund Sexton, Nadd, at Ballyvourney on Sunday last. He maintained the greater consistency in a tense struggle having overcome an early deficit and finishing strongly after Sexton upped the ante over the closing quarter. The score, overall, produced mixed bowling with both showing the form they are capable of only at intermittent periods. Playing off at the Gaeltacht venue for a combined sum of €6,000, Sexton made the brighter opening and led by thirty metres after two with Bowen’s poor second shot having him in early trouble. It was going the North Cork man’s way in the subsequent shots and he held a hundred metres coming up to ‘Knockanure cross’ but lost his advantage with two poor throws to the ‘top of the hill’. The consequence of those errors was that a golden opportunity of taking a bowl lead to the ‘slippery rock’ went amiss. It proved costly for Sexton as Bowen cast a huge effort from here to lead by sixty metres. As the score progressed Bowen increased his margin until he held just short of a bowl off odds at ‘Murphy’s bungalow’. Sexton unluckily hopped the brow here to lose vital yardage and the bowl of odds soon separated them. Bowen held his odds in spite of a spirited fight back by Sexton and won the battle by the shot of odds. Sexton’s next outing is a meeting with the other pool leader, James Buckley, at Ballyclough on May 13.

Bill Daly of Glanmire took command of pool C in the Murphy’s senior championship with a second group stage win at Derrinasafa on Saturday evening last. The multiple champion from the eighties and nineties accounted for one of the premier grades more recent arrivals, Gavin Twohig, Rossmore, after a score of ups and downs in which both players mixed the good with the mediocre. The contest, played for a combined total of €5,600, drew a fine gathering to the famed old bowling venue. The slight favourite, Twohig, held the upper hand for long periods, only for his failure to drive home his hard earned advantage to come against him in the vital closing exchanges. Daly’s long standing ability to track a bowl with a fluid delivery, in contrast to his opponents lesser effective style on the narrower confines over the closing stages, had a big bearing on the outcome. Twohig threw a speedy opener that Daly followed and beat by a metre but there was no beating the Rossmore man’s second, a powerful effort that, again broke with power to pass ‘Collins’ entrance’. Daly was in trouble when he left his third to the right and, although Twohig did not immediately capitalize, the South West man cast a magnificent fourth along the centre to ‘Foxe’s lane’ to rise a bowl of odds. The prospect of a two bowl difference at ‘nattie’s’ was not a remote possibility at that point but Daly did respond with a good sixth that, however, fell short of sight. Twohig, a shade unluckily, missed as well to leave the odds just short of the bowl and a failure to get the rub again coming up to ‘Cotter’s cross’ gave Daly an opportunity to level at ‘darkwood’. That went a begging and Twohig still held the bones of a bowl playing up to ‘Walshe’s lane’. The leading man made his first serious error with his eleventh when failing to put good distance the Glanmire man’s big throw to the lane and he lost the lead for the first time since the opening shot with a misdirected twelfth. It swung back to the South West man when he benefited from a generous rub to gain almost a hundred metres at ‘O’Neill’s cross’. Daly responded with a cracking effort along the left to level it again and, playing the steadier now at this vital juncture, took an eighty metre lead with his next after Twohig played too close to the left. It was Daly’s now for the taking and he duly took the point with a big fore bowl victory to claim pole position in pool C. Twohig did enough to suggest he will still be a force in the competition and is likely to be a formidable opponent for John Creedon when they meet at the Clubhouse on May 12 and for Pat Butler, should he decide to turn up, at Castletownkenneigh on May 26.

Louise Collins is in the semi-final of this years Lowney’s Jewellers sponsored women’s senior championship following a hard earned victory over Catriona Hubbard/O’Rourke at Beal na mBlath on Saturday evening. They traded shot for shot for much of the score’s duration with the North Cork contender holding the fore with a good throw to ‘Long’s lane’. Collins got a lengthy drive from here to rise valuable odds and it proved vital to the outcome as Hubbard, although putting in a determined effort, could not get close enough to make it a last shot showdown. In a women’s senior league score at Drinagh on Friday Helen Whyte got her campaign under way with a win from Gretta Cormican. In a stakeless contest the winning margin was a bowl of odds.

Michael O’Driscoll won the City junior A semi-final from Thomas Boyle at Whitechurch on Saturday last. Playing for a total of €1,000, Boyle was ahead early and had the bones of a bowl at the ‘wall’. O’Driscoll swung it around in double quick time with good bowling to ‘bula lane’ where he led by sixty metres. The new leader held his advantage after that to win by almost the bowl. He will play Patrick O’Driscoll in the City regional final. In City junior B semi-final at Waterfall, Peter Nagle defeated Pat Murphy in the last shot of an exciting contest. In the other side of the equation Tony Morris plays Denis Hickey in a quarterfinal fixture with the winner meeting Leonard Bowen in the semi. Also in the City in a junior veteran semi-final at Whitechurch, Pa Ryan defeated last years Munster finalist in the grade, Denis Hickey, by a bowl of odds for a stake of €2,000. He will play Pat Murphy in the City decider. In the South West regional championships Ian Callanan won through to the junior A semi-final after a bowl of odds victory over Mark Crean at Grange on Monday 23. Playing for a total of €1,200, last years B winner, Crean, led for the first two before Callanan pulled in front with a big shot to’Hodnett’s’. The Grancore man led by a bowl at the ‘school cross’ but Crean stayed solidly in contention until Callanan’s two big last shots sealed it. The Mill Road, Ardfield, is a popular hosting venue for the South West junior B league style championship with late Sunday evening the preferred time scheduling. On Sunday last the competition favourite, Johnny O’Driscoll, won his first point with a last shot victory over Dave Flynn for a stake of €900. Whether it will be enough to prevent elimination is dependant on remaining fixtures. In junior C at The Pike, also played in league format, Greg Crean defeated Ger Hegarty by almost a bowl of odds. In the regions novice C championship at Ballygurteen John O’Sullivan defeated Johnny Hourihane last shot. A splendid Gaeltacht junior A championship at Clondrohid is winding to its conclusion. After a terrific ten score league style competition four of the six contenders are still in with a shout. Over the past weekend Terry Mallon qualified for the final when he defeated Noel Murphy by a bowl to gain his fifth point. Three are tied on three points. Patrick Moynahin, Brendan O’Callaghan and James Cooney play off on Sunday next to decide Mallon’s final opponent.

It is no less interesting in Mid Cork. In a straight knock-out Dan O’Halloran qualified for the final with a bowl victory over James O’Donovan on Sunday last. The Desmond Cup finalist, O’Donovan, was the favourite for a stake of €1,700 but got off to a bad start playing a poor opener. O’Halloran, who wouldn’t be led in the contest, gained his winning law with a fierce throw from the point of ‘Slynne’s corner’. O’Donovan challenged well to keep it at the bowl to the ‘school cross’ but did not reproduce his scintillating mid week form. O’Halloran improved by two shots on his quarterfinal showing and will play either Trevor McCarthy or David O’Mahony in the upcoming decider. A doubt hangs over O’Mahony’s involvement at the moment as engineering exams and a foot injury impinge on his participation. In Mid Cork junior B, the finalists are Denis Wilmot, last years junior C winner, and Sean Murphy, upgraded from the previous year. Wilmot qualified from his semi-final joust with Michael O’Mahony at Beal na mBlath on Sunday morning last. In a score that was level for most of the way Wilmot won by almost a bowl for a total of €200. At Monorone on Sunday evening Sean Murphy had a two bowl victory over Kevin O’Donovan for a combined sum of €7,400. In junior C Christy Butler defeated Mick Murphy at Ballinacurra and, at Templemartin, John O’Mahony was the underdog but won in style against Brendan O’Neill. Down the grades Mick Minihane had a two bowl win over Tom O’Donovan in novice veteran at Castletownkenneigh and there were wins for Dave Dunne and John O’Driscoll from Anthony Crowley and Francis O’Callaghan respectively in novice D at Ballinacurra. The eagerly anticipated Billy Hurley v Mick Young West Cork junior veteran clash at Derrinasafa on Sunday did not go ahead but last years winner Pat O’Sullivan (K), came from a bowl down at Corran to defeat Pat Buttimer. Elsewhere in championship action in West Cork Dinny Nyhan gave a top drawer performance in defeating Johnny Murray at the Clubhouse in novice veteran while in novice B Colin Kingston defeated Ger Crowley at Corran and Conchuir O’Sullivan defeated David Cotter at Drimoleague. Frank Arundel’s hand injury scuppered his championship hopes leaving Jimmy Nyhan to advance from their scheduled meeting at Kilcrohane. In novice C, at Corran, Kevin Hayes defeated David Hourihane. The North Cork junior A championship is one of their best in years. Again played in league format, Andy O’Callaghan’s splendid resurgence has him in the decider. Needing to win his last two scores, the veteran Mallow player followed up his win over Vincent Kiely with a thrilling last shot victory over Mark Burke at Kilcorney on Saturday evening last. Going for a total of €4,600, Burke led at ‘Taff’s bridge’ but was forced to relinquish the fore bowl to O’Callaghan’s grandstand finish. The Mallow man got a handy brush with his second last but needed to be focused again for the final exchanges when he beat Burke’s fine last effort. Ironically it will be Vincent Kiely again who will oppose O’Callaghan in the decider. In North Cork novice C Finbarr O’Riordan defeated Gene Hubbard at Kilcorney and in U18 Dean Sexton defeated Tadg Curtin at Sally’s Cross. In novice veteran Kevin Ruby defeated Paddy O’Keefe. Meanwhile in North East, bowlings greatest under-age prodigy is beginning his last campaign in the youth’s grades. Thomas Buckley won his opening U18 contest at Grenagh by a bowl of odds from Jimmy Buckley of Ballyclough. In championship results elsewhere William O’Brien defeated Moss Twomey in the East Cork novice 1 final at Ballincurrig. O’Brien will play John Walsh of Cobh, the novice 2 winner after his win over Jim Geasley, in the overall regional decider.

The vintage (over 60’s) championship has commenced. Already through from a big first round score list are Billy Drinan who won from Bernie O’Donoghue at the Bog Road on Tuesday and Davy Doyle who got the better of Con Twohig at Half-Way on Wednesday. Here too John Walsh defeated Sean Crowley.

The Jerry Desmond Cup will be fought out at Ballygurteen between Bandon’s James O’Donovan and Dan Joe Holland. O’Donovan’s semi-final joust with Lyre’s Ted Hegarty was a superb mid-week confrontation at the Mill Road, Ardfield, on Wednesday 25. The contest provided a stern test of the Bandon’s youth’s mettle as he was forced to play four of the finest seen at the Ardfield venue to overhaul the Lyre veteran’s early bowl of odds lead. Hegarty did well to come within metres of O’Donovan’s lengthy opener and held his own for the next two down the rough where the margin was thirty metres in the Mid Cork man’s favour. From way back in the rough Hegarty hit one of the shots to remember with a superbly judged fourth that cut past the ‘church cross’ and opened onto the wide stretch down beyond the ‘graveyard’ to sight at the far bend. O’Donovan could hardly be expected to match that monstrous effort and duly fell just short of a bowl adrift as Hegarty followed up with two further well-played efforts to ‘Tobin’s’. O’Donovan set about his task in admirable style with two powerful drives up the rise. Hegarty lost ground when he played his ninth and tenth a little too far to the right and he was hind then after another rocket from the Bandon man. The Lyre man did make it out but only just with a plucky eleventh but O’Donovan was masterful as he went clear around with his reply to complete a rarely done feat of scoring the ‘creamery cross’ in four from the ‘new line’. O’Donovan’s second last up towards the line sealed his Desmond Cup final spot. The stake at issue was €2,880. The veteran campaigner, Dan Joe Holland, remains a hard nut to crack. Denis O’Driscoll is the latest to fall to a highly competent display by the Ovens man when, at Lyre on Sunday afternoon last, in the second Desmond Cup semi-final, the victory went to Mid Cork by almost a bowl of odds. Holland was the outsider in the €1,800 stake but forged a bow in front after three. It might have been more at the ‘hump’ but O’Driscoll reeled it in with two good shots. Holland’s big throw to the bend by ‘Crowley’s’ had him a full bowl in front and he held it with aplomb to ‘McCarthy’s’. The closing stages revolved around Holland winning the bowl of odds. O’Driscoll did have the satisfaction of saving the bets on that. The big Pat Barry Cup clash at Donoughmore was switched to Firmount due to road repairs but it mattered little to David Murphy who scored a bowl of odds win over Phillip O’Donovan. Throwing for a total of €6,000, Murphy, having been behind for the first two, led by almost a bowl at the ‘Grotto’. It was competitive all the way with O’Donovan a shade unlucky with his second last not ot level it. Murphy playing with commendable speed won it by a bowl. At Doneraile, on Friday, Eamonn Bowen (Sen) defeated Murphy for a total of €5,400. Bowen’s two big shots from ‘Creagh Castle’ were important but he still needed a monstrous last to ensure victory.

At Ballincurrig during the week in a tournament semi-final fixture Nicholas Carey was too good for Seamus Sexton (Jun). Playing for a stake of €2,100, Carey’s bowling of fifteen shots over the line was of a high order. He ‘made’ the lines in five to take a bowl of odds and Sexton did well to hold it to that to the ‘sycamores’. Carey went two clear at the ‘elbow’ and that was that. In an amazing score back the road Eamonn Bowen (Jun) and Andrew O’Leary engaged once again in a pick-up challenge. going for a total of €2,000 the quality of bowling in this one was remarkable as both were on the line in eleven. Miler followed miler and the drama continued right to the death as Bowen saw his last recover from the grass to role past O’Leary’s prodigious twelfth.

Bowen (Jun) was also in the winners enclosure on Saturday last at Clashmore when he contested with Patrick O’Donoghue in an opening round score in the John Cronin Cup. For a total of €3,000, O’Donoghue made the worst possible start playing four short bowls in succession to hand Bowen a bowl of odds lead at ‘Flavahan’s turn’. There was a bowl of odds in it up the start of the straight and, hard as O’Donoghue tried to recover, that margin stayed between them until it doubled as they played to ‘Ballinaclash cross’ where the Carrignavar man hit a supreme effort to put the issue beyond doubt. Bowen has a second round meeting with Nicholas Carey or Martin Coppinger who play their first round Cronin Cup fixture at Ballincurrig on Bank Holiday Monday May 6. At Doneraile on Wednesday Billy McAuliffe (Jun) repeated his championship success over Thomas Buckley when he defeated the Dublin Pike under-age star by almost two for a total of €2,500. On the way back here Noel Bowen defeated Thomas O’Dononghue by one bowl for €1,100. Anthony Gould scored a couple of wins over Andrew O’Leary at Whitechurch on Wednesday one bowl and two bowls for stakes in the region of €2,000 each time. At Ballinacurra on Saturday Paul Buckley defeated Trevor McCarthy twice last shot and one bowl for €3,400 and €2,400. Also here Andrew O’Leary benefited from a slack finish by Richard Murphy to defeat the city man by a bowl for €2,300. At the Bog Road John Murphy defeated Celly Spillane in a tournament quarterfinal by a bowl of odds while Anthony Gould defeated Aidan Murphy in a return played for a total of €2,000. At Beal na Morrive Gary Daly and John O’Rourke shard the spoils in two scores played for sums of €1,600 and €2,400.

A word from Mick Moloney, the former spokesman for road bowling in the New York environs but presently relocated in Co. Westmeath, to expound on his continuing involvement in the sport. Mick will participate in the Drogheda based Leinster championships and will also remain in touch with events in New York. Latest results from stateside read: Fergal Carr defeated Adrian Lappin and Conor Lappin both last shot for $240 and, in a doubles, Noel Carr and Paul Lavery beat Darren O’Neill/ Noel Cronin last shot $180.

The bowling game lost one of its most dedicated followers with the sudden passing of Paddy O’Donovan of Kinsale over the past weekend. A native of Ballinspittal, Paddy, with his wife Noreen, hardly missed a major Sunday afternoon fixture and travelled to all the major events throughout the country. Armagh, Drogheda, Mayo as well as countless bowling roads around his native county have benefited from his endearing presence and genial personality. His infectious love of the sport shone through and he was an informed and articulate commentator on all aspects of bowling. Paddy will be sadly missed by the legion of friends he had among the bowling fraternity. Sincere sympathies are extended to his wife Noreen and family.

Bowling News April 9th 2007
The 2007 Keady-Tassagh Bol Fada festival ended as it began with the homesteaders in the ascendancy after Eddie Carr’s spectacular triumph over Phillip O’Donovan in the Joe McVeigh Cup final late on Sunday evening last. Without a semi-final contest, which may or may not have been an advantage, Carr was coming fresh to the decider and he was certainly in dominant mode over the first phase of play back in the Ferla Road. Both players had fulsome backing in the large attendance as evidenced in the €39,000 total stake, the euro being the operative currency for the entire weekend. Carr edged the opening shot by ten metres and saw his second swing with the road to pass a prodigious cast by the Corkman. The home player’s third ran well also and it yielded a hundred metres in his favour, but it was two extraordinary efforts to ‘Hughes’ corner’ that pushed him a full shot ahead. Relentless now, Carr hit an exceptional throw from the bend that immediately put two shots between them. O’Donovan could do little with that onslaught and the odds continued to mount beyond halfway before an error by Carr, when he caught the left with his twelfth, left an opening for the hind man. O’Donovan duly reduced the margin and closed it to the even bowl just before the finish but there was no doubting Carr supremacy on the evening. The Caledonia Hotel, the sponsors of the event, was the scene for the after score presentation when the organisers of the festival congratulated all who participated in the three-day event. Keady-Tassagh club official, Mickey Nugent expressed his appreciation and thanks to the many hundreds who travelled and contributed to another successful hosting of the now well-established spring bowling festival.

Earlier on Easter Sunday an all Cork junior joust was a humdinger of a contest when Mick Gould beat a big last shot to deny Denis O’Driscoll for a stake of €8,000. Cork were on the receiving end, as they were indeed in the majority of fixtures played, in the return youths doubles when Stephen McCann and Sean Donnelly defeated Thomas Buckley and David Hubbard, playing his second score of the weekend. Going for a similar combined sum of €8,000, the northerners went two bowls up in the early stages before Buckley/Hubbard rallied magnificently to lead at the ‘flagpole’. It wasn’t to be for the visitors as McCann’s brilliant shot with two to go regained important leeway for his side and they won by the shot.

