Bowling Report - Week ending 20th July

Girl's U-18 SF @ Bauravilla Emma Hurley bt Laura Sexton with ref Dermot Herlihy

Intermediate Finalists @ Conna Timmy McDonagh R-up & Paidin Stokes winner with ref Mickey Hurley

Darren Harrington South West Novice B Winner with supporters

Kelly Mallon retains her Senior Ulster Title

Timmy McDonagh in Intermediate County Final Action @ Conna

Simon O'Connell North Cork Nov-A R-up with Regional Chairman Olan Noonan

Paddy Stokes Junior A County winner with supporters

David Crowley North Cork Novice A Winner with regional Chairman Olan Noonan

Paidin Stokes Junior A County winner at Baile Bhuirne

Noel O'Donovan in Junior A County Final action @ Baile Bhuirne

Junior Ladies SF @ Caheragh Laura Sexton beat Emma Hurley

North East Novice D Winner Vincent O'Leary with Michael Murphy

Junior A County Finalists Jimmy O'Driscoll R-up, Noel O'Donovan R-up and Paidin Stokes Winner

Jimmy O'Driscoll R-up in the Junior A County Final @ Baile Bhuirne in Action

Ladies Senior SF " Terelton Denise Murphy R-up & Hannah Sexton Winner with ref Connie Lehane

Eoin O'Donovan Mid Cork Jun-C Winner with regional chairman Martin Foley

North Cork Novice A Finalists David Crowley bt Simon O'Connell

Paidin Stokes in Junior A County Final Action @ Baile Bhuirne

Senior Ladies Playoff @ Newcestown Veronica O'Mahony, Triona Kidney & Hannah Sexton

South West Nov-D @ Timoleague Timmie O'Sullivan bt Jack O'Driscoll

Girl's U-18 SF @ Templemartin Darcy O'Brien bt Jena Healy with ref Gretta Cormican

Aaron McDonnell North East Novice D R-up with Michael Murphy

John Hayes Holland Mid Cork Novice D Winner @ Dunderrow.

Mid Cork Novice D Finalists @ Dunderrow John Hayes Holland bt Denis O'Driscoll with ref Leo Carroll

South West Novice B Finalists Darren Harrington Winner & Shane Nugent R-up.

Eoin O'Donovan Mid Cork Junior C Winner with supporters @ Templemartin

FAMILY BRAGGING RIGHTS

The McDonagh’s and Stoke’s of the South, like the Toal’s-Mackle’s & Rafferty’s of the North are now dominating the premier championships, Senior, Intermediate and Junior A. In the Intermediate final at Conna Páidín Stokes beat his cousin Timmy McDonagh by one bowl. Stokes may not have had the best of starts in this final, McDonagh made out Flynn’s corner in three great bowls where he was throwing his odds over seventy meters, he raised the bowl of odds with a great fifth to Cullinane’s. Stokes got an incredible sixth to the bridge that reeled in McDonagh’s bowl advantage as he only beat this by six meters in two shots. Stokes replied with another huge bowl to the railings that gave him back the lead by fifty meters. Stokes raised huge odds with his ninth and tenth to the gasline, and raised the bowl fully with his eleventh to the silver tank. Both were on top of the line in two more with Stokes winning by one bowl.

In the Junior A Final the following day Paddy Stokes first cousin of Páidín won the Junior A final at Baile Bhuirne from Jimmy O’Driscoll, Clonakilty and Noel O’Donovan, Crossbarry This one went off for a stake of €2,800 a-side. Nothing separated them after three shots, O’Driscoll and O’Donovan made the end of the long wall in four and Stokes got a massive bowl that O’Driscoll missed with his fifth and O’Donovan just beat to keep it under the bowl. Stokes made the island in two more but O’Donovan was reeling him in as he got a huge seventh, a couple of wayward shots from O’Donovan to the council yard and again Stokes raised big odds on both a bowl on O’Driscoll and seventy meters on O’Donovan. O’Driscoll was fighting his way back into this score as there was a lot of betting between O’Donovan and O’Driscoll for second place. After twelve each Stokes was still throwing big odds over both players. Stokes was on top of the line in two more with O’Driscoll second and O’Donovan 3rd.

The boys and girls U-18 county semi-finals were played over the past week. At Beal Na Marbh Anthony Crowley of the city lost his second county semi-final to Cathal Creedon having previously been beaten in the junior b county semi-final by Brian O’Driscoll. Crowley took his only lead of this score with his fourth shot to the top of the hill. Creedon made the rock in six where he had almost a bowl of odds. Creedon got a valuable rub with his eight shot to sight where he was still throwing his odds over fifty meters. He raised the bowl with a massive ninth to the start of the hedging, Creedon made full sight in two more, but scattered his twelfth to drop valuable odds to the bare bowl. Crowley knocked the bowl with a big fourteenth, but Creedon got two super last shots to win by a big bowl of odds.

