Bowling Report - Week ending 07th September

Ronan Keating won the hearts of these ladies in Castletwonbere Hannah Sexton, Margaret Daly & Mary S

Queen Qualifiers SF at Castletown Denise Murphy, Jer O'Leary & Meghan Collins Winner

Queen Qualifiers SF at Ballinacurra Maria Nagle beat Veronica O'Mahony

Mid-North-Gael Vintage B Final at Beal Na Blath Mick Murphy, Timmy Lordan reff & David Walsh

Joe O'Sullivan Cup Presentation at Castletownbere

Arthur McDonagh latest winner of the Joe O'Sullivan Cup at Castletownbere

ARTHUR MCDONAGH TRIUMPHS IN THRILLING JOE O’SULLIVAN CUP FINAL AT CASTLETOWNBERE​

​​Meanwhile at the other end of the country the Joe O'Sullivan Cup drew a crowd to Castletownbere. On a very wet Saturday two semi-finals determined the contenders for the main prize. In the first semi-final Aidan Murphy played Gary Daly. Murphy raised an early bowl of odds, but after five shots Daly took his first lead. A lead he would relinquish no more and he won in the end by the last shot, stake at issue here was €10,600 a-side.

In the second semi-final James O'Donovan had to give way to Arthur McDonagh playing for €18,000 a-side. McDonagh opened with a huge bowl to the Co-Action centre that O'Donovan just beat in two shots. After two more to the truck park McDonagh was throwing his odds over forty meters. He extended this to eighty meters at the graveyard, and at the double bends had a bowl of odds. McDonagh extended this to almost two bowls in the worst possible conditions, and held out to win by a bowl and set up a repeat of the County final when he plays Gary Daly.

In support scores Jimmy Quilligan beat Alan Brickley for €6,000 a-side. Jim Coffey beat Eoin McCarthy for €4,000 as, Tim Young beat Timmy McDonagh for €10,000 as & Willie O’Donnell beat Patrick O’Brien for €5,700 as.

On to Sunday’s final in Castletownbere where Gary Daly and Arthur McDonagh played for a stake of €13,500 as. This was as good a final that was seen on this road for a while. Daly making the better start with three great opening bowls to the Truck Park where he was throwing his odds. McDonagh got a super shot to the start of the graveyard wall and Daly was too tight right and dropped a lot of law. All square at the carpark, McDonagh did a perfect loft at the double bends to keep the score level. A turning point came at the Council yard when McDonagh went sight and Daly missed this, but he rallied well and was back in front at the junior line. McDonagh was seriously tight left with his shot from here but it had speed and he got a huge bowl that Daly missed. Daly got no justice for his last two shots to the line, both played perfectly, and McDonagh beat both to take the Joe O’Sullivan Cup and the €2,000 first prize, with Gary getting €1,000. The remainder of the funds of approximately €3,000 will go to the Féilé O’Sullivan Fund and well done to the club for that.

DAVID WALSH BOOKS HIS SPORT IN VINTAGE B FINAL

Nearer to home at Beal Na Blath the Mid-North-Gael vintage b final took place between David Welsh and Mick Murphy. Nothing between them after four bowls to Murphy’s Palms. Two and three more to Bradfield’s Cross where Walsh was throwing big odds. Murphy done well to keep it under the bowl after four more shots and on for the Bull’s Gate where Walsh was still only throwing over forty meters. Walsh finished with a super twelfth out the last bend for the line where he had almost a bowl, two more over the finish line where he won by a bowl.

MEGHAN COLLINS AND MARIE NAGLE QUALIFY FOR GRETTA CORMICAN CUP QUEEN QUALIFIERS FINAL

Meanwhile at Castletown a Queen Qualifiers semi-final was played between Denise Murphy and Meghan Collins for €600 a-side. At Rory’s house Collins had a minimal lead of ten meters, shed held this odds to Kinneagh cross, a poor bowl from Murphy here but Collins did not capitalise on her error. Before Nyhan’s corner Murphy took her first lead, but this lead was short lived as Collins went around Nyhan’s corner in two more and raised big odds. Murphy reeled in this odds again at the netting and there was nothing between them for the last shots. Murphy put down a good last but Collins beat it easy and now plays Maria Nagle in the Queen qualifiers Cup final at Ballincurrig on Saturday next.