In Saturday’s all-Cork Joe McVeigh Cup semi-final O’Donovan cast two huge bowls through Ferla crossroads to swing around a contest against John Creedon that seemed to be heading out of his reach in the early stages. They played for a total of €4,000 with O’Donovan the favourite but he was on the backfoot almost from the off with Creedon scorching out to ‘Hughes’ bend’ in four to rise a bowl of odds. Creedon lost an opportunity to double his margin as O’Donovan continued to struggle. It all changed in double quick time however as the East Cork man threw his score winning brace. Creedon’s form dipped and from a shot up he found himself trailing by the same margin against a now rampant opponent. O’Donovan won by the bowl. The opening score on Saturday brought no recourse to the visiting contingent as Brian O’Reilly summoned up a top drawer performance to completely overwhelm Nicholas Carey. Playing for a total of €18,000, O’Reilly was away to a flying start going a shot up after three. The northerner hardly gave Carey a look-in rising three bowls of odds beyond half-way but the Corkman did not give up the ghost and knocked it to two before the end. Following the O’Donovan/Creedon clash it was left to Martin Coppinger to give the Cork contingent their first real sustenance. For a combined tally of 20,000, against Paul Rafferty, the Bantry man gained control early going a bowl up at ‘Haughey’s corner’ before extending it to a shot and eighty metres by half-way. Rafferty closed the gap significantly with good bowling on to the ‘rough’. An opportunity or two came later to narrow the margin further but Coppinger held his ground to win by almost the bowl. The Corkmen’s new found luck held for the final score on Saturday when Mick Gould and Tim Young won by a bowl from the uncle/nephew team of Harry and Cathal Toal. This one went for a total of 8,000 as the Toal’s led in the first and second shots before going practically level to ‘Hughes’ corner’. Cathal Toal missed sight to the ‘netting’ giving City/Bantry duo the vital opening which they accepted.

Good Friday’s events north of the border yielded two narrow but profitable victories for Armagh from a pair of doubles contests. First out on the Viaduct road Brain Keirnan and Fergal McCreesh won a great battle with Sean Murphy and Noel Bowen. The northerners led all the way but never by enough to be comfortable. They were a hundred metres ahead for the last shots but Sean Murphy’s game last effort required a strong response from Brian Keirnan before the victory went to the home side. There was a stake of 6,600 at issue. Pat Mallon was in inspired form in Friday’s returned double as he and Dervla Toal defeated Carmel Ryan and David Hubbard by almost a bowl for a total sum of 11,000. Hubbard/Ryan led for the first two but were unable to contain the resurgent northern duo for the remainder of the score. Mallon hit a mighty effort at the Viaduct that was important to the outcome.

Bol Chumann received the very welcome news on Friday last of the allocation of important funding for the road bowling Arena project in Dunmanway. Minister for Arts, Sports and Tourism, John O’Donoghue announced grant aid of €250,000 for the venture under the Sports Capital Programme. The Bowling Arena is currently in the design stage with the mechanical and electronic aspect of equipment under evaluation at Cork Institute of Technology.

The quarterfinal draw for the Murphy’s Irish Stout intermediate championship were announced at last Wednesday’s April executive meeting. They read as follows: Nicholas Carey v Patrick O’Dnonghue at Ballincurrig; Tim Pat O’Donovan v Mick O’Driscoll (B) at Glanworth; Martin Coppinger v Seamus Sexton (Sen) or Noel Gould at Macroom; Eamonn Bowen (Jun) v Willie O’Donovan at Ballyvolane. Meanwhile the Murphy’s senior championship is scheduled to start on this coming weekend. Scores down for decision are Anthony Gould v Donal O’Riordan at Templemartin on Sat April 14 and Christy Mullins v Jerry Hegarty at Lyre on Sunday April 15.

Mick O’Driscoll (B) provided the first real surprise of the Murphy’s intermediate championship when he ousted Seamus Sexton (Jun) in an excellent second round clash at Doneraile. Playing without a stake, O’Driscoll hit a big third to the ‘turn at the wood’ to keep it level after Sexton’s massive opening two. They were at ‘Ryall’s cross’ in two more and still level and, when O’Driscoll got away with a very tight play at the ‘cow gate’, there was an inkling that it might be his day. They remained level in ten very good shots to ‘Creagh castle’ before O’Driscoll hit an amazing shot past the ‘novice line’ to gain handy leeway. The former senior champion’s luck held with a perfect brush down the incline that wound on the last straight. Sexton made a supreme effort with a lengthy second last that looked to put him back to the fore. O’Driscoll showed that he retains a fair portion of his former potential with monstrous last that not only beat Sexton’s tip but the finish line as well. Sixteen shots a man represented top class bowling for the Doneraile route.

The South-West v Carbery series at The Pike provided interesting fare over the four day Holiday weekend. With the monies raised accruing to the upkeep of both regions, it was certainly a hugely successful undertaking with large crowds and substantial stakemoney involved right from the opening fixtures on Good Friday evening. Several players from the Mid Cork region contributed as some of the scheduled participants from Carbedry/South West were unable to play. For Carbery players the opening session on Good Friday evening was a chastening experience as South West took the honours in al four scores. In the under eighteen doubles Gerard Connolly and Declan White for the host region took the verdict in the last shot from Jeremiah Fitzpatick and James Nagle who had their chances coming to ‘Draper’s’. The stake in that one was €3,200. Then Johnny O’Driscoll, Tommy O’Sullivan and Pat Footman were al victorious against Dec O’Donovan, Tim Cahalane and Jack Cahalane respectively. It was the Schull player, Enda Conneally who was first o record a Carbery success when, on Saturday, he scored a bowl of odds win over South West’s Danny O’Brien for a sum of €3,300. Later in the day, among the six scores played, Pat Joe Connolly teamed up with Kinsale man, Pat Broderick, to win from John O’Leary and Martin Desmond in the last shot for €6,400. D D Carroll gave Carbery an early win on Sunday morning but it the host region who dominated proceedings after that. With Ian Callanan in exemplary form and ably assisted by Ted Hegarty the South West took the laurels in the feature doubles on Sunday afternoon after Michael Bohane and J C Desmond did not make the most of a few opportunities that came their way. There was a total of €4,000 at issue. Hegarty then defeated Bohane in a return doubles for a sum of €7,600 and later in the day south west again were victorious when Declan White won a god contest from Carbery’s Gerry Crowley for a sum of €5,600. Easter Monday’s bowling revolved around more of a Mid Cork v South West duel as most of the scheduled fixtures were replaced by newly arranged contests. Carbery suffered a further defeat in the forenoon when Ger Hegarty defeated Sean O’Donoghue last shot €4,000 before Denis Wilmot/John O’Leary had one apiece with Johnny O’Driscoll/Tommy O’Sullivan for stakes of €8,600 and €7,000.

The Holiday weekend saw a number of high profile regional junior A championships proceed. At Gortroe in North Cork, on Saturday, Mark Burke stayed in contention with an exciting victory from Olan Noonan. In what is a very competitive six score competition between the four contestants, Burke’s win offsets his earlier defeat to Vincent Kiely and throws the championship wide open. Playing for a total of €4,600, Noonan, who has a point himself from a previous win from Andy O’Callaghan, led in the early exchanges before Burke forged ahead with a huge shot at the ‘bridge’. Burke had close to a bowl lead soon after but Noonan hit two excellent shot to the ‘Well Bar’ where the odds was less than fifty metres. Burke was forced to follow two more fine efforts from Noonan to hold his lead and they gave him the impetus to take the decision by almost a bowl in twelve very good shots. Likewise in the Gaeltacht where James Cooney’s late dramatic surge saw him inflict an agonising two metre defeat on Brendan O’Callaghan to put himself firmly back in the frame in what is another keenly fought round robin junior A championship. Playing out the road for a total of €1,500, O’Callaghan did every thing but win and started in fine style going to ‘O’Leary’s pillars’ in five to gain the bones of a bowl. The shot was up after a superb seventh by the Ballyvourney man but Cooney rallied with a grand effort to the ‘Bell Inn’ where he reduced the margin to less than the bowl. Cooney made serious inroads with good bowling to sight at the end of the straight to ‘Geoff’s lane’ and a mighty cast from the ‘farmyard’ was important in knocking it to thirty metres for the final exchanges. Cooney it was who prevailed with a mighty last, accurate and fast on the middle, than ran well for him. O’Callaghan missed narrowly on the newly resurfaced road when reply went right too soon off the play.

There will be a new West Cork junior A champion in 2007. John Young knocked out defending champion, Denis Murphy, at the Clubhouse on Sunday morning last in their eagerly awaited quarterfinal clash. Playing for a total of €3,400, Murphy might have made it out to the ‘chips’ in four with better luck, but, only lofted his odds at that juncture. Neither were at their best at times and, for Murphy, a particularly shaky patch between ‘Dineen’s lane’ and ‘Murray’s’ when he played five average shots in succession, not only cost him his lead but left him a bowl of odds adrift. Young was reasonably consistent over the latter half of the score and held his bowl advantage. He now faces a semi-final with former Drinagh man and champion on a few occasions, Mick young in a contest that will be played at Corran. Also in West Cork, on Easter Monday in junior B, Steve Hurley turned in a big performance at Durrus on Easter Monday morning to defeat Teddy O’Driscoll by a bowl. His thirteen shots for the road would be hard to beat and he rose his winning odds at ‘Ward’s cross’. In the same competition also on Easter Monday in Drinagh Mattie Hurley advanced to the semi-final at the expense of Pat O’Sullivan, Kealkil. Playing in the road for a total of €2,200, Hurley was the more consistent overall. O’Sullivan had the misfortune of casting a dead bowl at Shandrum Cross and that fairly scuppered his hopes. In novice B at Bantry on Good Friday Trevor Deane defeated Michael McCarthy and in novice C at Durrus Seamus O’Sullivan defeated Brendan Murphy.
In East Cork junior B at Ballincurrig Liam Barry defeated Niall Walsh by one bowl and in junior C, at Clashmore, Michael O’Donoghue defeated John Walsh. A couple of City championship scores resulted in victory for John Twohig from Paul Murphy in novice B after a very close score played for a total of €1,000 at Carrigaline and for the promising Michael Desmond of Robert’s Cove from Kieran McCarthy at Waterfall. Here to in novice B Stephen Desmond defeated Ruari O’Connell. In Mid Cork novice veteran at Castletownkenneigh Tom O’Donovan defeated Pat O’Mahony and Owen McCarthy defeated Pat O’Neill (E) in the last shot. On the previous week Pascal Buckley defeated Denny O’Sullivan and defending champion Jerome O’Mahony defeated Martin Desmond last shot of r€1,600.

In tournament action Paul Walsh won the Dunderrow novice 1 competition final from Greg Crean on Sunday morning last. The winner was the favourite in the €800 stake but did not gain significant leeway until his tenth shot. Crean, although never leading stayed within shouting distance until eh made an error going out to ‘Cooney’s bridge’ leaving Walsh away to a bowl lead. The Upton won by nearly two at the finish. The talented Cian Shorten, son of senior player, John, won a return from Kieran McCarthy. In the new John Cronin Cup competition in East Cork, Patrick Butler of Carrigtwohill defeated Thoms Boyle by a bowl in a first round fixture at Ballincurrig. For a total of €2,800, Butler rose the odds with five big shots to the no play line and held it for the rest of the way. Butler defeated Boyle again in a return challenge for similar money, this time his margin being the last shot. In the Pat Barry Cup at Donoughmore Christy Mullins notched up another victory when he defeated Edmuns Sexton on Easter Monday last by a bowl of odds. For a stake of €7,400, Mullins led by almost a bowl at ‘Roig’s corner’ but splendid bowling by Sexton along the straight knocked the odds. The Nadd man led briefly before Mullins pulled away again with two super shots to the ‘nook’s’. This time he held his advantage to the line.

In the City region on Sunday week last Pat Murphy defeated Christy Keating by two bowls at Waterfall in a veterans championship fixture while, on the same weekend, in junior B at Carrigaline, Peter Nagle defeated Dave Mackey by a bowl and in novice 2 at Ballygarvan, Neil O’Leary defeated Billy Drinan by a bowl for €600.

Gene Desmond of Newcestown who went to his reward during the past week had a career in the bowling game that literally spanned the ages. A capable performer over many decades Gene was prominent in the sport in pre Bol Chumann days and played with distinction in an era when bowling made the transition from rough road surface to tar with the consequent change in style that that major change necessitated for many players. The sports founding father, Flor Crowley, Dunmanway, Denny Murphy, Bandon and Denny Ryan, Ahiohill among a host of others would have been contemporaries and opponents in that time. Gene continued his involvement in the game through the fifties and sixties and seventies. The sympathies of the bowling fraternity are extended to the Desmond family. All connected with the game sympathise also with the O’Sullivan family, Newcestown, on the tragic death of their son David.

News 2nd April 2007

Four second round scores on Saturday and Sunday last in the Murphy’s Stout sponsored Munster intermediate championship advanced the competition to this Wednesday’s quarterfinal draw. Without any standout performances, Martin Coppinger retains the mantle of favouritism if only for his regular and often successful engagements with senior graded players, although he did show glimpses of title winning form in a bowl of odds victory over the promoted junior champion from last year, Michael Gould, when they clashed at Ballygurteen on Saturday last. Neither made the brightest opening with Gould just beating an average first shot by the Bantry man only to lose the lead in the next exchanges as they both took three to the first bend. Gould played a good fourth but Coppinger beat it by fifty metres and lengthy fifth and sixth efforts rose a bowl of odds for the westerner playing past the ‘women’s lane’. Gradually the margin widened along the straight until the bones of two shots was between them coming up to the bend by O’Donovan’s’. With the contest going to the senior line there was still a bit to play for and Gould did narrow the gap with good bowling past the junior line and, particularly, with a well thrown attempt to sight past ‘O’Mahony’s’ that reduced the odds to the bowl. The last exchanges were good as Coppinger with a well-drilled final effort that held the centre with speed won the bets on the bowl.

Nicholas Carey already has a good championship pedigree from a relatively short career and he is another who would be on most people’s short list for ultimate honours in the intermediate title race. He is still in the frame after surviving a torrid test from Michael O’Leary at Jagoe’s Mills on Saturday last. O’Leary, a doughty championship campaigner himself who has gone close on several occasions most particularly in 2003 when losing narrowly in a terrific semi-final to ultimate winner John Shorten in Ballineen, had the upper hand on his youthful opponent for much of the way but had to give best in a gripping last shot finale. Playing off for a combined sum of €1,500, the Fermoy man, O’Leary, held forty metres after three to the first bend. Carey, from Carrigtwohill, erred with his fifth and O’Leary pounced with a brilliant shot past ‘Lawton’s’ to forge a bowl ahead. As expected, Carey battled back and two super shots to the ‘power station’ that not only knocked the odds but put the former junior C and under-age champion to the fore. They exchanged the lead to Ballinavard cross as the hard fought duel continued and it went to the wire with just a metre separating them for the last shots. O’Leary, throwing first saw his attempt veer to the right leaving Carey with a manageable tip for victory. He made it all right but needed a brush from the adjoining brow to advance to the quarterfinal draw.

Down from senior after a one year stint, Patrick O’Donoghue is on the right track for a return and booked his place in the last eight draw with a bowl of odds win over P J Cooney at Kilumney on Sunday afternoon last. This was a cracking score that the figures of sixteen and seventeen over the line reflects and one in which, although he never led, showed Cooney, a Munster senior finalist in 2003, in his best form for some time. O’Donoghue, a beaten finalist in this grade to Gavin Twohig at Ballyvolane in 2004, showed his intentions by beating a ‘miler’ of a opening shot of Cooney’s and led by twenty metres in three to the first bend. It was five each to ‘blackbird’s lane’ with O’Donoghue now fifty ahead and nine fine throws to ‘O’Shea’s’ saw a bowl of odds between them in the East Cork man’s favour. Cooney knocked the shot with a brilliant eleventh but the leading man regained it again with a super delivery past the novice line. Cooney tried again with a fine cast at the junior B line but it was in vain as O’Donoghue stormed home in the closing quarter to win by the bowl. The stake at issue was €700.

Another of the big guns through to the quarterfinals is Eamonn Bowen (Jun) who chalked up his second win in the competition at Glanworth on Sunday with a last shot victory over Andrew O’Leary. This was a trap to line win as well but never a runaway as O’Leary, despite forgoing an opportunity or two to knock a bowl of odds deficit, rallied with determination to force the issue to the last exchanges. Bowen started in splendid style with three good shots to ‘Clontinty cross’ where he held the bones of a bowl. It continued to hover on the shot before O’Leary squandered a great chance of levelling it at ‘Ahern’s’. Although that and a later opening went a begging, O’Leary gradually reeled in the odds over the closing quarter. Bowen held his nerve amid the mounting pressure and beat a handy last shot to remain in contention. The stake involved was €2,600.

Next weekends Keady Bol Fada festival begins on the Viaduct Tassagh road on Good Friday afternoon at 3.30. The annual set-to between North and South is an established and hugely popular event that guarantees a large exodus of players and supporters from these parts most of whom are regular visitors to the Orchard county for this major tournament promotion. As is usual the Joe McVeigh Cup is the premier event although Michael’s Toal’s unavailability has given a free run to Eddie Carr to this years decider. Corkmen, Phillip O’Donovan and John Creedon contest the second semi on Saturday at 12.30. With punctually of the essence Friday’s schedule begins at 3.30pm sharp when Brian Keirnan and Fergal McCreesh play Sean Murphy and Noel Bowen; back in at 5.pm Dervla Toal and Pat Mallon go head to head with Carmel Ryan and Tony Carey. Reverting to the Ferla Road for the remainder of the weekend, Saturday’s programme begins at O’Toole’s Bar at 11.00am when Conor McGuigan takes on Aidan Murphy in a singles joust; back in its O’Donovan v Creedon while the afternoon schedule is Paul Rafferty v Martin Coppinger at 2.30pm out with Harry and Cathal Toal going head with John Young and Michael Gould on the way back at 4.00pm. On Sunday morning at 11.00am, out, Brian O’Reilly meets Nicholas Carey and back in the youthful exponents from both jurisdictions take stage when Armagh’s Stephen McCann and Sean Donnelly play Thomas Buckley and Aidan Hurley. The Joe McVeigh Cup final with £1,000 for the winner is starting at 4pm from Corrin cross roads and finishing at O’Tooles Bar. Later in the evening there will a presentation ceremony at the Caledonian Hotel. The Caledonia Group are the main sponsors of the Bol Fada festival. In an interesting stipulation, event coordinator Mickey Nugent has indicated that practise shots will not be allowed immediately prior to a contest taking place.

