Bowling Report - Week ending 15th June

DREAM OVER FOR MURPHY AND O'DONOVAN

COUNTY SEMI-FINAL DEFEATS FOR BRINNY AND BANDON BOWLERS

Gary Daly has had to wait ten years to contest the mens senior county final, but is back in the decider is back in the decider after defeating James O’Donovan by almost a bowl in their decider in Whitechurch. Playing for a stake of €8,000 a-side, Bandon bowler O’Donovan had a good first half in this score, Daly took the first shot but from here O’Donovan took over and was rising odds with every shot, his fourth shot could have been tighter right and have raised big odds but it was too wide left and only made the top of the hill. Daly got a huge bowl to the end of Quirke’s Wall and O’Donovan beat this by fifty meters, Daly’s next two shots were poor both caught the right dykes and he was well back of Boula Lane, O’Donovan was throwing his odds over thirty meters at this juncture, he also caught the right dyke and only beat tip by a hundred meters when it should have been much more. Daly got an incredible eighth shot up to the Guards House that O’Donovan only beat by forty meters. This was the start of a trend for Daly as he lined three better played bowls up past the Greens where he won back the lead by twenty five meters. O’Donovan missed sight at the Farm and Daly went peeping sight, both missed the Devils Bend but Daly had twenty five meters of an advantage. He held this odds around the Devils Bend but poor bowls from both here that went left. O’Donovan got a good sixteenth shot that Daly beat again by a valuable twenty five meters. O’Donovan seventeenth was very wide right and Daly lined another fantastic shot that just missed the finish line, O’Donovan was left with his last and just beat this tip.

AN ALL-FERMOY FINAL ON THE CARDS

We have an all Fermoy senior final after Arthur McDonagh beat Aidan Murphy at Ballinagree for a stake of €14,000 a-side. Both opened with two huge bowls with Brinny bowler Murphy taking the first by twelve meters. Two more each past Timmy Nuts and back of the junior line Murphy held a twenty meter lead. Murphy missed sight for Crowley’s Lane and McDonagh’s fourth shot was an incredible one that put him in control of the score out full sight and around at Crowley’s lane, McDonagh whipped his fifth out beautifully up through Caiplín Bán Cross and Murphy done well to keep it under the bowl. McDonagh played a few wayward bowls and got away with them but at the pink cottage Murphy still had a chance, but that right hand pull that he has was causing him serious problems. McDonagh got a perfect eleventh shot to the post office that raised the bowl fully for him, he held this and raised more odds past the quay wall in two more, Murphy reduced some of the odds up past the new houses but McDonagh was not going to be denied a place in this year’s Senior Final as he was facing the line in two more.

It was billed as the score of the season, when two of our top Gen-Z exponents of the game lined out at Clondrohid. Brian O’Driscoll playing Anthony Crowley in the county junior B semi-final for a stake of €38,500 a-side. That kind of money would put serious pressure on any player but it did not faze these two lads. O’Driscoll started with intent lining a massive first that Crowley missed well, Crowley recovered with a big second and reduced the odds substantially. Crowley took his first lead with another super bowl to O’Leary’s pillars as O’Driscoll was too tight right, but O’Driscoll done the impossible and made full light at the black house that won him back the lead again as Crowley totally misplayed his fifth and was lucky to get a rub. Both up to the Grotto in seven each where they were dead level. Crowley shifted his eight out beautifully and won back his second lead of the score but from here Crowley’s form faltered, he failed to open the Well bend in two and was facing a bowl of odds deficit here. There was still hope when O’Driscoll’s eleventh shot was very right but it was “called” and with his second attempt he made full sight below Kelleher’s farm that raised a bowl of odds for him putting the score beyond Crowley’s reach. After two more nearing the finish O’Driscoll had almost two bowls and he now awaits the winner of Micháel Desmond or Alex O’Donovan.

The second Ladies Intermediate semi-final was a very close affair at Templemartin mid-week between Julianne Hayes from Drinagh playing Ailbhie O’Shea from Macroom no stake in this one. Hayes took the first shot of this score but would not lead again until her eleventh at O’Riordans. O’Shea went sight at Slynes Corner in six great bowls, Hayes done well to keep it to a bowl of odds there. Hayes knocked odds with her next four great bowls to O’Riordans to take back the lead by thirty five meters. O’Shea got a great twelfth shot to Collins upper entrance and was fore bowl here by five meters, but this lead she did not hold on to as Hayes was back in front again with her next and she held that lead to the School Cross. Both cut through the Cross and Hayes had a twenty five meter advantage for the last shot, O’Shea played a nice quick bowl down the left track but it veered off right got a nice rub off the dyke and out sight at the Stonefield Bend, Hayes had a big bowl to beat but played it very well also down the left track it cushioned nicely off the left dyke and beat the tip by ten meters. It’s been a while since JuliannE has been in a county final 2008 in fact when she got beat in a U-12 final at Bweeng by Meghan Collins. She now plays former Cork & Donoughmore footballer Juliette Murphy in the final @ Castletown.