In the second semi-final played at Lyre favourite Shane Crowley from Schull beat Jonathon Deane from Dunmanway for a stake of €1,600 a-side. Deane took the first shot of this score and it was to be his only lead. Crowley got a huge second shot to the forestry entrance that gave him the lead by forty meters. Two more bowls each over the tunnel where Crowley just had his nose in front. Deans sixth shot covered an unreal amount of road and looked like the lead but Crowley followed and beat it by twenty five meters, Deane’s score from here fell apart, and he missed sight at Crowley’s bend in two and missed the crossover where he was now two bowls of odds down. Crowley held this odds to the big tree, from here Deane got another massive bowl that knocked odds but not enough as Crowley was over the finish line in three more a bowl of odds winner. He now plays Cathal Creedon in the final at Bantry on this Friday July 25th at 6.15pm.

DARCY O'BRIEN (CLONDROHID) WILL PLAY IN U-18 & JUNIOR FINALS

In the Girl’s u-18 semi-finals, Emma Hurley Drinagh beat Laura Sexton Timoleague at Bauravilla, playing for a stake of €1,150 a-side. Nothing separated them to Deckkers in eight each where Hurley had ten meters. Hurley upped the ante between here and the novice d line where she raised a bowl of odds and held this to the finish.

The second girls u-18 semi-final was played at Templemartin between Darcy O’Brien Clondrohid playing Jena Healy Kilcorney, O'Brien got a super opening bowl that yielded her almost a bowl of odd, but undid all her good work with a poor second, both missed Slynes corner in three, Healy unleashed a perfect fourth that won her the lead for the first time. O’Brien won back the lead by thirty meters with a fantastic seventh up the rising road. O’Brien held a fifty meter advantage at the end of Collins Wall but a poor tenth shot reduced her odds down to twenty five meters. O’Brien missed the cross with her thirteenth and Collins got a smashing shot all the way up to the cross. O’Brien was too tight left with her next and missed the tip by ten meters. O’Brien’s fifteenth got a bad take-off and went left, Collins beat this by twenty five meters. O’Brien’s next did serious damage, she opened the Stonefield bend with an incredible sixteenth shot that got everything, Collins missed this in two and was suddenly down a bowl of odds, O’Brien finished with another huge bowl to Buttimers and progress’s on to the Final. Incidentally Darcy O’Brien will be contesting two finals over the course of the next week, the girl’s U-18 and the junior ladies.

SEXTON AND CRONIN TO CLASH IN FINAL

A Senior Ladies playoff was played at Newcestown between Triona Kidney, Hannah Sexton & Veronica O’Mahony, A sluggish start from Sexton in this score where she was a bowl down at the lollipops with Kidney the front runner. Sexton and O’Mahony made O’Brien’s cross in five and Kidney had a fifty meter advantage on both here. At Kingston’s in eight for O’Mahony and Sexton and Kidney still throwing her odds over both. Two more to Hurley’s house and on for Canty’s lane where Kidney raised the bowl again on Sexton and O’Mahony was keeping it under the bowl on Sexton. From here Sexton found her grove and lined a huge twelfth out the last bend, Kidney missed this tip and O’Mahony who was ahead of Sexton for so long was now in last position. O’Mahony lined a big thirteenth to O’Callaghan’s entrance, Kidney followed this to hold her bowl of odds on O’Mahony and Sexton beat both tips to keep it under the bowl. Kidney just missed the line with her last, Sexton beat the line and O’Mahony missed Sextons tip, so Sexton & Kidney went through to the Semi-Finals.

Both Senior Ladies semi-finals were played, on Friday at Templemichael Hannah Cronin from Togher played Triona Kidney from Carrigtwohill for a stake of €700 a-side. Kidney was the favourite in this score going on her performance in Newcestown the previous Monday. Nothing between them after three each Kidney fore by two feet. Cronin took her first lead with her fifth shot. Three poor bowls in succession from Kidney put her in trouble as Cronin was raising odds with each shot. Cronin raised the bowl of odds with her tenth shot but Kidney rallied late to bring Cronin’s odds down to thirty meters but after three more on top of the line for Cronin she won by a bowl.