For those that remain at home there is action aplenty as championship, tournament and benefit fixtures continue. Foremost will be a twenty score marathon between the Carbery and South/West regions that will, this year, be hosted by The Pike bowling club. Bowling begins here as well on Good Friday afternoon and concludes on Easter Monday evening. Most of the competing division’s major players will see action at some stage with many attractive singles and doubles fixtures down for decision over the four days. Upcoming stars Gerard Connolly with Declan White (South West) against Carbery’s Jeremiah Fitzpatrick and James Nagle set the show on the road at 4.00pm on Friday followed by another clash between that redoubtable duo Pat Footman (SW) and Jack Cahalane (Carbery). Two from five scores on Saturday to whet the appetite are a mixed doubles between Joe Tyner/Orla O’Driscoll (SW) taking on Jimmy Collins and Bernadette O’Regan (Carbery) and a top junior B meeting of Johnny O’Driscoll South West and John O’Brien Carbery. Lining out on Sunday amid another packed programme are Neilus Hurley/Ted Hegarty (SW) v Michael Bohane with J C Desmond (Carbery). Easter Mondays feature event involves some heavy hitters when Gavin Twohig and James O’Donovan for the host side take issue with Carbery’s Gerry Hegarty and Liam O’Sullivan. The full four day programme The Pike is advertised elsewhere.

It was a busy weekend of junior action as the various regional championships progressed. The eagerly awaited West Cork clash at Bantry between Denis O’Driscoll and Gerry Gibbons drew the crowds to Bantry on Sunday last. The contest, played for the substantial tally of €8,600, did not quite live up to expectations as Gibbons’ form didn’t match his doubles showing of a few weeks ago. The Bantry man the misfortune of seeing his first shot accidentally blocked but, in fairness to O’Driscoll, it did not have that vital a bearing on the outcome. Last years junior B winner led all the way and he was forceful and direct in his bowling even if he too lapsed at times. Good bowling with his sixth and seventh shots from ‘Connie Phil’s’ to the ‘railings’ gave him a cushion of a bowl of odds. Gibbons tried hard to overhaul the deficit but O’Driscoll yielded little and won by the bowl at the end. In a major North East junior A confrontation held at Kilavullen Billy McAuliffe (Jun) scored a notable victory over a likely contender, Thomas Buckley. This one went off for a combined sum of €3,600 with McAuliffe in dominant mode from the start. He was beginning to get a hold when Buckley had the misfortune of throwing a dead bowl as they played over the ‘bridge’ at half-way. That set back proved too much for the under age champion and McAuliffe advanced to a semi-final meeting with either Neally Kelleher or Martin Daly. Connie Stakes, John O’Donoghue and Damien Murphy remain in contention for North East honours in the other side of the draw. The North Cork junior A championship, played on a round robin basis advanced a round at Donoughmore when last years B winner, Vincent Kiely, hit vintage form in his first outing in defeating Mark Burke. For a total sum of €3,700, Kiely led all the way although Burke was well in there for the first quarter. Kiely rose a bowl in five to ‘Ring’s corner’ but it two superb efforts to the end of the straight that put the issue beyond doubt. In the Gaeltacht junior A championship also running on a round robin format, Darren Oliver got back on track by inflicting a first defeat on Brendan O’Callaghan at Clondrohid. Playing for a total of €2,000, Oliver delivered a good performance in getting the verdict by a bowl of odds. There was a thrilling first round battle in the Mid Cork as Trevor McCarthy, the defending champion, withstood a ferocious challenge from Paul Buckley to advance to a quarterfinal joust with Tommy Butler. Starting as usual at the ‘creamery cross’ McCarthy set his stall out with an incredible first shot that beat a very good tip of Buckley’s by sixty metres. Buckley responded with a good second to narrow the gap and not a lot separated them in four to ‘Slynne’s’. The exchanges up to the ‘school house cross’ were top notch as McCarthy gamely held his small advantage but he was forced to relinquish it for the first time when Buckley’s fine effort from below the cross brought a new leader. Down the last straight it was very close with McCarthy regaining the lead through a mighty throw past the ‘monument’ only to lose it again as Buckley forged ahead for the last shots. From a awkward position, McCarthy delivered the shot that won it with bullet like drive past the finish line. Buckley’s first was ‘called’ but missed as did his second attempt leaving the Bandon man through to continue his title defence. The stake at issue was €1,900. In the East Cork junior B championship the defending champion, Tony Carey retains his hold on the title with a bowl of odds victory over Oliver Searls at the West Waterford venue of Clashmore. The stake at issue was €1,200. In two East Cork novice veteran championship fixtures played at Cobh, Moss Twomey defeated Willie Dennis by two bowls and Jim Geasley had a one bowl victory over Declan Doody. Ger Fitzpatrick continued his good early season form as he won his South West junior B championship clash with newly promoted Vincent Cahalane at the Mill Road. Playing for a total sum of €1,400 both were out the ‘creamery cross’ in two good shots. Fitzpatrick rose a bowl of odds with his next and it stood to him although Cahalane enjoyed no luck whatsoever with several well-thrown attempts as they played down to the ‘new line’. Fitzpatrick won by nearly two at the finish. Cahalane will contests against Dave Flynn and Johnny O’Driscoll to resurrect his chances. There were two interesting South West junior veteran fixtures at Ballygurteen on Sunday last. In the forenoon, after a splendid joust, John O’Leary just edged out Timothy Cahalane while the shock of the day was provided later in the evening when last years Novice 1 champion, Donal O’Donovan ousted junior A contender, Ted Hegarty. O’Donovan’s splendid opening shot got him off to a good start and he kept the momentum going to record a big upset. In South West novice C at Shannonvale Danny O’Brien defeated Colm Williamson by two bowls. In the North East novice veteran championship at Glanworth John McGrath defeated Bobby Healy at Glanworth while in their novice D competition at Glanworth Dinny Hanrahan defeated Maurice Sheehan. In West Cork the U18 title race is hotting up. The Coachford based Kieran Doherty impressed again with a second round victory over Drimoleague’s David O’Mahony at Bantry while at the Phale Road, Ballineen, Kieran O’Brien advanced as well with a win over Niall Cotter as did Liam Hurley with victory over Keith Jagoe at Kealkil. In novice C Cian Dromey defeated Christopher Murray at Drimoleague and here too Dan Connolly got the better of William Daly. In the same grade at Kealkil, Seamus O’Sullivan, back after his serious leg injury defeated James O’Driscoll, Nigel Kingston defeated Mike Kelly and Mikey O’Regan defeated Kevin O’Donovan and while at Bantry Kevin O’Sullivan won from Adrian Buttimer. In novice C at Durrus Donie Hourihane defeated Jerry Murray. There was an exciting novice veteran score at Kealkil where Johnny Murray just came in ahead of Pat Lordan. The West Cork novice D championship advanced as well as Tim Daly defeated Tony O’Donovan at Drimoleague, and Togher Cross clubman, Jerry Hurley, threw a lengthy last to edge out Jim Farrell at Bantry. In D too, at Kealkil, Finbarr Kearney defeated Felix Russell while at Durrus Trevor Jagoe defeated Denis Lordan.

The Drinagh eight player women’s tournament was completed on Sunday last. Louise Collins was an emphatic winner over the Ballinagree based former under-age champion, Denise Murphy. Collins, in a fine run of form at the moment, went a bowl up after three and was accurate and fluid in her play. Murphy, who recorded a number of notable victories on her way to this decider, could not get it going on this occasion and was unable to make a dent on Collins lead. The Castletownkeneigh girl went two up at ‘Shandrum cross’ and, hard as Murphy tried, there was no way back after that. There was senior action at Ballyvourney and Whitechurch. John Creedon defeated Edmund Sexton at Ballyvourney for a sum of €2,000 in a score where the best bowling was done at the start. The decisive shots came at the point known as the ‘slippery rock’ when Creedon rose a bowl of odds. He would hold it to the end. Whitechurch marked the return to competitive action for Bill Daly when he took on Christy Mullins who would be on the other scale of activity playing virtually every week at venues around the county. Playing for a total of €3,400, the former Leap man, who carried plenty of support, led for the first two. Mullins cast two incredible shots that ran a huge distance to the ‘wall’ and yielded a bowl of odds in his favour. It was nearly two at ‘bula lane’ but Daly’s renowned battling spirit showed with a few lengthy drives down to the ‘farm’ where he reduced the margin to just the shot of odds. Mullins powered on again from there and regained the two bowls lead at the ‘devil’s bend’. The outcome was not in doubt after that. Back the road Mick Gould and Thomas Boyle had a score apiece both for in the region of €2,000. In Glanworth, after the intermediate championship fixture, Anthony Gould inflicted a second defeat on Andrew O’Leary beating the Fermoy man in the last shot for €2,800. At Rylane Seamus Sexton minus a bowl played Jim Coffey two scores. It was honours even for stakes of €3,600 and €2,800. At Gortroe in their junior C tournament Paddy Kinsella of Mallow defeated Colm Noonan (Rylane) by two bowls for €2,200 while at Bweeng Kevin Cooney beat Jimmy O’Donoghue by two bowls for €1,000. Also at Bweeng in a North Cork winter tournament Paddy Ronan defeated Raymond Barrow by a bowl in the competition semi-final played for a total of €500. Results from the Denis Horgan club; a three way doubles tie saw a win for James Walsh/Liam Casey in the last shot from Mike Murphy/Joanne Murphy and one bowl from Danny Murphy/Johnny O’Riordan. In a doubles Paddy O’Keefe/Joanne Murphy defeated Mike Murphy/Steven O’Connell. Back Donoughmore after their junior A championship there was another Kiely victory when Brian of the clan defeated Declan O’Mahony by a bowl for €1,200. At Kilumney in their novice 2 competition P J McCarthy defeated Tom Fulham last shot for €1,000. Fulham reversed the result on the way down when defeating McCarthy by a bowl for the same money. At Jagoe’s Mills Tony Morris defeated Gary Daly last shot for €1,000 and, on the way back, Donsie O’Mahony defeated Adrian Wilmot one bowl for €1,200. O’Mahony was a winner at Dunderrow as well when, in the forenoon, he won his tournament fixture from Keith Kidney. On the way back here, Mick Minihane, Kinsale, beat Pascal Buckley one bowl for €2,000. At Ballinacurra on Saturday James O’Dnonvan continued his rich vein of form with a victory over Patrick O’Driscoll last shot for €2,400 and here too Denis Wilmot defeated Jim Coffey one bowl for €1,400.

The death occurred recently at a relatively young age of Mick Connors of Newberry, Mallow. Mick was a prominent bowler during the seventies, eighties and nineties with several major achievements to his credit. His greatest moment came when he won the 1983 Munster junior B championship final at Rathcormack against Michael O’Leary. On his way to the Munster title he overcame Tade Murphy of Donoughmore in the North Cork final. He beat Pat Corkery in the overall Av B final and, in the county semi final, was the victor over Pat Calnan at Templemartin. In the Munster decider he defeated Stephen Barrett but lost out to Martin Kinchen in the All-Ireland in Armagh. He claimed two more North Cork junior B titles after that from Jimmy Coleman of Kilcorney in 1990 and later on against Pat O’Sullivan also of Kilcorney. In later years he became involved in the administrative side of bowling. As secretary of the Dromahane club he was a courteous and effective official who always had a cead mile failte for players and supporters. His popularity was evident in the large crowds that turned out for his removal and funeral mass. Mick was a great sportsman and gentleman to his fingertips and will be sadly missed by all most especially his wife Antoniette and extended family. The bowling fraternity extends their deepest sympathy.

News March 17th 2007
Favourites prevailed as the opening fixtures in the 2007 Murphy’s Irish Stout sponsored Munster intermediate championship went ahead at Ballinacurra, Upton, and Cobh on St Patrick’s Day. Andrew O’Leary, Fermoy, and Eamonn Bowen (Jun), Carrignavar, both of whom would be on most peoples short list of potential winners, advanced to the last sixteen by virtue of fairly comprehensive victories over Liam O’Sullivan, Caheragh, and Jimmy O’Donoghue, the Glen, respectively, at the Mid and East Cork venues. It was always going to be a big ask for the Carbery man, O’Sullivan, to get the better of O’Leary, coming cold as he was after a two year hiatus, against an opponent who was a capable senior operator just two years ago. Playing off for a combined total of €1,700, O’Sullivan missed a manageable opening shot by O’Leary by fifty metres but recovered with good second and third shots to narrow the gap. Little separated them after four through Brinny cross before the score took a major turn in O’Leary’s favour in the shots down from ‘Foley’s’. Too many of O’Sullivan’s attempts at this point drifted to the right allowing his East Cork opponent gain important leverage. O’Leary, indeed, shot a spectacular effort down to ‘Perrot’s’ that rose a bowl and, with nothing going right for O’Sullivan, there was soon two between them over the ‘bridge’. To his credit, the Carbery man fought it well from there and a series of well-drilled throws along the straight halved the odds. It came under the bowl with two to go and the hind man was still gaining ground at the finish, but the rally was too late to affect the outcome. O’Leary’s opponent in the second round is, ironically, Saturday’s other first round winner Eamonn Bowen (Jun), a contest that will take place in Glanworth.

Bowen (Jun) did not have it all his way in the opening phase of his joust Jimmy O’Donoghue at Cobh. O’Donoghue won all the early exchanges but not by significant margins as the bowling failed to reach any great heights. He was ahead by twenty metres in five to ‘Sam’s cross’ and again in front after six before Bowen unleashed a big drive to sight at ‘Carthy’s’ that yielded a half bowl of odds when his opponent missed the bend. As in Liam O’Sullivan’s case, a dearth of score practise was hardly the best preparation for O’Donoghue for such an important encounter against an adversary who is plying his skills on a weekly basis at venues around the county. Once gaining the initiative, Bowen upped his game and threw a splendid shot from the ‘clash’ to go a full bowl ahead. It stood him in good stead even though O’Donoghue kept up a worthy challenge throughout the second half of the score. The hind man succeeded in knocking the bowl with two to go but did not get near enough to force a last shot shoot out. Bowen’s last put paid to any lingering hopes that O’Donoghue might have held and the Carrignavar man moved on although he will be looking for an improved performance for his next engagement with O’Leary at Glanworth.

In the Mid Cork junior A championship, David O’Mahony, down after a stint at intermediate level, advanced to the semi-final after a bowl of odds victory over Johnny Murphy (Beal na Blath) in bitter conditions at Templemartin on Sunday afternoon last. It took a long time for the Fivemilebridge player to wear down the spirited challenge of Murphy whose superb salvo up from ‘O’Riordan’s’ had him in a commanding position holding a lead of well over a bowl of odds. They played away for a combined sum of €1,900 with Murphy going clear sight at Slyne’s corner’ in five. He then had fifty valuable metres and used it to the full with a massive sixth that rose almost a bowl. It stayed under the shot after the next exchange before Murphy lined another miler to forge a bowl and fifty metres ahead. O’Mahony gave under the task of hauling it back in admirable fashion with good bowling to the ‘schoolhouse cross’ where the odds was reduced considerably. Murphy defiantly held the lead still to the ‘gate’ beyond the cross and again followed a big effort of O’Mahony’s down to ‘Buttimer’s new entrance’ before finally yielding the fore to the Fivemile player’s well thrown delivery onto the start of the straight. Once in front O’Mahony drove on relentlessly and rose a bowl of odds of his own past the ‘monoument’ and that was the deciding difference in a hard fought encounter. The result leaves O’Mahony in a semi-final slot along side James O’Donovan with a number of high octane first round and quarterfinal matches yet to decide the remaining last four places.

Still in Mid Cork, a regional junior B championship quarterfinal fixture went ahead at Newcestown on Sunday last where Michael O’Mahony of Ballincollig had an easier than expected win over Bandon’s Danny Connolly. With a sum of €1,440 at issue O’Mahony took a bowl lead in seven and six to the first bend. Nothing went right for Connolly on the day and the margin soon doubled. O’Mahony built an unassailable lead by the ‘shed’s’ and matters were terminated soon after.

The Gaeltacht regional junior A championship progressed its league format at Clondrohid on Monday last. On the way out, Brendan O’Callaghan, up from junior B, won by a bowl from 2005 Munster finalist, Noel Murphy. The bowling didn’t reach any great heights, understandably perhaps given that the protagonists were throwing into the teeth of a biting gale, but it was competitive throughout. O’Callaghan rose a bowl of odds at the ‘Bell Inn’ and controlled the score thereafter. Still, Murphy, whose left hand drag hindered his shooting on occasions, had a half chance coming to ‘Geoff’s lane’ but it went a begging and O’Callaghan notched his first point from the outing. The stake at issue was €1,600. On the way back, James Cooney, a Munster junior B finalist in 2003, bowled impeccably to inflict a second competition defeat on the Armagh native, Darren Oliver. Cooney hardly put a foot astray with smooth, accurate bowling and led by a shot after six. Oliver battled on but the closing stages belonged entirely to Cooney. There was a stake of €2,360 involved. The win sets Cooney up nicely for next Sunday’s clash with Patrick Moynahin in what will be an eagerly awaited encounter at Clondrohid. That fixture is but one of three in the Gaeltacht junior A championship scheduled for the Clondrohid road on Sunday next. At 2.00pm, out, Brendan O’Callaghan v Terry Mallon; at 3.15, Moynahin v Cooney; at 5.00pm Darren Oliver v Noel Murphy. In the Gaeltacht novice A championship, also at Clondrohid, on Sunday 18, Jerry O’Riordan defeated Jerry Vaughan one bowl for €1,000 and Paudie Murphy of Ballyvourney defeated Michael Kelleher, Macroom, last shot for €1,500.

