DALY FINDS HIS GROOVE AT INCHAGEELA
Gary Daly finished strong to deny Seamus Sexton in their senior championship first round clash at Inchigeela on Sunday afternoon. The Fermoy man, recovered from a ligament injury that curtailed him in Germany, edged away in the closing shots to win a contest of missed chances but one that was hard-fought and retained interest right to the line. Both camps were up for it to the tune of a total stake that amounted €21,000. Daly didn’t take advantage of two average Sexton openers and was hind when the North Cork man lined a splendid third. Daly was back in front after five but spurned another chance when Sexton’s sixth got no distance. The Fermoy man stayed in front until Sexton showed his pace with a great tenth to the ‘grotto’ to take a fifty-metre lead. Both were finding their groove as Sexton beat big shots to hold a slender lead. Daly got away with a twelfth shot that was played very much to the right and that escape spurred him to fire an exceptional thirteenth that brought him in front once more. Sexton did well to come close and fired a great effort past the junior line, but Daly mastered that too and with momentum on his side, he scored out the line with his fifteenth throw for a deserved win that takes him through to a quarterfinal meeting with Arthur McDonagh at Grenagh.
BANDON BOWLER CANT HOLD BACK FLOOD IN HIS SENIOR OPENER.
Following his heroics in Germany, a championship run would have been the icing on the cake for James O’Donovan’s bowling summer. It is not to be for the Gold Medal winner after suffering a surprise defeat to Patrick Flood in their championship opener at Beal na Marbh on Saturday. There wasn’t a lot the Bandonian could do as Flood choose the day to give a flawless exhibition not seen from him since his All-Ireland intermediate winning displays in 2022. A stakeless contest had O’Donovan marginally ahead after three before Flood fired a score turner. An astonishing fourth throw, one of the longest seen on the road, propelled him to an eighty-metre lead that increased to almost a bowl of odds following another massive effort to ‘Hubbard’s’. Flood’s ninth countered O’Donovan’s fine effort to the ‘D’ line and there was no stopping the Fermoy youth as he stormed to a bowl and forty metre lead by the junior line. There was no way back against an in-form opponent and it is Patrick Flood who moves to a quarterfinal engagement with Martin Coppinger at Lyre.
Back the road at Beal na Morrive there was more success for the North East as Timmie McDonagh defeated Noel O’Donovan, last shot, for a substantial €16,000 total.
James had been nominated Celtic Ross/C103 Sports Award winner for May and will receive his accolade at The Celtic Ross this week.
In Ulster the first of the best of five between Thomas Mackle and Colm Rafferty was played out at All-Ireland venue, Eglish, Co. Tyrone on Sunday. Defending champion, Mackle, came from arrears on a very wet afternoon to go one up in the series.
O'RIORDAN COULD NOT KEEP UP THE PACE TO DENY PARKES AT THE MARSH ROAD.
Wayne Parkes came from a bowl of odds down to deny Donal O'Riordan in their Marsh Road intermediate quarterfinal clash on Friday evening. O’Riordan, who had defeated the Clon man in the semi-final at the Carbery venue last year, started in determined mode as he looked to repeat that success. Four bullet-fast openers ran well and left Parkes, erratic with his first and third, trailing by a shot of odds. Parkes lined a fine fifth to the ‘Skibb sign’ but, in a shot that would have a big bearing, O’Riordan was way left of the ‘green’ and his margin was halved. Parkes was made further inroads and eventually led beyond the ‘silvery gate’ but he miscued a few too and the contest stayed level to ‘Ballyhilty’. O’Riordan, solidly in contention just thirty behind at the ‘avenue gate’, got little out of a vital third last and Parkes consolidated to the tune of eighty metres as the finish line loomed. O’Riordan’s game last effort never held the centre and Parkes made it through with metres to spare. He plays Wayne Callanan in the semi-final at Templemartin. The Marsh Road contest did not carry a stake.
