Bowling Report - Week ending 11th May

O'DRISCOLL BESTS CROWLEY IN INTER-REGIONAL CLASH

The first Inter-Regional score of the season took place at Ballygurteen, in a junior b between Brian O’Driscoll (West Cork) and Shane Crowley (Carbery) playing for a total stake of €8,200. There was no lead for Crowley in this score. O’Driscoll got a sensational 2nd shot out and around full sight of the first bend. A disastrous 3rd from Crowley in right and put himself a bowl out of the score very early. O’Driscoll was back of the Women’s Lane in two more extending his lead to a bowl and 50 meters. O’Driscoll was carrying the luck on the day, his 8th shot looked hind bowl but got a nice rub to hold his odds of a bowl and 50 meters at O’Mahony’s avenue. Crowley’s right hand pull done him no favours on the day. O’Driscoll’s 9th shot was perfect and with a bit of luck on his side he made up and around O’Donovan’s bend in 2 more and there was nothing that Crowley could do to reduce the odds and O’Driscoll progresses on to play John O’Donoghue of the East Cork Region.

BOHANE PROGRESSES TO QUARTER FINAL.

Michael Bohane booked his place in the senior championship quarter final by beating Tommy O’Sullivan at Bantry for a stake of €3,000 a-side. Three poor opening bowls from O’Sullivan put him on the back foot in this score. After two more to Harrington’s farm Bohane was not raising any big odds on him at this point. At Casey’s Cross in six each still only 20 meters separated them. Three more good bowls from Bohane to the crush where he was now throwing his odds over 40 meters. Bohane was lucky with his 10th to the Novice line and O’Sullivan kept the pressure on and kept it well under the bowl of odds. But Bohane got three massive bowls to finish with a beautiful touch off of Connolly’s Wall to go sight and back of the finish line with his next where he won by almost a bowl. He now awaits the winner from Seamus Sexton v Arthur McDonagh in the quarter final.

JULIETTE BOOKS HER SLOT IN THE LADIES INTERMEDIATE SEMI-FINALS

Juliette Murphy secured her semi-final spot in the ladies intermediate championship with a bowl of odds win over Julianne Hayes at Castletown. Playing for €200 a-side. Julieann took the first shot only in this score. At Hennessy’s house Juliette’s lead was only 35 meters, at Round Tower cross Juliette began to extend her lead powering up the rising road. Julianne got some good bowls but was not enough to hold off the bowl of odds at Pynes corner. Juliette got a great bowl facing the netting. Julianne finished with three great bowls but could not reel in Juliette’s lead and she won by a bowl. In group A of the ladies Intermediate championship, a 3-way playoff was held at Ballinacurra between Ellen Sexton, Ailbhie O’Shea and Rachel Kingston playing for a total stake of €1,200. With two to qualify for the semi-finals it was Ailbhie O’Shea and Ellen Sexton who booked their places.

BOURKES RICH VAIN OF FORM CONTINUES.

Mark Bourke joins Noel O’Donovan in the Mid-Gaelteach-North junior a championship semi-finals when he beat Kieran Murphy at Terelton for a total stake of €2,240. The lead changed several times in this score. Both out the first bend in two each Murphy fore bowl by a meter. Bourke was in front after two more to Kelly’s house by 10 metres. Murphy took the next but Bourke was back in front again at the Garage. Nothing between them after the Garage Murphy fore bowl by 5 meters. Two more each to the Ducks house and still Murphy had a slender lead. Two poor bowls in succession here from Murphy and suddenly Bourke was in the driving seat. A big lucky rub with his twelvth shot for Bourke rose the bowl of odds that he held to the line.

The Willie Whelton Senior Cup tournament continued at Grange on Sunday where James O’Donovan beat Arthur McDonagh by the last shot. Playing for a total stake of €28,000. A blistering start from O’Donovan out the stud farm bend in three great bowls and a good rap off Hollands Wall where he had a bowl and 50 meters. McDonagh got a perfect bowl to De Barra’s and O’Donovan only beat this by 50 meters in two shots. McDonagh very left with his next only to the top of the School hill and O’Donovan made the green and McDonagh caught a planter and it was an even bowl of odds there. O’Donovan got a big rub with his next to sight for Mickey Sullivan’s and McDonagh was well hind of this and only made Mickey Sullivan’s with his next, O’Donovan made the big tree holding big odds with the bowl. McDonagh two good bowls to Noelie’s bungalow where it was an even bowl. McDonagh knocked the bowl at the waterfall, but O’Donovan restored it again with a good bowl to Fiona’s. McDonagh made Shamies Wall and O’Donovan missed this but got a big bowl to the pub door and McDonagh made the carpark. O’Donovan beat the line from there.

FLOOD SETS UP QUARTER FINAL CLASH WITH HIS COUSIN GARY DALY

Senior championship action continued at Beal Na Marbh where Patrick Flood beat Brian Wilmot by a mere 5 meters for €3,000 a-side. Nothing separated them after four each Flood with a slight lead. Wilmot a bad blunder with his fifth, Flood up to the Rock and very unlucky to get caught in it in two more where he had big odds. Wilmot had two huge bowls to go sight but he got a super 8th out full sight and Flood missed this by 3 meters. Flood responded with a good 9th to the hedging and another bad blunder from Wilmot and he was suddenly trailing by 70 meters again. Three more from Flood facing the novice line where he was throwing his odds over 70 meters. After three more from Flood to the Junior line he was throwing his odds over 20 meters but from here Wilmot got an incredible 16th shot out full sight for the finish line that Flood only beat by 20 meters for the last shots. Wilmot played a good last bowl but it just wasn’t enough as Flood beat it by 5 meters and now plays his cousin Gary Daly in the quarter final @ Grenagh.

HEGARTY EASES THROUGH AT CAHERAGH.

Another Carbery-South West- West junior a championship score took place at Caheragh between Denis O’Driscoll and David Hegarty no stake in this one. This was a trap to line victory for Hegarty. He was down to Lissangle Cross in two huge bowls where he had big odds with the bowl. Hegarty rose the two bowls with a huge 3rd shot. O’Driscoll knocked the 2 bowls briefly back of the Bridge but Hegarty restored them again at Madore Cross. O’Driscoll got a good bowl to the start of Shellies Farm that knocked the 2 bowls of odds again as Hegarty got the worst shot of his near perfect score here in right. O’Driscoll was finishing well but Hegarty’s odds was just too much and he won out in the end by a bowl and big odds.

At Inchageela Denis Cooney will represent the Gaelteach region after his victory over Jim Coffey in the junior veteran final.

TED FINISHE'S OFF HIS UNDER-AGE TOURNAMENTS FOR 2025.

Ted Hegarty finished off his under-age tournaments at the Phale Road, in the Girl’s U-16 Meabh Cuinnea proved too strong for Orla Murphy and in the U-14 Anna Deane won out in the end from Saoirse O’Neill and Aoife McCarthy. At the May executive meeting Ted was highly commended for his tremendous under-taking on running of these tournaments every year over the winter months for the past seventeen years for the Boy’s and Girls of the county from U-8 to U-16.