The West Cork regional championships continue apace with interest in all grades at a high level. A couple of novice C fixtures at Corran resulted in progress for Cathal O’Sullivan at the expense of Damien Hurley and for Donal O’Shea after a hard earned win over under 18 prospect, Kieran Doherty. At the Clubhouse, John Coveney made his first championship appearance in a few years a winning one with a last shot novice C victory from Bantry’s Muiris Buttimer. In the same grade at Drinagh regional treasurer, John Murphy, defeated Aidan O’Sullivan and Drimoleague’s David O’Mahony overcame a stern challenge from Dunmanway’s Trevor Draper. At Drinagh too in U18 Sean O’riordan, The Clubhouse defeated local, Jack Lucey. In novice C at Durrus, an all Dunmanway battle saw Denis Duggan eliminate a likely contender in Barry O’Donovan while at Derrinasafa itself a cracking encounter in novice C had John Collins, brother of senior ladies player, Louise, shade the result from Martin O’Sullivan and in novice veteran Jimmy Nyhan won in the last throw from former junior, Dan Connolly. At the Phale Road, Ballineen, Kevin Hayes defeated Jim Walsh in novice C and John O’Callaghan won from Conor Hegarty while the action continued on Monday at Kilcrohane where a West Cork U18 championship clash saw Christopher Murray win from Raymond Duggan.

In the South West novice C championship at Grange, Dave Finn defeated former Munster winner in the grade, Pat Joe Sheehy, by two bowls.

Dan Joe Holland has had a bloodless run to the Jerry Desmond Cup semi-final since his opening round victory over Ian Callanan at Fisher’s Cross. Holland’s second round clash with Dan O’Connor had to be aborted when the East Cork man’s rugby injury necessitated his withdrawal and then, on Monday last, at Shannonvale his quarterfinal meeting with Dec O’Donovan failed to materialise owing to the Leap man’s unavailability. All of which leaves the veteran champion into the competition semi-final against either John Young or Denis O’Driscoll who meet shortly at Fisher’s Cross. That semi-final fixture will be played at Lyre while the second semi, Ted Hegarty/Vincent Kiely v Johnny Murphy/James O’Donovan will go on at the Mill Road.

The mixed double final at Lyre on Monday last drew a big gathering who witnessed an absorbing contest that was won at the death by the Castletownkenneigh duo of Jimmy Nyhan and Louise Collins. Defeat for the Rosscarbery brother/sister pairing of Jeremiah and Emma Fitzpatrick was a galling experience as they held a commanding position with three to and, further on, spurned a glorious opportunity to put it out of sight. The winners though, as they did in the penultimate round against J C and Geraldine Daly, battled with a fierce spirit when all seemed lost and were there when it counted to grab a sensational victory. The Rosscarbery side led in all the early exchanges before Nyhan/Collins took their first fore at the ‘pillars’. They went level to ‘Cormican’s cross’ before, in a splendid exchange, Louise Collins beat a terrific drive by Emma Fitzpatrick. Jeremiah Fitzpatrick then threw a superb effort through the ‘creamery’ to forge a lead of seventy metres for his side. Jimmy Nyhan reduced it to forty with two to go but, when Louise Collins misplayed, it looked a certainty for the Ross pair. However Emma Fitzpatrick too saw her attempt veer off leaving the issue in the hands Jimmy Nyhan and Jeremiah Fitzpatrick. Nyhan it was who took the winners crystal glassware and €600 first prize with a good effort that Fitzpatrick missed.

Bantry’s senior benefit day on Saturday last centred on two forenoon scores between City’s James Buckley, and local, Donal O’Riordan. The laurels in both instances went the recent Vaughan Cup winner, Buckley, who, although the more consistent overall, enjoyed what good fortune was going as well on the changed route on the quarry road. Their outward engagement played off from the ‘hospital cross’ for a combined total of €4,600. Buckley led by a mere metre after the opening shots but had extended it to fifty after three. O’Riordan was unlucky with his shot to ‘Jackie’s cross’ as a dead stop left Buckley, whose own attempt returned to the road after a questionable play, with a bowl advantage. A bullet like drive from ‘Hennessy’s’ on to ‘Young’s’ by Buckley put two shots between them and left O’Riordan with a mountain to climb. The Bantry man conceded with two to go before sportingly agreeing to a return challenge back in the road. The stake at issue in this one was €2,200 with O’Riordan making a good start to lead after two. Buckley was aided with a nice touch to gain the fore after three but O’Riordan hit a superb fourth to bring him right into contention. Buckley steamed away from there though and rose a bowl of odds before hitting a lengthy effort into the ‘dip’ to forge two ahead. O’Riordan battled on and did succeed in saving the two at the finish. The national holiday was a busy one at Ballinacurra for, as well as the championship score, an intermediate tournament fixture went ahead between Nicholas Carey and Trevor O’Meara. There was a total of €8,000 at issue as Carey led by a small margin after six to ‘Foley’s’. That standard of bowling gave no hint as what was to come from Carey as he literally burned the road from there. His next six were of the top drawer and will take a lot of beating as he covered the entire stretch from the bend below the ‘church’ to the end of the last straight in half a dozen ferocious drives. His first made ‘Perrot’s’, his next two to the bridge, then two to the novice C line and one along the straight gave him a cushion of two bowls on O’Meara as it would on any opponent. Back the road after that contest the North Cork youth, David Hubbard, scored a thrilling win over Tony Carey last shot for €2,800 while, after the intermediate confrontation, Anthony Gould, plus a bowl, beat Jim Coffey two bowls for €2,000, and Jerome O’Mahony secured a pair of wins from Tim Cahalane (L) both last shot for €2,200 and €2,100. Back the road at Cobh after the championship clash on Patrick’s Day, the local man, Paul Butler scored a victory over Mick O’Donoghue, one bowl for €800. At Donoughmore on Sunday last and exciting tournament clash had Patrick O’Donoghue, Mallow, forging a last shot victory over Gerry Murphy, Templemartin. Played for a total sum of €3,000, it went to the last shot with O’Donoghue brushing past Murphy’s final attempt. On the way back, Jerry Hubbard, defeated Deccie O’Mahony last shot for €900. At Bweeng on Monday morning Dan Vaughan defeated Derry Blake last shot. At Jagoe’s Mills on Monday last two intermediates who had seen action at Ballinacurra on Saturday, but with differing results, clashed when Andrew O’Leary met Trevor O’Meara. Saturday’s championship winner, O’Leary, it was who won the joust by a bowl for a combined stake of €5,400. O’Meara was ahead of matters up to the ‘railway line’ but a slack finish cost him leaving the Fermoy man a shot ahead at the finish. On the way back Donsie O’Mahony gained some respite for the Waterfall contingent when, playing his third score of the day, he took on Joe Byrnes on the return route. O’Mahony followed up a double at Lyre in the morning, in scores with Finbarr Cooney and Sean O’Donoghue, with another victory this time by almost a bowl from the City man for a total of €2,800.

In far west Kilcrohane they had a splendid day’s bowling despite the bitter cold on Sunday last. The newly reformed club brought support in large numbers for two exciting doubles contests the benefits of which accrued to a local charity fund. In the first of the day a very close contest saw Sidney Shannon and Morgan Hickey edge out by a mere three metres the Drinagh duo of J C Daly and Harry Russell. There was never a lot in it with each pair presenting chances galore to the other but the excitement didn’t waver before the western men shaded it in the end. The combined stake in that one was €2,860. Back in the Drinagh contingent got their revenge when Connie Connolly in partnership with Geraldine Daly got the verdict over Pat Broderick and Gretta Cormican. With a total of €5,200 at issue this was a mighty battle as Connolly in particular produced some exquisite shots at different junctures. They all played their part but a crucial exchange came at the ‘gulleys’ where Broderick missed sight leaving Connolly/Daly with vital law. It transferred into a bowl of odds and that was the difference in the end. On Patrick’s Day at Kilcrohane in a tournament fixture Teddy Arundel defeated Conchuir O’Sullivan by a bowl for a combined sum of €800.

In a tournament final at Ballyclough Raymond Barrow of Dromahane captured the Josie O’Neill Cup at the expense of Billy O’Sullivan, Mallow after a well-contested decider. It was the overall play-off as Barrow, winner of the B section ceded a bowl of odds to the C section challenger, O’Sullivan. They were both out the opening corner in four throws each before Barrow knocked his handicap at the cross roads. The score was level at ‘O’Neill’s’ but Barrow pushed ahead to rise over a bowl of odds down the track. A big throw by O’Sullivan knocked the bowl at ‘Lybawn cross’ and the deficit was cut some more up the hill. It went to the wire with Barrow beating the finish line by some thirty metres to take his place on the podium and put his name on the O’Neill Cup. The stake between them amounted to €620. In a return score local player, Damien Murphy had a last shot win over Kevin Ruby (Jun) (Dromahane) for a combined sum of €900.

The bowling public have lent their support in considerable numbers to a benefit weekend of scores at Drimoleague on Saturday and Sunday next. With the monies raised going to a worthy local fund raising effort on behalf of the O’Driscoll family, a cracking Saturday line-up has Teddy O’Driscoll in opposition to Dec O’Donovan as well as another meeting of the always reliable twosome, Pat Joe Connolly and Tim Cahalane. It’s the ladies turn to play their part on Sunday when a doubles clash features Sharon Russell and Geraldine Daly against Emma Fitzpatrick and Louise Collins. Others contributing to the weekend venture are Freddie Scannell, Pat O’Sullivan, Shannonvale, Pat Broderick and Mick Minihane.

Bowling news Februrary 26th 2007

James Buckley bridged a seven year gap when he claimed the Christy Vaughan Cup at Kealkil on Sunday afternoon last. The former dual championship winner from Farranree rode his luck at times and benefited from some inconsistency on the part of his rivals, but he was in front when it mattered to thwart the spirited challenge of John Creedon and Gavin Twohig. It was an exciting final, one of the best in the competitions short history, and one in which all three contenders had a spell in the ascendancy. The Ballyvourney man, Creedon, was the most favoured with the punters although all three carried strong support among the very large attendance and this was well borne out in the combined stake of €8,550. With weather conditions at their most benign, Creedon got proceedings under way with an in auspicious effort that he seemed to lob too far when a more driven attempt might have produced better dividends. Twohig played his first well, but it too went right twenty metres beyond Creedon’s tip leaving Buckley the early leader by forty metres when he whipped a fine shot down the left. Creedon put his early hesitance behind him with a bullet like second and was rewarded with the lead when both his opponents missed by thirty and forty metres. That unevenness in the Gaeltacht man’s play was becoming evident as he scattered his third to the right to hand the lead back to Buckley albeit by a small margin. From hind Twohig drilled a superb fourth to the cross by the shop but Creedon followed in style to beat the mark by twenty metres and regain the fore from Buckley who also matched Twohig’s fine cast. The contest was developing into a tremendous joust at this stage with Creedon holding the lead when beating good throws past the ‘Coop store’ before Buckley forged in front after six to ‘Patsy’s house’ with no more than twenty metres separating all three. Creedon badly misjudged his seventh to allow Buckley gain seventy metres on him with the Rossmore man in between. Twohig then fired a big eighth following an improved effort by Creedon and the South West man was the new leader when Buckley’s reply went right. True to form, from an unlikely stand, Creedon played possibly the shot of the score with a beautifully judged ninth right around towards ‘Kingston’s’ that won him the lead once more. The swaying fortunes continued as Buckley matched Creedon’s ninth with a tenth shot that covered a huge distance and brought him fifty metres in front at vital juncture throwing for the ‘graveyard’. Both Creedon and Twohig missed sight at this point and it was all now in the hands of Buckley. The City man was fortunate in the extreme as his misdirected attempt recovered from the grass on the right to go close enough to its intended course. Twohig fell off the pace with his twelfth and thirteenth and it looked good for Buckley as he led Creedon by seventy metres with the line in sight. As he did against Christy Mullins, Creedon unleashed a ferocious drive that brought Buckley’s down to twenty metres for the last shots. Those final exchanges between Buckley and Creedon were somewhat of an anti-climax considering the excitement that preceded them. Creedon’s shot for glory went right to soon off the play leaving Buckley a very manageable tip for victory. The inaugural winner in 2000 made it all right but not without inducing a few palpitations among his supporters as he, too, hit dangerously close to the right only to see it brush on to the tar and beat it target by fifty metres.

At the subsequent presentation function, Noel Vaughan, son of the late and fondly remembered Christy, accompanied by his wife Mary, congratulated the finalists and expressed his pleasure in witnessing such a fine sporting contest. He pledged his family’s commitment to the competition and wished the Kealkil club continued success. Bol Chumann Chairperson, Susan Greene, thanked the Vaughan family for their generous sponsorship of what is now the foremost senior competition in West Cork. She had high praise too for the commitment and organisation of the Kealkil bowling club. Lord Mayor Cork County, Cllr John O’Shea, was present also and spoke of his friendship with the late Christy Vaughan. Cllr O’Shea too expressed his satisfaction at the success of the competition and offered his support in any capacity to the local club. Cllr Donal Casey of Bantry spoke of his pleasure at being associated with the Vaughan Cup and wished the club further success. In accepting the magnificent cup James Buckley thanked all involved and paid tribute to John Creedon and Gavin Twohig for a sporting contest. And so the curtain falls on the Vaughan Cup for another year. For the hard-working committee it was a satisfying finale. The competition decider will leave abiding memories of three well matched adversaries battling it out for supremacy in an idyllic rural setting and, of a contest that showed the sport of bowl-playing in its proper light.

There was a surprise of gigantic proportions at Drinagh on Sunday morning when junior B graded Tim Young of Bantry won the tournament final from the senior rankings newest incumbent, Aidan Murphy of Brinny. This rare loss for the Mid Cork youth came about through a gutsy and highly competent display from the western man. Not given a chance by most pundits, Young opened with a brilliant throw that yielded almost a bowl of odds. Throwing out from the village, the Bantry man made all the relevant points on to Shandrum cross where he still had the bones of a bowl. Murphy hit a beauty from there down around the ‘rectory gates’ to level the score and it seemed as if the inevitable outcome was about to unfold when he built up a forty metre lead back of the ‘new line cross’. Young had other ideas and narrowed the gap to ten metres with good bowling to ‘Barry’s cross’. Still hind for the last shots Young hit a fine effort up the rise and it brought him a sensational victory and the €500 first prize when Murphy’s reply fell short by five metres. In an interesting aside it was not the Young’s first victory over the multi-talented Murphy. They played a challenge score on the week-end of the junior C/novice All-Ireland’s at no less a venue than the Wompatuck State park in Boston in 2004 when Young also emerged the victor. In the Drinagh road prior to this contest Connie Connolly returned to action with a thrilling victory over Tommy O’Sullivan in the Paddy O’Donovan Cup. This encounter showed Connolly at his best with fast accurate bowling giving him a two bowl victory for a stake of €1,100.

The sport of bowl-playing lost an outstanding exponent of yesteryear with the passing of Mick Sexton of Togher Cross on Tuesday of last week. Mick pitted his skills with considerable success against the best in the game through a golden era spanning the sixties and early seventies. He was a loose and stylish player whose gentlemanly demeanour and honest determination earned him the respect and admiration of his contempories. A top-class intermediate for many years, Mick contested the 1965 county final at Ballygarvan, losing out to Jim Geasley of Cobh. He was back again in the decider in the grade in 1971 when he defeated Johnny Holland of Drinagh at Ballyshonin to embark on a spell in the senior rankings. Mick was narrowly beaten in that ’71 All-Ireland, also held in Ballyshonin, losing by a short fore bowl to Armagh’s Gerald McKee. Mick overcame a host of worthy contenders to reach the final of a famous senior tournament at the Miles in 1967 only to bow out in the decider to Denis O’Donovan, Fisher’s Cross. He played numerous doubles scores with former senior champion, Liam O’Keefe, at he Waterfall venue, many of the local derby variety against Ned Barry and Christy Rohan. Courtmacsherry was a particularly favourite venue of his and here he competed against many of the great players of the era such as Denis O’Brien the Miles, Donie Coveney, Kilpatrick, Liam Daly, Shannonvale, Michael Whelton, Barryroe and Donie Lehane, Bandon. Representatives of Bol Chumann, former opponents and friends from his bowling years were among the huge numbers present at Mick’s final journey on Wednesday last. The sympathies of the Association are extended to his wife Mary and family.

The Jerry Desmond Cup may have needed an extended period to complete but it has produced some stirring fare throughout the South West region and last Sunday was no exception. John Young and Michael Crowley engaged in a ferocious tussle in Shannonvale before the Drinagh man, Young, progressed to the quarterfinals. For a combined tally of €4,000 they went shot for shot in eight each to ‘Desmond’s cross’. Crowley had the better of it down to ‘Sam’s lane’ and gained seventy metres going over to the brow of the hill. From there Young put in a devastating finish. Two incredible bowls down the incline brought him ‘sight’ at ‘Campbell’s’ yet amazingly he was still hind as Crowley followed in like manner. There was no let up as Young cast another miler up to the novice line which Crowley did well to come within metres of. The force was with the Drinagh man now though as two more past the finish line left him uncatchable. Young’s last eight opponent at Fisher’s Cross will be either Denis O’Driscoll or Olan Noonan.