On Saturday in atrocious wet conditions at Terelton Hannah Sexton Timoleague beat Denise Murphy Ballinagree convincingly, Sexton was bowling out of her skin got an incredible second shot that raised her first bowl of odds, Murphy’s third went left at Calnans entrance and Sexton unleashed another huge bowl past the layby that Murphy missed and now two bowls of odds down. Murphy knocked the two bowls with her best of the day her seventh to O’Brien’s Cottage, but Sexton went through the Garage forecourt in three more huge bowls to win by three bowls of odds. The Final Hannah Cronin v Hannah Sexton will be contested at Bauravilla on Saturday at 5.30pm followed by the junior ladies final between Emma Hurley Drinagh and Darcy O’Brien Clondrohid.

REGIONAL FINALS COMING TO A CLOSE

Junior C & Novice Regional Finals for the third and final series of all-Irelands in Drogheda in September are taking place at all regions. At Ballyclough Vincent O’Leary beat Aaron McDonnell in the Nov-D. At Ballydehob James Murphy beat Brendan O’Driscoll in the Nov-C. At Beal Na Marbh David Crowley beat Simon O’Connell in the Nov-A. At Dunderrow John Hayes-Holland beat Denis O’Driscoll in the Nov-D. At Lyre Kieran O’Driscoll beat Eoin McCarthy beat Ivan Buchannan in the Jun-C. At Templemartin Eoin O’Donovan beat Eugene Kieran in the Jun-C. At Ballygurteen Darren Harrington beat Shane Nugent in the Nov-B. At Rosscarbery Finbarr Coughlan beat Joe O’Brien in the Nov-A. At Clashmore Padraigh O’Brien beat Ben Cooney in the Nov-B.

AN TAOISEACH ROLLS UP HIS SLEEVES TO OPEN 1ST SERIES OF ALL-IRELANDS @ CASTLETOWN

The Official opening of the first series of All-Irelands at Castletown was performed by An Taoiseach Micháel Martin on what was possible the hottest day of the year so far. Our secretary Seamus O’Tuama made reference to the fact that the Ahern’s who are the Taoiseach’s cousins from his mother’s side that live in Lisgould were once prominent bowlers who achieved distinction in their time. An Taoiseach said that road bowling is not just a rural sport, where he came from in Turners Cross that road bowling was a strong cultural tradition played by his late uncles before large housing estates were built. He welcomed the people from Armagh, Waterford, Mayo and New York to Castletown. He thanked our chairman Willie Murphy and P’J O’Mahony for their very kind invitation and wished all who had any input in the organising of the weekend every success. He said it takes an extraordinary amount of work to organise a major sporting event of this magnitude. He hoped that all who will attend on the weekend will enjoy and respect the event that they are at. Sport brings joy to all our lives, for the individual, it plays a crucial role in our physical, mental and social well-being. For our communities sport can also be found at the heart of flourishing, vibrant communities acting as a glue that unites people across geography, background and generations. He said that road bowling offers us all of these things.

Road bowling is also a unique Irish tradition that is deeply rooted in the rural and urban communities, a sport that has been successfully passed down from generation to generation, on winding country roads equipped with a simple steel bowl and a gathered crowd we see living tradition in motion. Road bowling reminds us that heritage is not static, it lives, it breaths, and it grows with each new generation that picks up the bowl and takes to the road. Our traditions are worth supporting, protecting and passing on, road bowling is an example where sport and heritage meet. He spoke of a shared Ireland initiative, the government is working to build and grow greater connections and understandings between communities and people North and South. Those in the road bowling community are well ahead of the game on this with a very special and long standing connection that exists between here and Co. Armagh. This weekend is a testament of the passion and resilience of everyone here that we can continue to celebrate sporting events like this the road bowling all-Ireland championships. This weekend would not be possible without the resolve of the competitors, the selfishness of the volunteers and the love of the supporters, without all of you giving of your time, unique sports like road bowling would die out. All of you here today are the lifeblood of this sport and for that I thank you. To match your dedication the government is committed to supporting sports in our local communities across Ireland so that, everyone can enjoy the many benefits that sports offer us.

This support can take many forms such as funding from Sport Ireland to national governing bodies of sport like Ból Chumann na hÉireann and assisting with achieving equal representation in sporting organisations. Ensuring equal opportunities for women in sport is a central goal of our national sports policy. He is thrilled that there are so many women and girls involved in road bowling. We must work hard to reduce the participation gap between men and women in sport and to reduce the dropout of young girls from sport. As part of these efforts the number of women in leadership positions in sport will have to increase including on the boards of national governing bodies, and it is important that young girls see woman at decision making levels and the government is working hard to reach clarity in this area. He wished all enjoyment in these championships over the weekend, he thanked Ból Chumann na hÉireann for it wonderful efficiency in organising this event and many events across the county, in protecting and promoting a unique Irish sport. An Taoiseach then changed into his bowling shoes to show us how he can throw the Iron bowl.