JOHNNY PRODUCES THE KILLER LAST TO DENY PATRICK AT BAILE BHURINE
Two junior A county quarterfinals were played at Baile Bhuirne and Whitechurch. That Gaeltacht venue set-to produced a finish for the ages as South West Champion, Johnny O’Driscoll, barely staying in contention against a bang in form London representative, Patrick O’Driscoll, scored an incredible last shot win with his only fore bowl of the score. The favourite in the €4,400 total stake, the London champion sped away to a hundred metre lead after three and, after a few indifferent exchanges, eventually rose a bowl of odds after eleven. With three to go that bowl of odds stayed between them, but a dramatic change was about to unfold. The Clon based South West challenger fired a big second last but his London namesake, Patrick came close enough to seemingly make victory assured. Unfortunately for him he missed the finish line from close range and Johnny did not look the gift horse and fired an unbeatable last shot that won the day in spectacular style. Mid Cork’s Kieran Murphy at Bantry is next up for Johnny O’Driscoll in a county semi-final play-off.
THE DEVIL'S BEND DENYS O'DONOVAN A WIN AT WHITECHURCH.
Murphy was very impressive in seeing off the challenge of East Cork’s Willie O’Donovan at Whitechurch. He beat big tips of O’Donovan’s to lead for the first five and did well to come withing metres of a super sixth on the downward stretch to ‘bula lane’. The bowling was of a high order as O’Donovan held on to a slender lead before Murphy, with a sweetly cut fourteenth to sight at the ‘devil’s bend’ finally put daylight between them. A big eighteenth came close enough to the finish line to ensure a hard-earned victory and a semi-final spot against Johnny O’Driscoll.
An U18 county quarterfinal at Jagoe’s Mills on Sunday evening had two likely contenders in opposition. Last year’s U16 champion, John O’Donoghue, now representing East Cork took on West Cork’s Jonathan Deane and it was O’Donoghue who prevailed winning a close contest in the last shot by forty metres. Daniel Wilmot (Mid Cork) is next up for O’Donoghue in a semi-final meeting at Ballinagree.
In a boys U14 county quarterfinal at Kilcorney, on Tuesday Gaeltacht’s Ross O’Brien advanced at the expense of Mid Cork’s Tadhg Hickey. O’Brien was dominant from the fourth shot onward. O’Brien then took a big step on Sunday morning at Lyre when he advanced to the county final after overcoming West Cork’s fine champion, Conor Hourihane. Three big opening shots set him on his way, almost a bowl clear but he needed his focus as Hourihane’s excellent fifth closed the gap to thirty metres. O’Brien eventually rose the bowl of odds and won by that. Another quarterfinal at Clondrohid saw North Cork’s Culann Bourke advance with a win over South West’s plucky champion Cathal O’Donovan.
CURTIN KEEPS 100% GROUP RECORD.
Women’s group stage scores in senior and intermediate made for lively mid-week and weekend fare. Geraldine Curtin preserved her unbeaten status in group A but only just having escaped with a last shot victory from a thrilling head-to-head with her nearest rival Veronica O’Mahony at Templemartin on Saturday. A terrific shot for shot duel had Geraldine shading tips at most point only for Veronica to forge ahead with three to go. It looked to go her way when leading still for the last shots, but Geraldine found the reserves to line a score-winning last shot that Veronica unluckily missed by ten metres. Denise Murphy looked for a second win that would bring her right in contention in group A senior when she took on Meghan Collins at Baile Bhuirne on Tuesday. In a cracking contest, Denise led by sixty metres approaching the last quarter, but Meghan turned it around with a brilliant closing sequence and took the vital point in the last shot. In group B also at Baile Bhuirne, Hannah Sexton and Ciara Buckley had real battle for a €1,200 stake. Not a lot separated them throughout before Hannah prevailed in the tense closing stages. It was the former champion’s second win from three and the victory puts her in a strong position for qualification. In intermediate group A at Bauravilla on Saturday, another hard fought duel ensued when Hannah Cronin took on Lisa Hegarty in a vital group A shoot-out. Thay played for a €1,400 total and Hannah took valuable law in the shots to the ‘rock’. Lisa levelled with good bowling to the ‘bridge’ but it was her Togher Cross rival who produced the big finish with two splendid shots over the brow and on to the finish line.