North East’s under-age prodigy, Thomas Buckley, has reached the final of the Tony Murray Cup at Ballyvolane after a semi-final win over Johnny Murphy, Beal na mBlath. Playing for a total of €4,000 Buckley had the early chances of rising odds at ‘Dill’s wicket’ before Murphy took over and going a shot in front at the ‘pump’. Murphy was indeed going for two at the second line but squandered an opportunity of putting the seal on it. A few poor shots by Murphy and a lengthy attempt by Buckley at the ‘double gates and the score was level. Murphy’s finishing left him down and an unbelievable last effort by Buckley saw the Dublin Pike youth through. A trio of fancied contenders await on the other side of the draw at Ballyvolane. Seamus Sexton (Jun) and Aidan Murphy meet in a quarterfinal with John Young already in the last four. At Donoughmore, Patrick Moynahin got in the winning groove with a thrilling victory over Billy McAuliffe (Jun) for a stake of €2,000. McAuliffe made a blinding start going to ‘Ring’s corner’ in five but was hauled in along the straight by a rejuvenated Moynahin. The Kilnamartyra man led at the ‘wall’ and put in a powerful finish to win the duel. On the way back at Donoughmore Dan Vaughan defeated John Collins. At Gortroe Noel Gould scored a victory over Patrick O’Donoghue in the last shot and at Berrings on Saturday John O’Rourke defeated the inform Gary Daly by a bowl for €4,000 and here too on Sunday Kevin Cooney defeated John coleman last shot for €200. At Kilcorney Mick Gould won three from four llast shot on three occasions for sums in the region of €4,000. The championship season in North Cork has commenced and in novice C at Ballinagree Paddy O’Regan defeated Anthony Sheehan while in novice veteran Danny Murphy defeated Mick O’Shea. In the Denis Horgan Club competitions Liam Casey/ Johnny O’Riordan/Francis O’Mahony beat Martin Madigan/John Breen/Joanne Murphy by a bowl of odds.

The Kinsale man, Pat Broderick, had a productive weekend. He scored a double at Jagoe’s Mills on Sunday afternoon taking the tournament victory from Dave Mackey for a stake of €2,200. Broderick had a bowl early on but it was level at the ‘railway line’ before the Kinsale player stayed the finish the better of the two. He overcame a bowl of odds deficit to win the return as well from Mackey for €2,600. In the forenoon at Dunderrow Kilbrittain’s Paul Harrington bowled exceptionally well to defeat Mick Minihane by almost two for a stake of €1,400. Back in Dunderrow Pat Broderick balanced the monetary end of things with a victory over John O’Leary for a sum of €1,300. At Shannonvale on Saturday Gerry Gibbons led all the way in a close score with Dan Joe Holland. Playing for a total of €2,000 Gibbons wining margin was twenty metres. At Lyre in a second fixture in the Mother Hegarty Cup, Padraigh Scanlon defeated Denis Wilmot by a big fore bowl for €1,900 and repeated the dose in a return challenge again last shot for €2,020. At Curraheen Donsie O’Mahony won a treble from Billy Drinan with Tom Fulham third last shot and two bowls for €1,500 and ended a good morning with a singles victory over Humphrey one bowl for €2,000. An injury to Andy O’Callaghan prevented the completion of his contest with Thomas Boyle at Half-Way.

The West Cork championships are continuing apace and with a few notable upsets thrown in as well. A big shock at Derrinasafa was the elimination in the first round of the U18 championship of former winner Colin Kingston of Drimoleague. A Coachford native but with strong Togher Cross connections Daniel O’Mahony played remarkably steadily down the Dunmanway route to oust Kingston by a big fore bowl. Through to the next round of the same competition is Brian O’Sullivan, a son of the late and great 1980 Munster senior champion, Dermot. O’Sullivan played well to get the better of a game David O’Leary of Drinagh at KIlcrohane. Also advancing is Aidan Hurley last years U16 county runner-up who defeated Muiris Buttimer at Durrus and another of the Coachford contenders Kieran Doherty who won from Alan Sheehan at the Clubhouse as well as David O’Mahony, Drimoleague who defeated Kevin Cotter at Kealkil. There was a thrilling novice veteran contest at Kilcrohane where Johnny Murray beat a big last shot of Jim Walsh’s to progress. Also in novice veteran at Derrinasafa Denis F Nyhan defeated Mick Kelly. In novice D at Bantry Rickard O’Donovan defeated Rickard O’Regan by the fore bowl for €1,400 and, in the same grade, Felix Russell defeated John Murphy, Terelton, at Durrus last shot for €600 and here too Martin Dullea of Bantry was impressive in his victory over Ted Cotter last shot for €600. In the novice C West Cork championship Finbarr McCarthy defeated Donal Buttimer.

With the 2008 European Championships less than fourteen months away, another preliminary meeting was held at the Muster Arms, Bandon on Monday 19 with a view to further the organisational side of things. A gratifying turnout, with most regions represented, heard the outline of what will be intensive preparations for the event. The selection and training of team panels for the various disciplines will be foremost on the agenda as well as monitoring of the selected venues for the events. St. Finbarr’s GAA pavilion will host the German Lofting, Rathcool near Mallow is the centre for the Moors bowling with Bandon (Enniskeane-Bandon) the venue for the Road Bowling.

City regional secretary, Liam O’Keefe, has forwarded his divisions junior A and B championship draws for the 2007 season. Whitechurch is the host venue for the entire junior A title race. With six contenders involved, two quarterfinal fixtures will reveal the semi-final line-up. (A) Thomas Boyle v Patsy Hogan; (B) Brian Daly v Patrick O’Driscoll; Semi-finals: (A) v Michael O’Driscoll; (B) v Pa Hogan; Eight players will contest the City junior B championship. The first round draw is: Peter Nagle v Dave Mackey at Carrigaline; Christy Keating v Leonard Bowen at Curraheen; Denis Hickey v Tony Morris at Waterfall; Pat Murphy v Pa Ryan at Half-Way.

No less interesting is the Gaeltacht junior A championship. With six evenly matched aspirants including two Armagh men Terry Mallon and, down from intermediate, Darren Oliver plus new inclusions, Patrick Moynahin, also down from intermediate, and upgraded 2006 junior B champion, Brendan O’Callaghan, joining Noel Murphy and James Cooney, the league format will be utilised to determine the finalists. Clondrohid is the chosen venue for the majority of the round-robin fixtures. Gaeltacht treasurer, P J Lehane has forwarded the March line up at Clondrohid. March 4: 2.30, Patrick Moynahin v Darren Oliver; 3.30, Noel Murphy v James Cooney; March 11: 2.30, Patrick Moynahin v Brendan O’Callaghan; 3.30, James Cooney v Terry Mallon; March 18: 2.30, Brendan O’Callaghan v Noel Murphy; March 19: Terry Mallon v Darren Oliver; March 26: 2.30, Brendan O’Callaghan v Terry Mallon; 3.30, Patrick Moynahin v James Cooney. This schedule may, of course, be subject to alterations as player availability will come into consideration.

Bowling News 12th Feb 2007
The under-age inter-regional team finals at the Phale Road, Ballineen, on Sunday morning last brought together a county-wide selection of the best of bowlings upcoming talent and there was enthusiasm and skill in abundance from the youthful exponents as they vied for outright honours. Teams of three, boys and girls, from eight of the Association’s nine divisions competed and it was only in the concluding stages, after some terrific performances throughout the morning, that the winners wee declared. Mid Cork boys and West Cork girls achieved the greatest accumulated distances in their respective categories and accepted the winner’s prizes from chairperson Susan Greene. The boy’s event was exceptionally close with just over eighty metres separating the top four. Mid Cork were backboned by 2005 All-Ireland U12 champion, Kieran Murphy, who was ably supported by his brother Christopher and the very effective Newcestown boy James Courtney. The had fifty metres to spare on long time leaders Carbery who had the Shannon brothers from Durrus, Darren and Shane, and Rosscarbery’s Thomas O’Rourke, a runner-up in last years Munster U12 decider, all in fine form. Just twenty metres further back were a highly impressive City outfit of John Bowen, Liam O’Keefe and Jamie Bowen. There was no doubting the girl’s winners as the Togher backed West Cork selection of Lorraine Hurley, who has U12 and U14 Munster titles to her credit, and the sisters Aileen (current U12 champion) and Cathriona Murphy delivered a classy showing that brought them in ninety metres ahead of their nearest rivals. A very good Gealtacht team were second with Laura Creedon, Aine Cooney and Aoibhin O’Connell all showing flashes of skill at different stages. Mid Cork were just eight metres further back in third place. Susan Green had words of praise for all competitors and thanked in particular youth’s officer, Dan McCarthy, for his ongoing work in promoting the sport at under-age level. She thanked too the parents and everybody who helped in refereeing and marking the events. In the programme notes she stated that since its inception in 2002, the annual youth’s competition has continued to be an integral part of Bol Chumann’s calendar of events. She said it had gone form strength to strength and was a healthy reflection of the popularity of the sport among an up and coming generation of bowlplayers. ‘This interest’ she said, ‘is testimony to the sterling efforts and dedication of our clubs, regions, youth’s officers and unquestionably the parents who have distilled this passionate interest in the young boys and girls’. The final results table read: Boy’s competition; 1 Mid Cork, (U14 Kieran Murphy, U12 Christopher Murphy, U10 James Courtney) 1,408 metres; 2 Carbery (Darren Shannon, Thomas O’Rourke, Shane Shannon) 1,358; 3 City (John Bowen, Liam O’Keefe, Jamie Bowen) 1,347; West Cork (Kevin Cotter, James Lordan, Sean O’Leary) 1,327; North East (Joseph Murphy, Patrick Cremin, Evan Murphy) 1,273; Gaeltacht (Connie O’Callaghan, Dave McLoughlin, Gearoid Lucey) 1,268; North Cork (Andy O’Callaghan, Daniel O’Sullivan, Sean Kiely) 1,238; South West (Raymond Ryan, John O’Sullivan, Damien O’Gorman) 1,227. Girl’s competition: 1 West Cork (U16, Lorraine Hurley, U14 Cathriona Murphy, U12 Aileen Murphy) 1,314 metres; 2 Gaeltacht (Aoibhinn O’Connell, Aine Cooney, Laura Creedon) 1,225; 3 Mid Cork (Collette Wilmot, Evelyn Foley, Maria Kelleher) 1,217; South West (Marie O’Donovan, Claire Cormican, Lisa Hegarty) 1,159; Carbery (Nicola O’Sullivan, Sharon Shannon, Fiona Nagle) 1,100; North East (Orlaith O’Sullivan, Joanne Murphy, Ciara Buckley) 1,038; North Cork (Rosin Healy, Edel O’Connell, Aisling Sexton) 853.

A busy February executive meeting on Wednesday night last unveiled the group placings, fixtures and venues for the forthcoming Murphy’s Irish Stout 2007 senior championship. The format is similar to last year with four groups of four fighting it out on a round-robin basis through the preliminary stages. The top two in each pool, based on one point for a win, will advance to the quarterfinal draw. The major new inclusions are promoted intermediate champion, Aidan Murphy and the returning former champion, Bill Daly. Kieran Gould remains suspended and is ineligible to compete. The seeded players who top the groupings are David Murphy, Phillip O’Donovan, John Creedon and Eamonn Bowen. Pool 1 consists of David Murphy, Anthony Gould, Donal O’Riordan and John O’Drsicoll. The fixture line-up reads: David Murphy v Anthony Gould at Macroom; David Murphy v Donal O’Riordan at Rosscarbery; David Murphy v John O’Driscoll at Gortroe; Anthony Gould v Donal O’Riordan at Templemartin; Anthony Gould v John O’Driscoll at Whitechurch; John O’Driscoll v Donal O’Riordan at Newcestown. Pool 2 consists of Phillip O’Donovan, Jerry Hegarty, John Shorten and Christy Mullins. Their fixture list is: Phillip O’Donovan v Jerry Hegarty at Kilumney; Phillip O’Donovan v John Shorten at Waterfall; Phillip O’Donovan v Christy Mullins at Kilcorney; Jerry Hegarty v John Shorten at Grange; Jerry Hegarty v Christy Mullins at Lyre; John Shorten v Christy Mullins at Bauravilla. Pool 3 consists of John Creedon, Pat Butler, Bill Daly and Gavin Twohig. The fixture line-up is: John Creedon v Bill Daly at Beal na mBlath; John Creedon v Pat Butler at Bweeng; John Creedon v Gavin Twohig at the Clubhouse; Bill Daly v Pat Butler at Ballyvolane; Bill Daly v Gavin Twohig at Derrinasafa; Pat butler v Gavin Twohig at Castletownkenneigh. Pool 4 contains Eamonn Bowen, Edmund Sexton, Aidan Murphy and James Buckley. The fixture list for pool 4 is; Eamonn Bowen v James Buckley at Clashmore; Eamonn Bowen v Aidan Murphy at Ballincurrig; Eamonn Bowen v Edmund Sexton at Ballyvourney; James Buckley v Aidan Murphy at Carignavar; James Buckley v Edmund Sexton at Ballyclough; Aidan Murphy v Edmund Sexton at Ballingeary.

Murphy’s Irish Stout are also the sponsors of the Munster intermediate championship and, with twenty starters, a lively campaign is anticipated. A trio of new inclusions will enhance the competition. Mick Gould automatically upgraded as Munster junior champion, Carbery’s diminutive stylist Liam O’Sullivan and Bandon’s Martin Connolly, always a forceful competitor, are contenders this year and will go a good way in making up any deficit incurred by those demoted to junior ranks. The first and second round draws for the intermediate grade were also announced on Wednesday night. Round 1; (A) Jimmy O’Donoghue v Eamonn Bowen (Jun) at Cobh; (B) Noel Gould v Martin Connolly at Carrigaline; (C) Andrew O’Leary v Liam O’Sullivan at Ballinacurra; (D) Richard Murphy v Patrick O’Donoghue at Donoughmore. Round 2; Mick Gould v Martin Coppinger at Ballygurteen; ‘D’ winner v P J Cooney at Kilumney; Brian O’Donovan v Tim Pat O’Donovan at Whitechurch; Mick O’Driscoll (B) v Seamus Sexton (Sen) at Doneraile; Nicholas Carey v Michael O’Leary at Jagoe’s Mills; Seamus Sexton (Jun) v (B) winner at Clondrohid; (C) winner v (A) winner at Glanworth or Monorone; Willie O’Donovan v Trevor O’Meara at Enniskeane.

The 2006 post-primary schools competition were held at the Marsh Road on Wednesday last. Deferred twice from the November and December dates due to weather conditions, the jinx hit again, but, on this occasion, over a hundred valiant young bowl-players braved it out in determined fashion to complete a momentous days bowling. Dunmanway’s Maria Immaculata stole the show as their top teams, packed with champions from various under-age grades, captured senior and junior boy’s events and also the junior girl’s classification. Only Mount St. Michael’s Rosscarbery in the senior girl’s category prevented a clean sweep for the Doheny school. The incessant rain certainly spoiled the proceedings and the heavier than usual traffic disruptive to an extent, but there was a stoic acceptance by all involved of the hardships of the day and, by the end, a host of top-class performances were recorded. The upsurge in interest with new entrants from Bantry contributing much and a total of thirty five teams of three in all, was a source of satisfaction to the organisers from Bol Chumann who worked so diligently in staging the event. The winning senior boys selection from Scoil Maria Immaculata, Dunmanway, was Aidan Hurley, David Cotter and Kieran O’Brien. In second place were St Fachtna’s De La Salle (Kieran Shannon, Donie Harnedy, Sean McCarthy). In third place were Colaiste Ghobnatan, Baile Mhuirne, (Paidi O’Luasa, Seanashain O’Laoinsigh, Conchuir O’Laoinsigh). The Maria Immaculata junior boys winning team was comprised of Ciaran Nyhan, Kevin Cotter and Liam Hurley. In third place were Colaiste Ghobnatan (Dara O’Ealaithe, Eoghan Macloughlin, Aidan Mochain). Mount St Michael’s Rosscarbery girls senior winners were; Emma Fitzpatrick, Nicola O’Sullivan and Katie O’Sullivan. Second in the senior girls section were Colaiste Ghobnatan (Maighread Ni Luasa, Michelle Ni Riordan, Clionadha Ni Laoighre). Maria Immaculata junior girls winning team were Lorraine Hurley, Catriona Murphy and Eilis Murray. Second and third here were Colaiste Ghobnatan team 1 (Aoibhinn Ni Chonaill, Adriana Ni Chriodan, Katie Ni Dineen); team 2 (Louise Ni Dheasuna, Hansie Ni Cheilleachair, Clionadha Ni Mhurchu). Competing schools were Mount St Michael’s Rosscarbery, Maria Immaculata Community College, Dunamnway, St Fachtna’s De la Salle, Skibbereen St Gobans College, Bantry, Scoil Mhuire, Beal Atha’n Ghaorthaidh, and Colaiste Ghobnatan, Baile Mhuirne.
The annual Ard Comhairle meeting between Bol Chumann delegations from Cork and Armagh, held at the Doughcloyne Inn on Saturday, revealed one important announcement in that this years All-Ireland series (August 4 and 5) will be hosted on the Newtown Road, the home, of course, of the hugely popular Bol Fada festival. The starting point will be O’Toole’s with the finish line adjacent to Corrin cross.

