Bowling Report - Week ending 06th July

The intermediate finals will feature cousins Patrick Stokes and Timmy McDonagh, with Stokes defeating Paul Buckley at Kilcorney and McDonagh overcoming John O’Rourke at Newcestown.

Orla Murphy from Ballyvourney beat Shauna O’Driscoll at Castletown in the U-16 final, advancing to the All-Ireland series with consistent play.

P.J. Cooney won the veteran’s final against Paul O’Brien at Castletown, securing a spot in the All-Ireland series.

Standout performances in the second series of county scores for the All-Irelands came from Laura Sexton, Darcy O’Brien, and Jonathon Deane.

In the junior A final at Rosscarbery, Jimmy O’Driscoll defeated David Hegarty to secure his place in the county final.

COUSINS WILL BATTLE IT OUT IN INTERMEDIATE FINAL

Both intermediate semi-finals were held over the past weekend, at Kilcorney on Saturday Patrick Stokes from the City played Paul Buckley from Crossbarry. Paul a beaten semi-finalist in this grade in 2016 and in 2019 was again to be a runner-up on this occasion. Stokes was almost a bowl up after the bridge, Buckley knocked the odds but Stokes restored his odds again at the underpass. Stokes held the bowl advantage on for the novice line and extended his odds through the cross, he held this advantage to the junior line and won out in the end by a bowl.

The second semi-final was played at Newcestown, here Timmy McDonagh brother of Arthur from Fermoy played John O’Rourke, Rylane, and no stake in this one. McDonagh was almost a bowl up after two big opening shots. Four and five shots each to Macs Cross where O’Rourke had it under the bowl again. McDonagh powered up the hill to Allen’s lane in two more where he was now throwing big odds. O’Rourke lined two great bowls but missed full sight at Desmond Lane in nine and McDonagh out full sight with a valuable forty meter lead. A terrible bad blunder from O’Rourke with his tenth when he buried it in left and just beat McDonagh’s tip, McDonagh got an incredible bowl into the lag and half way up the hill that put this score beyond O’Rourke’s reach. At Collins Farm McDonagh was still a bowl up and when O’Rourke missed out O’Brien’s Cross there was almost two bowls on him there. McDonagh went out the last bend for the line in tow more where he won by two bowls. He now plays his cousin Patrick Stokes in the Final.

BALLYVOURNEY TEEN WINS U-16 FINAL TO ADVANCE TO ALL-IRELAND SERIES

There was the hopes of a brother and sister being in the first series of all-Irelands this weekend at Castletown. Shauna O’Driscoll sister of Brian, had her hopes dashed by Orla Murphy from Ballyvourney in the u-16 final played at Castletown. After two shots to the junior finish O’Driscoll held a twelve meter advantage. Murphy missed the netting in two more and O’Driscoll made the black gates with nice odds. Murphy got a big rub with her fifth throw and O’Driscoll missed this to give Murphy her first lead. After three more back of Pynes corner O’Driscoll was five meters fore bowl. A bad blunder here from Murphy as she caught the right dyke and O’Driscoll extended her lead to sixty meters. Murphy only beat this tip again by fifteen meters. O’Driscoll lined a massive tenth half way to Round Tower cross, but Murphy replied with a huge bowl past the cross, O’Driscoll next got terrible bad play and missed tip to give Murphy back the advantage. O’Driscoll got a good twelfth to the lollipops and here Murphy was very lucky to get a huge rub off the left dyke and gained a seventy meters of odds advantage. O’Driscoll was not giving up and got a super bowl to Rory’s house that Murphy only beat by six meters. O’Driscoll lined two super bowls to Spillane’s entrance that Murphy followed and beat by thirty meters. O’Driscoll missed the finish line in two more and Murphy won out by big odds in the end.

O'BRIEN PUTS UP A MIGHTY BATTLE BUT NOT ENOUGH TO DENY COONY AN ALL-IRELAND SPOT

The overall veteran’s final at Castletown completed the line-up for the first series of all-Irelands, here two East Cork men battled it out P.J. Cooney playing Paul O’Brien for a stake of €1,700 a-side. Cooney opened with three excellent bowls to Rory’s house but O’Brien was not fazed by this as he lined five good bowls himself to Round Tower cross and here Cooney had thirty meters of odds. Two more great bowls past the Novice line gave O’Brien his first lead by twenty five meters. At Pynes corner in eighth each O’Brien’s odds was down to three meters. Cooney opened the bend before the netting in two more to win back the lead by ten meters. Both out to the netting and over the ladies finish line O’Brien back in front by four meters. They went out level bowling in fourteen shots each to Forshins Cross. Cooney got a huge bowl off the cross that turned lovely with the road for him, O’Brien missed this by twenty five meters, but O’Brien wasn’t done yet he lined a sensational sixteenth throw that almost beat the finish line, Cooney missed this and his last was very beatable but O’Brien’s bowl was always left caught the railing and missed the tip by eight meters.

The second series of county scores for the second series of All-Irelands are well up and running also, in the Girl’s U-18 Laura Sexton (SW) beat Meabh Cuinnea (Car) at Newcestown, Emma Hurley (West) beat Julieann O’Sullivan (East) at Dunderrow. Jena Healy (North) beat Emily Long (City) at Carrignavar. In the junior Ladies Laura Sexton (SW) beat Niamh O’Sullivan (Car) at Inch. Darcy O’Brien (Gael) beat Denise O’Donovan (NE) at Beal Na Marbh. Emma Hurley (West) beat Anna Hurley (East) at Dunderrow, Jenny Connolly (City) beat Kay Kelly (North) at Carrignavar. In the boy’s U-14 Myles Connors (City) beat Jayden Crowley (North) at Carrignavar. In the boy’s U-18 Jonathon Deane (West) beat John O’Donoghue (East) at Ballinacurra.

O'DRISCOLL BOOKS HIS SPOT IN JUNIOR A COUNTY FINAL

The Carbery-South West-West junior a final was played at Rosscarbery between Jimmy O’Driscoll, Clonakilty and David Hegarty, Lyre for a total stake of €18,500. Hegarty opened with two great bowls, O’Driscoll’s third not great and Hegarty had an opportunity to raise big odds but was too tight left. O’Driscoll got everything out of his fourth shot, it hopped a pillar, landed on the wall and made the end of the Priests house. Hegarty led with a good fifth with the aid of a rub. O’Driscoll was back in front again with a huge sixth, extended his lead with massive seventh, eight & ninth shots past Barry’s Boreen where he had a bowl of odds. Hegarty knocked the bowl briefly at the B & B, O’Driscoll replied with two incredible bowls to Cahermore Cross that raised two bowls on Hegarty, there was no back from this, O’Driscoll held this odds past Madore cross and Hegarty shook hands.