Meanwhile an U18 inter-regional quarterfinal at Kilcorney produced a thriller when Mid Cork’s Rosin Allen took on Gaeltacht’s likely challenger, Lauren O’Brien. Lauren was away to a bowl of odds lead in the early stages of this one but, Rosin, who had come through a tough test in winning her region from Sophie Murphy, showed great resilience again in rallying to knock the deficit. Rosin advanced in an exciting last shot finale. Next up is a county semi-final meeting with West Cork’s Emma Hurley.
HURLEY REGINS IN WEST CORK WITH JUNIOR B WIN.
Regional championship action continues apace with West Cork again particularly busy. On Sunday evening at Derrinasafa the junior B decider was played out with Liam Hurley and Adrian Buttimer vying for honours. There was confidence in both camps as reflected in the €7,000 total stake and it was Buttimer who held sway for the first five as they played to ‘natties’. Hurley came in front marginally, but it was Buttimer who had the chance of opening a significant gap in the ensuing exchanges. A super throw to the end of the ‘palms’ gave him a great chance of ‘darkwood’ but, a misplay cost him dearly and Hurley was let off the hook. The lead changed again in a desperately tight finish before Hurley threw the decisive shots. His sixteenth from ‘O’Neill’s cross’ covered a lot of road, and gave him commanding odds. Hurley won the day with a well-drilled seventeenth. He plays the Gaeltacht winner in the preliminary county round.
Another trophy has come to the Deane household after Jason claimed the regional U12 title for 2024 at Bantry. Jason had to pull out all the stops against a very good opponent, Rory Hurley. At Durrus on Wednesday in novice A, Pat Daly defeated Frank Arundel, last shot, for €340 while in the C grade here, Kieran McKenna kept a good run going with victory over John O’Regan for a €1,500 total. Here too, on Friday, the hard-beaten Togher Cross campaigner, Jim Cronin, annexed the regional section 2 novice veteran title by virtue of a last win over Damien Hurley. On Sunday last at The Clubhouse Whiddy’s Jimmy O’Leary advanced in novice B with a hard-earned win over James Hurley. They played for a total of €900. In the D championship here, Kieran O’Driscoll overcame a slack start to defeat Tadhg Crowley. In the U16 semi-final at Kealkil, Daniel O’Sullivan overcame Adrian Deane by a bowl of odds. At Drinagh on Sunday morning in a novice A shoot-out for a €900 stake, Pat Daly, ended the impressive run of Chris Cronin. The Lisbealad man was consistent over the closing quarter. In a novice D championship, local contender, Daniel Hayes, fired four big last shots over the finish line to secure a hard-earned win over Kevin O’Sullivan, Ballinacarriga. The stake in this one was €1,700.
In the South-West division, a junior C championship contest at Shannonvale went the way of Dylan O’Driscoll who finished strongly in a score of mixed bowling from Vincent Cahalane. They played for a total of €800. At Grange in D, Vincent Dullea defeated Seamus White by two for €400 and Eoin O’Neill won from Paudie Footman.
In Mid Cork novice D at Ballinacurra, Shane Healy defeated Paul O’Donoghue, last shot, for €1,700. In a doubles back the road, Healy combined with Thomas Maloney to defeat Donnacha O’Driscoll and Joe Lynch, last shot, for €2,000. At Templemartin in D, Shane Desmond won from Donnacha O’Driscoll.
A big Gaeltacht junior B clash at Clondrohid on Friday saw Denis Cooney prevail against Michael Desmond for a €1,300 total. In a three-way Gaeltacht junior C clash at Terelton on Sunday morning Killian Kelleher had a bowl to spare on Jim Coffey who finished just ahead of Gerry O’Riordan. The stakemoney amounted to €1,000 (Coffey/O’Riordan). In a return score, Shane Buttimer defeated Niall Murphy, last shot, for €1,500. In Gaeltacht novice D at Inchigeela, Aidan Barry defeated Eanna Dineen and Conor Cotter defeated Conor Kelleher. In the same grade at Cill na Martra on Saturday evening, Mikey O’Callaghan won from Dan O’Riordan and Jack Lynch got the better of John O’Callaghan. On Sunday evening at Clondrohid, Cathal Creedon won the three-way novice A contest with Noel Murphy and Darren Kelly. For a combined €750, Creedon’s strong finish from the ‘Bell Inn’ onwards was decisive.