The Jerry Desmond Cup made significant progress with three second round fixtures at Ballygurteen, Kildee and Grange. Bandon’s James O’Donovan returned to the scene of his Champy Deasy Cup defeat of Sunday week last to up his game considerably and record a thrilling victory over his experienced fellow Mid Cork junior A rival Jerry Murphy, Templemartin. This was a gutsy and fiercely determined performance by O’Donovan who was forced to beat a big last tip to hold his grip on a score that he dominated for the most part. Playing out for a combined tally of €5,400 both hit massive opening drives down with O’Donovan shading the fore. O’Donovan’s second and third were equally good and they propelled him into a fifty metre lead and, more importantly, gave him the impetus to go sight at ‘Hegarty’s’ in six where he had the bones of a bowl. The shot was up in the bowling up the hill before the score took a dramatic turn when Murphy’s speedy attempt brushed perfectly off ‘Moynahin’s wall’ to go fully clear at the ‘stud farm corner’. O’Donovan saw his big lead dwindle to mere metres after that amazing throw and he had to follow another big effort towards the line to stay in front. In a tense finale O’Donovan again thwarted Murphy after the Templemartin man threw a lengthy last on towards Lislevane. The son of the former senior champion, Declan, showed his mettle in matching and beating his opponents fine effort to qualify for a Desmond Cup quarter final joust with Johnny Murphy (BNB) in Lyre. Johnny Murphy indeed had the narrowest of victories from Mark burke in their second round battle in Ballygurteen on Saturday last. Playing of for a total of €2,100, it was close for most of its duration even if the standard flagged at times. Burke had the best of the chances in the bowling to the ‘women’s lane’ but did gain ground. It stayed level right to last shots with Murphy just hind. The Beal na mBlath man fired a good shot which turned out the winner as Burke missed by three metres. Dec O’Donovan of Leap put a couple of Saturday defeats to Denis Wilmot at Ballinacurra behind him to deliver atop drawer performance at Kildee that overwhelmed recent Deasy Cup winner Mark Crean. Despite an average opener, O’Donovan cast a sequence of brilliant throws especially his second and fifth that enabled him to go sight at Ballygurteen cross in eight where he had a two bowl lead. There was little Crean could do with an in form opponent and hard as he tried he was forced two concede two shots further on as the margin increased. The stake at issue was €1,100. Next up for O’Donovan in the Desmond Cup is a quarterfinal clash at Shanonvale with either Dan O’Connor or Dan Joe Holland. The Christy Coleman Cup at Ballincurrig did not go ahead at Ballincurrig due to the unavailability of finalist Vinny O’Rourke. In it’s stead a doubles score saw the other final contender, John Paul Rohan, join up with Patrick Butler to defeat Dave Dennis and Terry Sexton by two bowls for €600. Butler defeated Dennis in a return challenge singles played for €800 and in a further score Moss Twomey defeated Peter Conneally last shot.
Drinagh’s John Young continued his good run at Ballyvolane with a Tony Murray cup quarterfinal win over Dan Joe Holland on Saturday last. Young made his customary good start taking almost a bowl out ‘Kate’s corner’ before throwing a score winning drive up from ‘Dill’s wicket’ where he rose the bowl. Holland kept it at that but could not make inroads and young moves to a semi-final fixture with either of the formidable duo of Seamus Sexton (Jun) or Aidan Murphy. At Jagoe’s Mills North Cork’s David Hubbert and Mid’s Tony O’Donovan had one apiece both in the last shot for sums of €3,000 and €2,600. In nearby Dunderrow John Coveney announced his return to action with two good scores with Kinsale’s Donal O’Donovan. O’Donovan won the first out for €1,600, winning by the fore bowl before Coveney avenged that result with a two victory in the return for €1,400. Coveney’s massive third on the inward route swung this one. Still at Dunderrow an interesting novice 2 tournament final between Newcestown’s Con O’Donovan and Inishannon’s Sean O’Donoghue is down for decision on this coming Sunday. At Beal na mBlath there was a double for the visitors from the Kinsale side when Brendan O’Sullivan just got the verdict from local, Sean O’Donovan, in the last shot of a great score played for €1,200. On the way back, Leo Carroll defeated Anthony Crowley two bowls for €800. Back to Grange and old adversaries Dinny Nyhan and Billy Coomey played no less than three times. Nyhan won the tournament fixture out in the last shot for €1,200 before Coomey got his revenge with an exciting last win in the return for a similar sum. After the Desmond Cup score they enjoined again with Nyhan winning this one with a sublime display. It was a busy weekend at Drinagh with action on Saturday and Sunday. Juniors Gerry Gibbons and Neilus Hurley played a cracker for a sum of €2,300. It went shot for shot with the Bantry man avenging a recent defeat by the Ring player at Ballineen in the very last shot. Also on Saturday Tim Young scored a notable victory over the more fancied City man Thomas Boyle. It was a junior tournament semi-final played for a combined total of €400 and young won in the last shot. His reward is a daunting but, given his ability, not insurmountable engagement in the decider with newly promoted senior Aidan Murphy. Eugie Daly snatched an unlikely last shot win from Willie McCarthy in a thhrid score at Drinagh on Saturday. No less busy on Sunday, Teddy Arundel bowled impeccably to defeat Patsy O’Sullivan (K) by two bowls for €600 followed by a novice D championship win for Mike O’Donovan Gloun over Declan O’Sullivan al in the forenoon. Later in a Paddy O’Donovan Cup first rounder Joe Tyner held off the stern challenge of Pat Joe Connolly to win by a bowl for €3,200 and in a novice C tournament fixture Johnny Hurihane defeated Kieran O’Brien last shot for €2,400. The West Cork championship season has indeed got under way and, as well as Drinagh, there was a marvellous battle at Kilcrohane where Bantry’s Harry Johnson just got the better of Mike O’Donoghue of Borlin in novice C and, at Corran, in the same grade, Seamus O’Sullivan (M) won from Brendan Murphy. At Whitechurch Willie O’Donovan defeated Brian Daly by two bowls for €4, 400 and at Donoughmore, Paddy Kinsella defeated Celly Spillane by two bowls for €2,200.
Kieran Harrington has furnished the first round draws for the Mid Cork regions three junior championships for 2007 plus the novice veteran grade, all of which promise an interesting mix of top-class clashes at the divisions different venues over the coming months. With ten worthy contenders in the junior A section and Templemartin the central venue for all fixtures in the competition, two first round scores were required to provide the last eight line-up. The draw reads: First round; (A) Jerry Murphy v Jimmy Cowhig; (B) Paul Buckley v Trevor McCarthy. Quarterfinals; Brian Wilmot v James O’Donovan; David O’Mahony v Johnny Murphy (BNB); Dan O’Halloran v (A) winner; Tommy Butler v (B) winner. Junior B championship; First round: (A) Denis Wilmot v Paddy O’Driscoll at Monorone. Quarterfinals: John Murphy (T) v Kevin O’Donovan at Enniskeane; Danny Connolly v Michael O’Mahony at Newcestown; Sean Murphy v Tony O’Donovan at Templemartin; Killian O’Sullivan v (A) winner at Ballinacurra. Junior C championship: Brendan O’Neill v John O’Mahony (K); Pat Broderick v John A Murphy; Christy butler v Mick Murphy (I); Bye to Trevor O’Mahony. Venues not yet finalised. Nineteen go to post in the Mid Cork novice veteran’s championship. The central venue for the entire championship is Castletownkenneigh. First round (A) Owen McCarthy v Pat O’Neill (E); (B) Tom O’Donovan v Pat O’Mahony: (C) Pascal Buckley v Dinny O’Sullivan. Second round: Martin Duggan v (A) winner; Mick Minihane v (B) winner; Tom Collins v (C) winner; Brendan Hayes v Michael Brennan (Sen); Sean Holland v Jerry O’Driscoll; Billy Coomey v Donie O’Donovan; Pat Kelly v Noel Cronin; Martin Desmond (B) v Jerome O’Mahony.
The West Cork regional championships have also commenced. The boys U18 grade is up and running and among an attractive first round selection are: Michael Hurley v Cathal O’Sullivan at Corran; Jack Ward v Niall Murray at Bantry; Christopher Murray v Kevin Daly at Drinagh; Muiris Buttimer v Aidan Murphy at Durrus; Kevin Cotter v David O’Mahony at Kealkil; Kieran Doherty v Alan Sheehan at the Clubhouse; Daniel O’Mahony v Colin Kingston at Derrinasafa; Brian O’Sullivan v David O’Leary at Kilcrohane; Clive Sweetnam v Niall Cotter at Togher; Kieran O’Brien v John Collins at Phale Road; Ciaran Nyhan v Peter Kelly at Gluon; Liam Hurley v Sean O’Riordan at Drimoleague.

Bowling news Feb 5th 2007
Mark Crean captured the Champy Deasy Cup in fine style from fellow Bandonian, James O'Donovan, on an idyllic Sunday afternoon last at Grange. The winner had to overcome a hesitant start, but, once in his stride after a magnificent sixth shot, there was no holding him as he stormed to a two bowl victory. O'Donovan was the punters favourite in the combined €2,400 stake and he made an early impact too with fast first and second shots to the ‘white wall' giving him a handy eighty metre lead. Crean looked sluggish in the opening exchanges but tracked a superb third to ‘Hodnett's' that O'Donovan did well to beat but the odds were now down to mere metres. The right hand brow on the downward run to the ‘school cross' was generous to both players, yielding good rubs as O'Donovan held the lead for the next two. He might indeed have more ground with his fifth which cracked left at an early stage and paid a big price when his opponent hit a prodigious effort right around ‘O'Sullivan's bend'. That fine effort brought Crean his first lead and it close to the bowl in his favour when O'Donovan cut too tightly in attempting to ‘make' the ‘cross' in seven from well back The bowl was up after the next exchange and Crean increased his margin with a mighty ninth up the hill to ‘DeBarra's'. Although a hand injury hampered him to an extent, O'Donovan still carried serious speed in his bowls and he utilised it to the full with a thundering twelfth shot from an improbable stand that almost got sight at ‘Holland's wall'. Crean, though, had the perfect response with a well-drilled reply that not only beat O'Donovan's tip but wound right around the corner to copperfasten his lead. It was the shot that effectively sealed it. Still battling, O'Donovan, a possessor of an impressive loft as he demonstrated at Westerstede in the 2004 Euro U18 championships, tried for too much and left his next inside the fence. He made it with his re-thrown attempt but was now two bowls down. Crean, the current South West regional junior B champion, played the final shots with precision and was a deserving winner of the prestigious cup dedicated to one of bowlings great players and characters. The late Champy Deasy hailed from Coolbawn, Courtmacsherry, incidentally a mere stones throw from that other great bowling dynasty from the locality, the O'Donovan's, of whom Sunday's finalist, James is a member. Champy Deasy duelled with the best in the heyday of London bowling at their Launder's lane venue and, for many decades, on the roads of his native county as well. His immediate family and friends were there in numbers for the after score presentation in the Grange tavern. Mark Crean received the winner's cup and €600 first prize from James Barry of the Grange club and, of course, South West regional chairman. James O'Donovan as runner-up in the sixteen man competition received a plaque and €400 for his efforts.

Still in South West, their February meeting announced the quarterfinal draw for the Jerry Desmond Cup. Although quite a few imponderables remain in the equation, the closing stages of the thirty- two man competition is beginning to take shape. The line-up reads: (1) Dec O'Donovan or Mark Crean v Dan O'Connor or Dan Joe Holland at Shannonvale; (2) Denis O'Driscoll or Olan Noonan v Jim Coffey/John Young or Michael Crowley; (3) Mark Burke or Johnny Murphy (BnB) v Jerry Murphy or James O'Donovan; (4) Ted Hegarty v Vincent Kiely at Ballygurteen. On Wednesday this week the annual schools competitions go ahead at the Marsh Road , Skibbereen while on Sunday next at the Phale Road , Ballineen, at 11.30 the youths inter-regional team bowling events takes place.

Edmund Sexton defeated David Murphy in the Carrignavar senior tournament semi-final on Sunday afternoon last. Playing for a total of €6,000, it was Sexton's massive seventh to the ‘creamery cross' that put the first major distance between them. It had been even enough until then, but that lengthy effort, which resulted in him going a bowl in front, was the precursor to a period of dominance by the North Cork man. He built on his lead and soon doubled it with two big throws along the straight. It was far from over though as Murphy started a rally that yielded big dividends. He was aided by some errors by Sexton who saw his big lead eroded in double quick time. No more than twenty metres separated them as the finish loomed but Sexton held on to qualify for the tournament decider when he will play local clubman, Eamonn Bowen (Sen). There was a big swing around too in a morning fixture at Carrignavar when Nicholas Carey lost a seemingly unassailable lead to Eamonn Bowen (Jun). The Carrigtwohill youth seemed to have it wrapped up holding a lead of well over two bowls approaching half-way. He lost his way however as Bowen cast a few monstrous attempts along the straight to level it. It was Bowen in the end who ran out a winner by nearly two for a stake of €6,400. On Saturday at Carrignavar Martin Daly and Mick Gould exchanged victories in two scores, both last shot for sums of €2,600 and €4,000.

The Ballinacura, Upton, club completed a junior B tournament on Saturday last. This decider turned out to be a family affair as North Cork 's John O'Rourke of Rylane, the World U18 winner at the Marsh Road in 2005, emerged to contest against his uncle John Murphy, Brinny. The more youthful exponent won a good score by a bowl, passing the line in fifteen shots, a commendable figure for the Mid Cork venue. O'Rourke led all the way but never by a big margin. Having won the first two exchanges by twenty metres, it was the Rylane players big fifth to ‘Foley's' that opened up a half bowl lead. It was still that in seven to ‘Perrot's' before Murphy's persistence paid off when he narrowed it to thirty metres on the straight coming up to the last quarter. O'Rourke yielded no more and a big second last pushed out the margin to a bowl at the finish. O'Rourke received the €1,000 first prize plus a glass decanter with Murphy as runner-up and semi-finalists Gerry Gibbons and Ted Hegarty also in the monetary prizes. Bandon's Trevor McCarthy engaged with Gibbons in a first round junior tournament also played out the road at Ballinacurra on Saturday last. Played for a combined sum of €6,000 it produced a humdinger of a finish before the Bandon man, McCarthy, won it with a big last shot. McCarthy made the early running and had handy law after five but quickly lost it when Gibbons led at ‘Perrot's'. The Bantry man looked good to make a breakaway with big shots to the GAA pitch but undid his good work when missing across the bridge as he played too far to the left. McCarthy led the score past the junior C line but came hind again when Gibbons resurrected his hopes a brilliant second last. Not to be outdone the Bandon unleashed a terrific last shot that won the day and booked a second round place. Also at Ballinacurra Paul Walsh recorded a pair of victories over the Kinsale man Pat Broderick, winning out by less than a bowl for €2,600 and back by almost two for €2,800.

In form senior women contenders, Emma Fitzpatrick and Louise Collins met at Ballygurteen in the league competition on Saturday last. Both carried plenty of support in the good sized crowd, unsurprising given that both had recorded a number of impressive victories in the recent past. Collins won the early shots before the Rosscarbery girl took charge with a good third to sight at the first bend. A spirited battle ensued along the straight with Fitzpatrick gamely holding on a thirty metre lead despite Collins' worthy attempts to level it. Luck wasn't on the Castletown girl's side either as her well thrown shot for sight at the ‘cottage' picked off when it seemed sure to restore parity. Fitzpatrick went well around with a perfect drive and followed up with a brilliant bowl to ‘Burke's'. She now had the impetus to go on to win the contest by a bowl and secure her second point in the competition. The stake at issue was €3,200. There was no joy either for the Castletown contingent in a return contest when Freddie Scannell defeated recent Togher Cross tournament winner, Michael O'Sullivan, by a bowl for €1,800. The women's contest augers well for a mixed doubles final at Lyre on Sunday next when Fitzpatrick and Collins again cross swords. Contesting here will be Jimmy Nyhan and Louise Collins versus Jeremiah and Emma Fitzpatrick

Killian O'Sullivan, Templemartin, rebounded from a galling tournament defeat at Ballinacurra, to score a notable double at the Half-Way venue on Sunday last. Playing the formidable, Patsy Hogan, he survived a few late scares to take a last shot victory on the outward route for a total of €880 and repeated the dose on the way back by a similar margin and for a similar sum. The Ovens veteran champion, Dan Joe Holland, continues to mix it with the best in the junior grade. He took a profitable pair of victories from his sortie into North Cork territory on Sunday last. At Gortroe, pitted against Thomas Boyle and Mark Burke, Holland took the verdict in two contests both by the last shot. The combined tally in each of the three-way contests was €3,600. In the Tony Murray Cup at Ballyvolane, under-age champion Thomas Buckley had too much in hand for Andy O'Callaghan while down in West Waterford , in Clashmore Oliver Searls played a fine score in defeating Liam Barry by a bowl for €800. A few errors by Barry up the rise contributed to his downfall but Searls' overall display would be hard to match. Still in East Cork the Christy Coleman Cup final is down for decision at Ballincurrig on Sunday next when Vinny O'Rourke and John Paul Rohan do battle

As expected Martin Coppinger qualified for the Togher Cross junior tournament final with a big fore bowl win over Jerry Murphy, Templemartin. Coppinger was the hot favourite in the stakeless contest but was given a good run for it by the returning Murphy who has been out of action through injury for some time. Murphy won the first shot and was well in touch as they both made just short of the ‘chips' corner in five. He led again throwing across the bend but Coppinger's big break off the ‘wall' gave him important leeway. The Bantry man had a valuable thirty metres at ‘Cronin's garage' and it was vital in allowing him to ‘make' the ‘post office' in two and carry most of a bowl to the closing stages. Murphy did not give up the ghost and ran it to a last shot before Coppinger emerged to contest the competition decider with Johnny Murphy (BNB). On the way back Togher Cross the West Cork regional treasurer, John Murphy was in splendid form in defeating Seamus O'Sullivan one bowl for €880. In junior action at Ballineen, Vincent Kiely delivered a near record thirteen shot showing to oust Carbery's Michael Bohane from that clubs tournament. Playing for a total of €3,200 it was a superb fourth that put him on his way here. Kiely had a bowl after six to ‘O'Regan's' and held it despite Bohaane's best in four more to the ‘narrow road'. Trevor O'Meara and Andrew O'Leary had one apiece at Kilumney. O'Meara won by the bowl that he gained at ‘O'Shea's' on the outward route for €2,000 while O'Leary went a bowl up with his opening shot in the return and held it for a total of €1,200. At Berrings, Dave Mackey and Colm Noonan had one apiece from two well-contested scores. Mackey won out in the last shot for €2,200 before Noonan reversed it on the return by a like margin for €3,000. At Curraheen John O'Sullivan defeated Declan O'Leary last shot for €1,200 and Tom Fulham defeated Donsie O'Mahony last shot for €1,900. At Kilcorney Eoin O'Riordan and Willie Joe Leahy shared the victories last shot and a bowl of odds for €2,500 and €2,650. In a further result from Gortroe Kevin Ruby (Jun) of Dromahane beat John Walsh, Berrings, by a bowl for €1,000. A result from the Denis Horgan bowling club in Banteer reads a win for Thady and Mike Murphy from Tadg Sexton and Maurice Cashman with Donal Cashman and Dean Sexton third, last shot and a bowl of odds.