The senior ladies championship continued at Beal Na Blath where Triona Kidney had a last shot victory over Hannah Sexton playing for €400 a-side.

Niamh O' Sullivan won over Triona Murphy in the Carbery Junior Ladies Final at Leap.

MIXED FORTUNES FOR O'DONOVAN

At Ballygurteen in a Car-South West-West junior A quarter final score, Colin O’Donovan made the trip from London to play Donal Riordan from Bantry, going into this score Riordan was carrying an injury but still played for a stake of €2,100 a-side. O’Donovan was out and around full sight at the first bend in three great bowls where he had an early bowl of odds, two more well played bowls back of the women’s lane where his rose substantial odds and where Riordan conceded. On Sunday O’Donovan played in the next round of the same championship when he took on David Hegarty in the semi-final at Bauravilla, Hegarty was in blistering form in this score, he made Robins cross in two and got a huge fourth to the netting that raised a bowl of odds for him, O'Donovan try as he might could not reel in this dificit, Hegarty made the Rock in three more and at the Bridge his odds was doubled to two bowls, that he held to the finish, he now awaits the winner from Johnny v Jimy O'Driscoll semi-final.

A junior B quarter-final was played at Castletown Kenneigh between Micháel Desmond (Gaeltaecht) playing Shane Collins (North Cork) for a stake of €4,400 a-side. Desmond ten meters fore bowls after three to the railings. Collins took the lead briefly with a good fourth shot but Desmond was back in front again after six, he held a fifty meter lead up past Round Tower Cross and raised a bowl to Pynes corner and over to the netting that he held to the finish.

Novice Veteran quarter finals continued this past week, at Grenagh Tony Hickey (North Cork) beat John Donnellan (City) by the last shot for €1,200 a-side. At Togher Cross Ger Fitzpatrick (South West) had a tough battle on his hands to beat Clement Deane (Mid Cork) by last shot no stake. In a junior veteran score at Ballinagree it was uncle v nephew Jerry Murphy (Mid Cork) beat his nephew Richard Murphy (City) by one bowl. Jerry went on to play and beat last year’s county and all-Ireland winner Andrew O’Leary in the semi-final at Firmount. He now plays P.J. Cooney in the final at Grenagh.

COLEMAN CUP CONTINUES AT SHANNONVALE

Shannonvale held a Joe Coleman memorial cup score between Gavin Twohig and Noel O’Donovan playing for €3,200 a-side. No lead for O’Donovan in this one. Twohig was to the rock in two great bowls fifty meters ahead. O’Donovan got a super third bowl past McSweeney’s that reduced the odds down to two meters. Twohig rose big odds again in two more around the quarry bend, O’Donovan had a chance of being level at Desmond’s but blipped his eight and was a bowl down. Twohig held his bowl advantage to the end of Kingston’s wall in three more. A super thirteenth shot from O’Donovan reduced the odds considerably but he undid his good work with a poor fourteenth, Twohig went full sight for Campbell’s with his fourteenth that rose big odds with the bowl again for him, O’Donovan missed Campbell’s again with his next and Twohig took the honours.

The Youth are getting down to the business side of the championships with plenty quarter finals played over the last week. At The Phale Road Tadgh Hickey (Mid Cork) beat Darragh Ahern (South West) in the Boy’s u-16 quarter-final, Ed McCarthy (Carbery) beat Michael Foley (Mid Cork) in the Boy’s U-12 quarter-final. At Carrignavar Culann Bourke (North Cork) beat Myles Connors (City) in the Boy’s U-16 quarter-final, Charlie Callanan (City) beat Jayden Crowley (North Cork) Boy’s U-12 quarter-final. At Kilcorney Cathal Creedon (Gael) beat Patrick O’Driscoll (Lon) Boy’s U-18 prelimenary round. At The Phale Road Meabh Cuinnea (Car) beat Anna Deane (Mid) Girl’s U-16 QF.