In North Cork, novice D championship at Berrings, Pat Fitzgibbon defeated Adrian O’Connor, one bowl, for €400 and in a return, Will Harrington defeated Mickey McAuliffe, last shot, for €1,120. In novice C at Beal na Morrive, Tony Hickey defeated Daniel O’Sullivan for €600 and here, Aidan O’Sullivan defeatd Paul Walsh, last shot, for €1,640. Luke Philpott defeated Trevor Ahern, in novice C at Ballinagree.
In the City junior B final at Whitechurch on Wednesday, Michael John O’Brien came from almost a bowl of odds down to deny James O’Sullivan, for a €4,800 total.
The East Cork junior B final at Ballincurrig was won by Willie O’Donnell who scored a bowl of odds win over Mick Wall. He plays Mid Cork’s Bryan O’Halloran in the county rounds.
The concluding rounds of the men’s senior and intermediate championship were brought into focus at last Wednesday’s executive meeting when draws up to the final stages were unveiled. In senior, the second-round line-up is (1) Michael Harrington v Killian Kingston or Michael Bohane at Jagoe’s Mills; (2) David Murphy v Brian Wilmot at Newcestown; (3) Pa Flood v Martin Coppinger at Lyre; (4) Gary Daly v Arthur McDonagh at Grenagh: Semi-finals, (3) v (1); (2) v (4).
The men’s intermediate championship semi-final draw reads: Paul Buckley v Tommy O’Sullivan or Denis O’Sullivan at Derrinasafa; Wayne Parkes v Wayne Callanan at Templemartin: The final will be played at Castletownkinneigh.
CARBERY NOTES;-
EXCITING LINEUP FOR CARBERY JUNIOR LADIES CHAMPIONSHIP
Carberys’ junior ladies championship is high priority on the regions summer schedule and plans are in place for the start of the 2024 series with first round draws announced and Leap again the designated venue for all scores. Last year’s competition, won by Triona Murphy, proved highly competitive and, with this year’s starting line-up including a mixture of upcoming talent and former winners, the battle for the Eibhlis McCarthy Cup holds plenty of intrigue. The first-round draw reads; Natalie Dempsey v Nicola O’Sullivan; Abbey Kelleher v Louise McCarthy; Emer Caverley v Fiona Love; Jessica Baker v Abbey Caverley; Byes to Aisling Crowley, Eileen McCarthy, Triona Murphy and Shannon Ronan.
Carbery’s novice championships progressed during the week. In a novice B championship score of very good bowling at Bauravilla on Sunday, Patrick Crowley prevailed against Shane McCarthy. They matched each other in eight to the point known as ‘the rock’ and it was still more or less level at ‘the bridge’. From there the better consistency lay with Crowley and he forged ahead to take the verdict and book a semi-final slot against Sidney Shannon at Ballydehob. Caheragh’s David O’Connor just got a last shot win in novice B from Donal Crowley at The Marsh Road on Tuesday, while at Ballydehob on Wednesday in novice D, Schull’s Luke Nolan eliminated one of the competitions favourites, Damien Daly. Conor Deane and Brian Harrington will contest the 2024 U12 final after mid-week wins at Bauravilla. Conor got he better of Jack Herlihy after a good battle while, defending champion, Brian had it all to do to overcome the vastly improved Ed McCarthy.
Upwards of fifty boys from St. Patrick’s National School, some who compete in Carbery’s championships, enjoyed a bowling experience at Skibbereen Showground off-road track on Friday last. Accompanied by teachers and with Carbery bowling personnel offering tips on throwing technique, the boys displayed enthusiasm and no little skill in their endeavours.
Martin Collins has made a winning impression since returning to bowling. Showing plenty of talent at under-age level a few years back, the Kilmac talisman, has been included in the novice D category for 2024 and has marked his return with a string of wins that have taken him to the final of Rosscarbery’s Pat O’Halloran Cup and the latter stages of the Carbery D championship. A hard-earned win mid-week over local, Sean O’Neill has him through to the O’Halloran Cup decider where another tough battle awaits in Damien Daly while Schull’s Jack Murphy provides championship opposition.