Bowling News January 1st 2007
Christy Mullins rounded off a remarkably successful twelve months on the bowling roads of the county with a notable double over the festive holiday period. The Bantry man, partnered with Gavin Twohig, won the annual Grange doubles challenge on St Stephen’s Day and then finished with aplomb to deny John Creedon in the feature event at Castletownbere on Thursday 28. The RNLI fund raiser at the far west venue produced a superb days bowling and was generously supported by followers of the sport from all quarters. Mullins’ twelve shot salvo over the line was highlighted by three tremendous last shots that brought him from forty metres hind to a comfortable fore bowl victory despite Creedons heroic last effort. The played off for the sizable sum of €20,000 just as the rain descended and Creedon drew first blood with fine drive up the right that beat Mullins’ good tip by thirty metres. Mullins whipped a splendid second to the top of the rise to take the lead. Creedon tended to cross his third and fourth as they played to the ‘filling station’ but the Bantry man, though still ahead, did not rise substantial odds. The Ballyvourney player unleashed a bullet like fifth to regain the lead but Mullins countered with a good sixth to go back in front. Creedon caught the left down the incline with his seventh by the ‘gametrigane sign’ before Mullins built a handy fifty metres in eight to ‘Rodeen cross’. It changed again when Creedon shot a brilliant ninth to take the fore once more only for his rival to respond with two exceptional blasts to within metres of the line. Creedon’s second last cracked right to leave him ninety metres adrift for the decisive throws. He made a valiant effort to rescue it with a tightly cut last but the leeway was too much and Mullins, with a well-drilled reply, sped past for victory. The second senior fixture played back in was another nip and tuck affair. Gavin Twohig was the slight favourite against Donal O’Riordan in the €8,800 stake but was fifty metres short of the Bantry man’s lengthy opener that brushed off the left. O’Riordan’s second was a monstrous effort travelling over three hundred metres on the rough rising surface and it gave him a full bowl cushion when Twohig missed well in three. That margin reduced rapidly when the leader cast two poor shots in succession and Twohig took the lead after five with a fine throw. He was aided too when O’Riordan stuck his sixth in the right. The Rossmore man had an opportunity with his seventh to gain some serious distance but that went a begging and they remained locked together to the last shots. With the shortened finish line looming O’Riordan found his groove again and, from just hind bowl, hit an accurate last effort that proved a winner when Twohig’s reply fell thirty metres back. On a day when the underdog shone Finbarr Cahalane teamed up with Patsy O’Sullivan (Kealkil) to win the opening score of the day at Castletownbere from Kieran Hourihane and Mark O’Sullivan. Hourihanes first didn’t run and, although he played particularly well subsequently, his side couldn’t catch up against the Cahalane/O’Sullivan partnership who were a model of consistency throughout. The stake in that one was €4,400. The second contest in the road was a single-hand joust between Pat Broderick, Kinsale and Freddie Scannell, The Pike and it produced a nail-biting climax. Broderick was a bowl up after one only to be immediately pegged back when Scannell shot a marvellous third. The Pike player would never lead despite coming tantalisingly close to it, but was always in touch as they fought it shot for shot. Broderick followed two mighty efforts from Scannell to defiantly hold a few metres advantage for the last shots. He was, however, a five to one outsider to pass Scannell’s last throw that rolled and rolled down the tarmac. With a steely response the Kinsale man tracked his reply perfectly and was rewarded with a sensational victory as his attempt ran past the formidable target. The stake at issue was €8,000. The senior events rounded off a day that was superbly marshalled by a dedicated local group that included Denis Hurley, Neally Minihane, Pat O’Neill and Kevin Sheehan. The Kealkil bowling club members were there in strength to aid the venture. There too to lend a hand was local resident and former Sherkin Island native, Kieran O’Driscoll, a skilful exponent in his day with a county veterans title to his credit. That particular honour came his way after a mighty tussle with Jackie Linehan in 1989 in Ballingeary. One of Kieran’s early memories is of playing the game with the sports founding chairman Flor Crowley, who holidayed regularly on Sherkin. Con O’Driscoll of Castletownbere RNLI thanked all who attended the days bowling and proclaimed the fund raising exercise a resounding success. The refreshments provided on the road and later in Twomey’s Bar plus the music of Nick Ryan brought the curtain down on a day to be remembered in the great traditions of bowling.

The Grange doubles challenge was a fraught affair at the end where the winners Christy Mullins and Gavin Twohig had an uncomfortably close call after holding considerable sway on Phillip and Tim Pat O’Donovan for almost the entire score. The St. Stephen’s Day challenge attracted its usual big gathering and was played for a sum of €13.400. The opening exchanges did not hint at what was to come. Mullins hit a good opener but Tim Pat of the O’Donovan’s came within thirty metres. The senior, Philip, miscued his shot and Gavin Twohig shot an amazing second down to peeping sight at the bottom of the hill. The bowl was up and, when Mullins played a spectacular third on the ‘Holland’s wall’, it was close to two. Mullins/Twohig ‘made’ ‘Hegarty’s garage’ in seven when they were two full shots clear and looking home and dry. Good bowling up the straight by the O’Donovan’s knocked the bowl and it stayed at odds with the shot coming up to the last bend. Mullins missed full sight here before Tim Pat O’Donovan hit a ferocious attempt right around to ‘Grange tavern’ to put serious pressure on the long time leaders. Gavin Twohig escaped with a few breaks to get close enough for his partner to beat the finish line. Mullins still had a bit to do and had to repeat the effort after his first attempt was ‘called’. With his opponents now just thirty metres from the line, Mullins kept his nerve and just beat the mark to stave off a last shoot out. Earlier in the day at Grange the exceptionally busy Pat Joe Connolly had Tadg Crowley as partner in a couple of doubles scores with the Bandon men, Tommy O’Sullivan and Billy Coomey. Billy Coomey beat a big last shot to win the outward joust for €4,000 while Connolly/Crowley took the verdict in the return by almost two for €5,600.

Mark Burke defeated Tommy Connolly in the Jerry Desmond Cup at the Mill Road, Ardfield on Wednesday 27. Playing out for a total of €1,800, Burke hit two big openers and went a bowl up. It stood to him even though Connolly did have a chance of levelling when throwing to the ‘creamery cross’. Burke got a good break here that, even after Connolly’s fine loft, still left a bowl between them. Burke held on to win by a good fore bowl.

The bowling game lost two esteemed patrons over the festive period. Connie ‘Killarney’ O’Sullivan’s brave battle with long term illness was finally ended on Thursday last. He was a man of many sporting interests with bowling and horse racing figuring most prominently Connie was a genial, unassuming and upright character. He was without question a universally popular figure with the rank and file of the bowling fraternity. Scarcely a bowling road in the county didn’t benefit from his presence in four decades of following the sport. They were there in their numbers too for his final journey from Bantry on Saturday evening and Kealkil on Sunday morning. Sunday’s bowling at Kealkil and the CoAction fund raising day at Kilcrohane were cancelled as a mark of respect. Pat Deasy of Clodagh, Timoleague, was another who bore a long illness with great faith and dignity. His passing on Friday last was mourned by all within the game as they recalled memories of a top class player who played against the best of his era. His titanic battles against players of the calibre of Jasper Coleman, the late Sean Leahy, Donal Hurley and Noel O’Brien were high points of a distinguished career on the bowing roads of the county. May they both rest in peace.

Tournament finals punctuated the long list of challenge and benefit fixtures around the county. At Ballinacurra, Upton, on Saturday 30 Dan Joe Holland defied the years and a poor start to best David O’Mahony in a competition final. Playing for a total of €4,400 the youthful intermediate standard bearer, O’Mahony, was close to a shot clear after six before Holland unleashed an absolute ‘miler’ from ‘Foley’s gate’ right down to ‘Perrot’s’. That and another to near the ‘’GAA pitch’ turned the contest completely in the Ovens mans favour. Three more to the novice line and the winner’s trophy was his. Back the road at Ballinacurra Martin Desmond defeated Celly Spillane (Jun) one bowl for €1,000. The three-hand junior B tournament at Ballinacurra will be fought out between Killian O’Sullivan, Peter Nagle and Johnny O’Driscoll. O’Sullivan came from two bowls down to win an amazing score from Vincent Kiely on Tuesday 26 while Peter Nagle won his three-way from Kevin O’Donovan and Tony Carey on Wed 27. Johnny O’Driscoll completed the trio when he defeated Denis Wilmot on Thursday 28. Also at Ballinacurra Gerry Gibbons scored a win over David O’Mahony on Sat 23 (€540) but went under heavily to John O’Rourke (€5,600) on Friday 29. Brendan O’Callaghan was the surprise winner of the Macroom tournament on Friday 29. He claimed the €300 first prize ahead of Vincent Kiely fore bowl and the hot favourite Denis Murphy (B). In a double back the road Martin Kelleher/Connie Lehane defeated Dan Vaughan/Marie Noonan last shot for €1,200. In a Christmas Day fixture at Macroom Michael Kelleher defeated Joe Sexton one bowl for €4,000. In a tournament final at Berrings on Sat 30 Tony Flynn was in the wonners enclosure after his three-way victory over Tim O’Sullivan of the host club and Liam Linehan. Like wise at Lyre on the same day Bandon’s Tommy O’Sullivan took the three-way joust for the winner’s prize when he got the better of Tim Cahalane (L) and Leap’s Johnny McCarthy for a combined sum of €3,900. Declan white defeated Kevin McCarthy (L) in a return last shot for €2,400. Two good scores at Ballyvourney on Wed 27 saw honours even between Thomas Boyle and Olan Noonan. At Ballyclough on the same day a three-way tie resulted in Tommy O’Donoghue of Bweeng defeating Teddy Murphy, Grenagh, last shot and Niall O’Keefe by two bowls for a total of €1,500. O’Keefe came good in the return score here beating O’Donoghue last shot for €1,000. At Gortroe over Christmas Celly Spillane (Sen) won from Mick Murphy last shot for €3,000. Former county U18 runner-up, Thomas O’Callaghan, defeated Tom Fulham at Curraheen on St. Stephen’s Day and Noel Buckley won a score form Jerry Carroll. On Christmas Day at Macroom Willie Joe Leahy defeated Eoin O’Riordan, the 2004 All-Ireland novice 1 winner. They played for a total of €4,400 and Leahy’s winning margin in a score of average bowling was the last shot. Celly Spillane (Sen) defeated Freddie Scannell on the way back.

The New Year’s Eve fixture in the new Tadg O’Driscoll cup competition at Dunderrow was a top class score. The West Cork pairing of Teddy O’Driscoll and Louise Collins just came in ahead of East Cork’s Michael Wall and Catriona Kidney. The lead exchanged several times before Teddy O’Driscoll scored the finish to prevent their opponents of a last shot opportunity. The stake at issue was €720. On the way back the local partnership of Denis and Leo Carroll won a double from the westerners Alan Keane and Flor Crowley last shot for €1,200. At Grange on New Year’s Day Johnny O’Driscoll continued a productive Christmas when he defeated Mid Cork’s Killian O’Sullivan by one bowl for €4,600 and on the way back Donsie O’Mahony got the better of Timmie O’Brien last shot for €3,000. The year rang out in Donoughmore with a good double for Fermoy’s Gary Daly. He won two from two with the youthful David Hubbard one bowl for €2,200 and two bowls for €3,400.

December 11th 2006

Bol Chumann’s 2006 convention was held at the Association’s administrative headquarters, St. Finbarr’s GAA Pavilion, Togher, on Wed 6 and was, as expected, a low key affair. Delegates from the organisations nine regions attended though not in anything like the numbers that packed the venue twelve months ago when a number of electoral contests generated widespread interest among club and regional personnel. On that occasion a challenge to Susan Green’s leadership of the Association was overwhelmingly defeated by a margin of over three to one. It was a popular victory that would herald a busy and productive year for the bowling game, but one too that was also overshadowed by court injunctions that consumed a large portion of the time and energies of those charged with running the affairs of the sports governing body. Nevertheless much was achieved and delegates heard extensive reports from the leading officials coupled with promises to continue to promote the game in its most positive light for the coming twelve months. As is customary on convention night City secretary, Liam O’Keefe, welcomed everybody and this introduction was followed by secretary, Brendan Hayes’ adopting of the minutes from last years assembly. Chairperson, Susan Greene, in an expansive address outlined the successes and difficulties that marked the past twelve months. ‘After extremely busy years in 2004 and 2005’ she stated ‘we looked forward to the new season, a season where we could move forward and have the opportunity to look at and restructure if necessary, the club set-up, fixtures, youth bowling, social club development, championship structures etc, but unfortunately a lot of our time has been taken up in court proceedings. Being an officer of Bol Chumann na hEireann, you get to meet so many people on many roads, at many functions and in so many meeting rooms and AGM’s. We have also found ourselves in places not of our own choosing and being diverted from our core business. And lest we forget our core business is the promotion of bowl-playing’.

On a challenging note she said ‘we need to be less charitable and forgiving towards those who are trying to pull the sport down. To those who attempt to dictate to us how to run this Association for their own ends we must stand firm and move on to a brighter future for our game. ‘But’ she said ‘even in a difficult year we have lots of things to celebrate. The annual youth finals are fast becoming the starting point in the bowling year and once again the Phale Road, Ballineen, was the venue for a very successful event in January. The grading of players at the start of the year raised some eyebrows but the players who were graded upwards showed their capabilities by performing excellently in the championships. The senior championship was restructured after lengthy debate by the Executive and the changes were well received overall. It afforded the players the opportunity to play in more championship scores and gave more clubs the chance to host senior scores. The rest of the championships were concluded successfully during the year. In May the Association were invited to participate in a mini-international by the ABIS Association in Italy. It was another great opportunity for players to play at international level and I want to thank the clubs and regions for supporting all the players who travelled and congratulate Emma Fitzpatrick, Aidan Murphy and Thomas Buckley on wining individual honours in Pesaro. It is tremendous for Bol Chumann to see road bowling as the preferred discipline of the IBA. The weekend of the All-Irelands in the North East region was yet again an outstanding success. ‘The Doneraile club’ the chairperson stated ‘have set a high standard and can be really proud of their efforts over the past two years. In October James O’Driscoll announced important progress in the development of a bowling complex. It is a major venture for the sport and funding is currently being sought by means of the Sports Capital Grant. Also in October representatives from the FKV and VSHB associations in Germany, NKB Holland and AIBS from Italy travelled to Cork to finalise details of the 2008 European Championships. Venues have been selected and approved by the IBA. The sport of bowling was chosen by GMTV to feature in their ‘All in the Game’ series which was aired on Setanta Sports recently. This too was a great success and offered a chance to promote the game on TV’. The chairperson thanked the members of the Executive who attended each monthly meeting and paid special tribute to Edward O’Driscoll who continued to steer the Association in the right direction. Secretary, Brendan Hayes, outlined the various championship winners and runners-up and treasurer, James O’Driscoll detailed the outgoings and income during 2006. Mr O’Driscoll said that the good will and support he received from all quarters for the Arena initiative was heart warming. Importantly he sought sanction from the convention to seek finance for the further progress of the venture. This proposal was seconded by Pat O’Sullivan. PRO, Pat McCarthy, said the organisation of the major events in Doneraile and Ballincurrig reflected well on the Association and the excellent sportsmanship shown in the many thousands of scores played throughout the year was a tribute to the spirit and sense of fair play of those who played the game and contrasted sharply with the minority who attempted to undermine the sport. Legal Advisor Edward O’Driscoll spoke of his abiding interest in all aspects of Bol Chumann’s affairs and praised the sincerity and honest endeavour of its officers.

Bol Chumann’s team of officers for the coming year is as follows: President Michael McSweeney; Honorary Life Members, Michael T Bradley, Eamonn O’Carroll, Kieran Harrington; Chairperson, Susan Greene; Vice Chairman Pat O’Sullivan; Honorary Secretary, Brendan Hayes; Treasurer, James O’Drisco; Honorary Fixtures Secretary Harry Jennings; PRO, Pat McCarthy; Registrar, Liam Daly; Youths Officer, Dan McCarthy; Patrons Most Rev. Dr John Buckley, Auxiliary Bishop of Cork and Ross, Very Rev Fr. D J Burns, P.P., Bishop Paul Coulton Church of Ireland; Solicitor Edward O’Driscoll; Auditor Christy Noughton & Co.

Bol Chumann’s ‘Night at the Dogs’ is on at Curraheen Race Track on this Thursday 14 at 8 pm. The event is an important fundraiser for the 2008 European Championship which will be hosted in Cork, and everybody with the interests of the sport at heart is welcome to support the venture. On Sunday next at Templemartin the annual novice team events finals go ahead commencing at 11pm. All regions have completed their internal play-offs and all is in readiness for an exciting morning’s bowling at the Mid Cork venue.

Another rain lashed Sunday curtailed a good portion of the days bowling activities but nonetheless a number of high profile contests went ahead. The eagerly awaited Flor Crowley Cup semi-final between Nicholas Carey and Seamus Sexton (Jun) at Kilumney had to be deferred owing to a road accident on the route earlier in the day. Fixture arrangements allowing, it will go ahead on Sunday morning next. A Jerry Desmond Cup first round clash at The Pike resulted in an surprisingly easy victory for Mid Cork junior A champion, Trevor McCarthy, over the current Carbery B title holder, Michael Bohane. Playing for a total of €2,000 neither made an auspicious opening with the Carbery man missing an average first shot of McCarthy’s. Bohane never found his form in this one taking five to the ‘creamery’ where he was a bowl adrift of McCarthy who achieved a good level of consistency throughout the score. The odds continued to mount on Bohane as the Bandon man tracked a few good shots approaching the line at ‘White’s cross’. There was three between them at that juncture and, when Bohane failed to make inroads in the bowling towards ‘Draper’s’, the contest was terminated leaving McCarthy through to the last sixteen. On the way back The Pike venue Martin Desmond made it a double for the Bandon men when won a pick-up score from local player, Freddie Scanell. There was a total o f€800 in that one. A score that drew a large gathering on Sunday afternoon last was the junior tournament meeting at the Clubhouse between West Cork’s junior A standard bearer, Denis Murphy, (BNB) and All-Ireland junior B champion Denis O’Driscoll, Drimoleague. It lived up to its billing in the driving rain as both rose and lost significant leads at different points resulting in a thrilling finish that saw Murphy a winner by just a few metres. The stake at issue was €6,400 as Murphy set a blistering pace with two exceptional opening shots that ‘made’ the ‘post office’. O’Driscoll was a bowl down after these and was fortunate not to go two off the pace at the lines by ‘O’Brien’s’ when Murphy’s third just missed out. There was still good odds with the bowl after the former Mid Cork man’s lofted fourth but O’Driscoll made big inroads with a smashing sixth to ‘Dineen’s lane’. It knocked the lead to an even bowl and it was still that at ‘Clon cross’ before O’Driscoll levelled with a great drive to ‘Murray’s’. The Drimoleague man took his first lead two shots later and then found himself in a strong position after Murphy missed sight beyond the ‘garage’. O’Driscoll cut too tightly when throwing what should have been considerable odds and lost the lead at a vital juncture. It was still all to play for in the tight closing exchanges but Murphy prevailed in the end having beaten a testing last tip to advance in the competition where he will contest with Andy O’Callaghan in the next round.

The latter stages of the Champy Deasy Cup at Grange is an all Mid Cork affair. Youth triumphed over experience in last Sunday’s second penultimate round score as James O’Donovan defeated John Murphy by almost a bowl. Playing out from the ‘tavern’ for a total of €2,200, O’Donovan made the early running hitting two fine efforts that ‘made’ the ‘white house’. Murphy came right back into it when his third broke with speed off the wall and it gave him his first lead when O’Donovan missed the tip. They exchanged the lead in a close encounter as they played to the ‘cross’ and it remained deadlocked up the ‘school hill’. Murphy gained fifty metres in the shots to the novice line and looked to be heading for a bowl advantage as they played to ‘Holland’s’ wall’. There was a swift turnaround when O’Donovan made sight from well back, a shot that had further significance when Murphy missed the same point to concede valuable leeway. With two shots to go there was too ground for the Brinny man to make up and O’Donovan advanced to what will be an all Bandon final when he takes on Mark Crean. At Ballinacurra, Upton, on Saturday Pat Broderick defeated Paul Walsh by one bowl for €4,000 and Mick Gould defeated Jim Coffey one bowl for €3,600. At Donoughmore Thomas Buckley defeated Olan Noonan in the last shot for €5,700. This was a good score for much of the way even if the closing exchanges from both players were not of the highest order. Buckley was hind for the last shot but won after his average last was missed by his luckless opponent. Back the road at Donoughmore Niall O’Keefe defeated Martin Hubbard last should for €2,200. At Nadd Michael Kelleher and Denis Hickey had one apiece from two scores with a bowl off odds the winning margin on both occasions for sums of in the region of €4,000. At Gortroe on Saturday Daniel Murphy defeated Michael Murphy and Niall O’Keefe got the better of Haulie O’Mahony on the way down for a sum of €1,800. The North Cork winter novice competition continues. At Sally’s Cross Raymond Barrow (Dromahane) defeated Daniel Murphy (Kilcorney) last shot for €400 and at Peake Paddy O’Regan defeated Jer O’Connell one bowl for €500 and Mick O’Shea defeated Anthony Hubbard one bowl for €2,200. Also at Sally’s Cross in the Christmas Hamper semi-finals Sean and Connie Moylan defeated Ollie O’Riordan and Dean Sexton by a bowl of odds for €400 and Denis O’Connell and Maurice Cashman defeated Eugene O’Sullivan and John Breen by a bowl of odds.

It was a good weekend for the Fermoy intermediate, Andrew O’Leary. On Saturday at Carrignavar he defeated Eamonn Bowen (Jun) by almost two for €2,800 and then on Sunday, at Shannonvale, he followed up with a big fore bowl win over Trevor O’Meara for a sum of €2,600. At Curraheen on Sunday Tony Morris and Denis Wilmot shared victories from two good scores. Morris won the first going from the ‘bridge’ to Richard’s lane’ in six to his opponents seven for a total of €1,400. Wilmot won the return by the fore bowl for €1,600. At Jagoe’s Mills the North East youth, Stephen O’Connell won two from two with Kevin O’Donovan. A good start by O’Connell was important in his first victory for a sum of €1,100. He won the second by the fore bowl for a similar sum. At Durrus James O’Sullivan joins his brother Mark and Teddy Arundel in the final of the Danny McCarthy Cup after his marrow victory over Conchuir O’Sullivan and Frank Arundel on Sunday afternoon last. This was a fine competitive contest with all three having periods at the front before going level to ‘Blair’s cove’. Frank Arundel went a bowl down here to leave the O’Sullivan’s to battle it out. For the last shots Conchuir was forty metres hind but unleashed a terrific drive only for the Kilcrohane based James to match it and beat the mark by a few metres. In a novice 2 tournament score at the same venue that produced an equally exciting finish Leslie Shannon defeated the Drinagh man Jimmy Hurley last shot for €800. Still in West Cork the Durrus/Kealkil selection won the delayed West Cork novice team competitions at Togher Cross. Just four teams braved the conditions as Durrus/Kealkil (Michael Ward, Seamus O’Sullivan, Nigel Kingston) edged out the Hourihanes (Kieran, Donie and David). The winners will contest with the other eight regional champions at Templemartin on Sunday morning next for outright team honours.

November 27th 2006
Seamus Sexton (Jun) returned to winning ways at Templemartin on Sunday last when he won a score of swaying fortunes from City’s Richard Murphy. It was a Flor Crowley Cup quarterfinal fixture that saw both contenders mix the very good with the mediocre before the North Cork exponent eventually came through. Murphy started in blistering style. His opening two, hit with speed and accuracy, travelled a huge distance to reach ‘Desmond’s back lane’ and, importantly, enabled him to get sight at ’Slynne’s corner’ in three where he held a full bowl on Sexton. The recent Cobh tournament winner wasn’t long in knocking it back with a good fifth that, after Murphy’s fourth failed to run, brought the tips close to level. Sexton took his first lead in the shots to ‘O’Riordan’s gate’ and proceeded to dominate in the bowling to the ‘schoolhouse cross’. He gradually extended his advantage until he went a shot clear at the bend. Murphy swung it back his way with a fine throw down the incline and took full advantage of two errors by Sexton to forge an unlikely lead as they played to ‘Buttimer’s gate’. Just as quickly, however, the City player undid his good work with two misjudged efforts that, to all intents and purposes, scuppered his hopes of victory. The first of these, dropped too near, caught the left and when the second did likewise, Sexton had an unassailable lead. The Nadd player went on to win by close to the bowl and now meets the resurgent Nicholas Carey in the penultimate round at Kilumney on Sunday afternoon next. The second semi-final is also on Sunday next at Templemartin provisionally in the forenoon. Going head to head here will be Andrew O’Leary against Aidan Murphy. Templemartin was the venue too for the staging of the Mid Cork team bowling event. Four teams of three provided a competitive mornings bowling. Newcestown took the laurels by eighty metres after a good battle with Ballinacurra. Newcestown comprised of last years novice 2 All-Ireland winner, Fergal Callanan ably assisted by Michael O’Callaghan and Mark Cahalane will be back at Templemartin on Dec 17 to contest against the other regional winners for the overall team title. Runners-up Ballinacurra had Paul Walsh, Martin Duggan and Paudie McSweeney in their selection while not far behind were Jagoe’s Mills (Sean O’Donoghue, Paul Kingston, Alan Butler) and Templemartin (Finbarr Coughlan, Tim Murphy, Seanie O’Donovan). Clondrohid hosted the Geeltacht team event on Sunday where six teams contested. The winners here were Mons B who had Connie Moynahin, novice 2 Munster runner-up, Noel Kelleher and Thomas Murphy in their line up. Mons A were second. Ballingeary, Kilnamartyra and Ballyvourney A and B were also in the shake-up.
David Murphy won the Ballinacurra clubs intermediate tournament on Saturday last. The Brinny player, elevated to senior status since the competition began, overcame Dan O’Halloran, Briar Hill, thanks in the main to a strong showing in the middle sector of this final. That period of play gave him enough leeway to withstand O’Halloran’s late rally and take the top prize of €800 plus a crystal decanter. Murphy led all the way but it was far from a one-sided contest. A well-drilled fourth through Brinny Cross yielded a bowl of odds for the winner before O’Halloran cut it to fifty metres with a super sixth to sight at ‘Foley’s’. Murphy broke away again with a fine throw to ‘Perrot’s’ that restored his bowl of odds and he was in total command when, in the shots to the ‘bridge’, he forged a lead that was close to two bowls. Matters changed from that point as Murphy’s form dipped and O’Halloran played two excellent attempts to the junior line where the odds came under the bowl. The comeback continued and a small chance of levelling came O’Halloran’s way with his second last but he dragged his effort to the left with the result that Murphy still held vital yardage. The last shots were academic were Murphy winning by almost a bowl. On the way back at Ballinacurra Nicholas Carey defeated Patrick O’Driscoll for a sum of €3,500. Carey won this one by a bowl but O’Driscoll had a glorious chance after Carey misplayed. The City man didn’t take it and they stayed level for a period until Carey rose a bowl beyond the GAA pitch. The Carrigtwohill former under-age star held it to the main road before O’Driscoll staged a late fight back. It wasn’t enough and Carey won comfortably.

Carbery players scored a double in tournament finals at South West venues on Saturday last. A strong finish at Lyre enabled regional U18 champion, James Nagle, Rosscarbery, to come from almost a bowl down and defeat a determined Barry O’Donovan to claim the Paddy O’Donovan Memorial Cup. At Sam’s Cross Michael Bohane won the junior C competition final from Butlerstown’s Vincent Cahalane. A mistake with his third cost Cahalane here and, although he matched his higher graded opponent up the rise, he was unable to knock the deficit.

The women’s senior league commenced on Sunday last at the Phale Road, Ballineen. An interesting duel between Sharon Russell and Denise Murphy saw the former senior champion, Russell, avenge a recent tournament defeat to the Ballinagree based former under-age star. They played up the Phale for a total of €1,340 and it was going Murphy’s way very much in the opening phase. She held a bowl lead at ‘Maybury’s’ but, unusually for her, hit two poor attempts and missed sight at the ‘triangle’. Russell grabbed the initiative and three great bowls to the ‘avenue’ took her to a commanding lead. Russell took the verdict by two bowls to gain the first point.

Johnny Murphy (BNB) qualified for the final of the Togher Cross tournament with an emphatic win over Mick Gould on Sunday last. Playing for a total of €1,600 Murphy was in control for most of the scores duration and was a shot clear by ‘Johnson’s cross’ at the chips. Gould knocked it briefly and looked like making a fight of it until Murphy cast two smashing shots from ‘Hurley’s cross’ to the ‘school’. These almost doubled his odds and there was no holding him from there. Martin Coppinger and Gerry Murphy Templemartin, remain in contention in the other side of the competition. Patrick O’Donoghue, Mallow, defeated Brian Wilmot, Bandon, in the Tony Murray Cup in Ballyvolane. Playing for a total of €2,000 Wilmot never recovered from an unlucky start that saw his well-played first whipped off. On the rough surface O’Donoghue was a shot up at ‘Kate’s corner’ and dominated proceedings with good bowling to the ‘barleyfield’ where he had increased his margin significantly. O’Donoghue advanced in the competition by nearly two.

It was a busy weekend on the Tassagh Road in Armagh where the host club completed three finals. All-Ireland junior A champion, Paul Grimley, stormed home a winner of the A section final from senior standard-bearer, Eddie Carr. Grimley went a bowl down in the early stages but recovered in splendid style to win by a shot covering the road in seventeen throws. The B section final was won by former under-age champion, Shaun Shortt while, in a battle of the brothers, Pete Carr overcame Seamus Carr in the C section. Tassagh represented another triumph for the Madden club who, on Saturday night hosted a special function at the Madden Community Centre in which they honoured their three All-Ireland champions, Grimley, Brian Keirnan and Stephen McCann. The occasion was of particular satisfaction to the clubs estimable patron Paddy Morgan whose interest in all things Madden is unquestioned.

Aidan Murphy threw some amazing bowls at Drinagh on Sunday morning last in defeating local, John Young, in the host clubs junior A tournament semi-final. There was little indication of Murphy’s later explosive action as he badly misplayed his first two that left Young, who threw a fine opener, a full bowl clear. It didn’t stay like that for long as Murphy, from way back, got an audacious third to ‘Barry’s cross’ that immediately wiped out the Drinagh man’s advantage. Murphy was starting to edge away as they played to the ‘church’ but it was from here that the intermediate champion unleashed the full range of his capabilities. From back of the ‘church pillars’ he shot and spun a perfect effort to the ‘rectory gates’, followed up with a fine throw to the ‘stone wall’ before hitting the ‘blackstick’s’ in another. When he cast a beauty from there into the ‘pond’ the contest was well and truly over as it would have been against any opponent. Thomas Boyle and Ted Hegarty will fight it out for a place in the decder with Murphy. The stake at Drinagh on Sunday morning was €1,240. James O’Donovan travelled to Whitechurch on Sunday to take the honours from John O’Rourke by a margin of nearly two bowls for a stake of €1,200. O’Donovan played well here against an off form O’Rourke. The Bandon player was a bowl up at ‘Bula lane’ and went almost two clear at the ‘farm’. Shortly afterwards the contest was terminated in O’Donovan’s favour. It was a first round fixture in a new tournament at the City venue. At Drimoleague Kieran Hourihane defeated Con O’Sullivan by nearly two. O’Sullivan, given his splendid form throughout the year, was surprisingly off the pace in this one leaving the Muintir Bhaire man away to bowl lead after four. Hourihane held his odds and extended it in advancing to the next round of the novice 1 competition. Dinny Nyhan and Pat Joe Connolly played a cracker back the road in the same tournament. Nyhan’s second and third were sublime efforts that enabled him to make the lines in five to go two ahead. Connolly bowled the remainder of the score in splendid style but could make no inroads on a bang in form Nyhan. Nyhan won by over a bowl for €2,200. At Nadd Eamonn Bowen Juniors rich vein of form continued. On Saturday he overcame Trevor O’Meara for a total of €4,800. O’Meara had a bad start here leaving Bowen away to bowl lead. The former Waterfall man had a half chance of levelling with four to go but it went and, when Bowen beat the line with a good last, there was no way back. In a return doubles score Tom Casey and Kevin Cooney defeated Niall O’Keefe and Niall Barrett last shot for €1,800. On Sunday at Nadd Thomas Boyle defeated Ted Hegarty by nearly two for €3,400 and Patsy Hogan won from Boyle in a return for €2,800. The returning from vacation, Con O’Donovan, from Newcestown registered a good win at the Wood Road from Troy O’Herlihy. O’Herlihy went a shot clear in the early stages before O’Donovan rowed it back with good bowling. The Newcestown man won in the last shot for €900.

Sam’s Cross clubman, Joe Tyner registered a victory at Beal na mBlath from Fergal Callanan. Tyner went a bowl clear after six and held it to the line for a stake of €1,000. The Newcestown men won a double back the road when Michael O’Callaghan and Mark Cahalane combined to defeat Johnny Hourihane and Danny O’Brien last shot for €400. At Gortroe Jim Coffey won two from two with Thomas Buckley both last shot for €2,200 each time. At Ballygurteen the mixed doubles tournament progressed. Here J C Daly and Geraldine Daly advanced at the expense of Vincent Dullea and Gretta Cormican. Dullea/Cormican held the early advantage but did not build on it. The West Cork duo bowled the straight in very good figures to come home a bowl of odds ahead. There was a total of €1,600 at issue. At Kilumney the Blarney man, Mark O’Shea defeated Willie Dillon, Kinsale, in the last shot for €400 and at Beal na Morrive in the North Cork winter league for novice 2 players, Michael Murphy defeated Danny O’Riordan one bowl for €400 and Mickey Joe Quill, Ballinagree, beat Paul Walsh, Coolanmona one bowl for €400. At Donoughmore in a exciting contest Patsy Hogan defeated Dan Joe Holland for a total sum of €3,400. Hogan’s big bowl from ‘Ring’s corner’ to the half-way line was instrumental in this victory. At Curraheen in the absence of Brian Daly, Vincent Kiely defeated Tony Morris by one bowl for €900 and in a return Mick O’Callaghan had the better of John Twohig by two bowls for €1,400. At Dunderrow Donal O’Donovan defeated Adrian Wilmot last shot for €500 while at Grange on Saturday Tommy O’Sullivan defeated Mick Minihane one bowl for €1,200 followed by Freddie Scannell taking the narrowest of victories in a three-way tie from Pat Broderick and Tommy O’Sullivan. The Kinsale men returned to action at Jagoe’s Mills on Sunday where they were very much in the winning groove. Here Mid Cork novice A winner, John O’Mahony, defeated Paul Walsh by one bowl for €3,200 and Pat Broderick came up trumps against Christy Butler back the road for a total of €2,000. At Ballyclough Daniel Murphy (Ballyclough) defeated Denis Hickey (Rathmore) by two bowls for €1,700. In the Sally’s Cross Christmas Hamper doubles competition Eugene O’Sullivan and John Breen beat Denis O’Connell and Simon Atkins two bowls for €120 and Sean/Connie Moylan defeated Danny Murphy/Joe Linehan two bowls for €460.

The Kealkil bowling club mourned the passing of a loyal patron with the death of Cornie Cremin over the past weekend. Cornie was an engaging personality who had an avid love of outdoor pursuits with horse racing and bowlplaying among his favourite pastimes. He was a founder member of Kealkil club and is fondly remembered for his huge contribution to their hosting of the All-Ireland series in 2000, 2001, 2002. Last Sunday’s scheduled Christy Vaughan Cup semi-final between Edmund Sexton, Philip O’Donovan and James Buckley was cancelled as a mark of respect to Cornie Cremin.

The women’s committee Bol Chumann held their AGM at the Munster Arms, Bandon, on Monday 20. A busy year was reviewed and much satisfaction was expressed with the ongoing popularity of the women’s game as the emergence of many committed under-age players in all regions ensures plenty of competitive events to cater for all grades. The women’s senior league is currently up and running and will command interest over the winter months. The officers regulating the women’s section for the coming year are as they were with Susan Greene as chairperson, Gretta Cormican, secretary and Mary