Harrington and Hurley qualify for the inaugural Girls U12 & U14 All Ireland Finals at Madden

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In a double bill at Béal na Marbh on Monday Freddie Scannell from the Gaeltacht beat Alan Butler from Mid Cork in a Nov-A QF score for a stake of €500 a-side. Both went up sight in two where Butler had a one meter advantage. Scannell took back the lead with a fast, accurate bowl, after two more from Scannell he extended his odds. Butler made the top of the hill with his sixth and Scannell dropped a lot of odds when he misplayed his bowl right. Scannell recovered from that with two huge bowls past the rock, but Butler lined a couple of perfect bowls to the end of the lawn and Scannell’s odds was back to twenty five meters. Butler failed to go sight at the forest entrance in two and Scannell went out fully, Butler made the upper side of the entrance and Scannell in two more was sight for the line and had a bowl of odds winning margin, he now plays Alan Brickley from West Cork in the semi-final at Jagoes Mills. In the return score Conor Desmond from Mid Cork had a two bowls of odds victory over Conor Cotter from the Gaeltacht, playing for a stake of €1,750 a-side. Cotter took the first three shots out straight road past the forest entrance, but from here it was all Desmond, he lined huge fourth, fifth and sixth shots past the rock to raise a bowl of odds, and had almost two bowls after three more shots, Cotter missed sight for the finish line and Desmond goes on to play Dan O’Regan from North Cork at Carrignavar.

Timmy McDonagh North East (Son of Arthur) beat Kieran Hickey Mid Cork in the Boy’s U12 SF at Ballinagree. Some thrilling scores in this under-age series. Hickey was in control for the first seven shots of this score, but McDonagh was keeping it under the bowl of odds. An incredible eight from McDonagh down the hill to full sight reduced Hickey’s odds to thirty meters. McDonagh’s ninth was unlucky but it was enough to win him his first lead as Hickey was way right of sop. Both made sight for the finish line with McDonagh having a ten meter advantage. Hickey got a great bowl over the short straight that McDonagh just beat. Hickey was too tight right with his second last and McDonagh beat this by twenty meters for the last shots. Hickey missed the line and there was no doubt about McDonagh’s shot played to perfection. He now plays Charlie Callanan from the City in the final at Grenagh, Charlie beat Jack Ronan from North Cork at Ballinacurra in the second semi-final.

HARRINGTON AND HURLEY QUALIFY FOR THE INAUGURAL GIRLS U12 & U14 ALL IRELANDS AT MADDEN

Lyre hosted the Girl’s U12 & U14 finals, first up Ciara Harrington from Carbery played Cait Young from West Cork in the U12 final. After three shots each to Hegarty’s Wall Young had three meters of odds. Harrington made the top of the Mason’s hill in two more and Young got a huge fifth to the bottom of the hill. Harrington replied with a well-played sixth to the start of the railings that Young beat by fifty meters. Two more from Harrington past the double gates that Young beat by twenty meters, Harrington was clawing her way back into this score. Harrington’s ninth shot was very right and gave Young a huge opportunity to raise big odds but she was also right and only beat the tip by thirty five meters. Harrington knocked further odds with a good bowl to the school kerbing and delivered an incredible eleventh half way to the Creamery that won her back the lead by almost a bowl of odds as both Young’s bowls went left. Harrington went on top of the line with her last to take the honours and book her place in the inaugural U12 All-Ireland final that will be played in Madden, Armagh on Sunday August 16.

In the return score at Lyre Aoife McCarthy from Carbery played Nicola Hurley from West Cork, there was nothing between them after their first, Harrington’s second looked buried right but her left hand pull saved it and it made the start of the school where she had a fifteen meter advantage. McCarthy’s third shot was always right and Hurley made straight road. After two more it was an even bowl of odds for Hurley. McCarthy had it under the bowl of odds with her sixth to O’Donovan’s pillars and had it back to ten meters after her next. However McCarthy failed to make the top of the Mason’s hill in two more and here Hurley had a big advantage as she made up to the steps. McCarthy made a bold effort with her tenth shot, that went sight for the home straight but Hurley made the nooks on to the flat of the road. A blunder from McCarthy when she was too tight right and Hurley took full advantage going to Hegarty’s wall in two big bowls to raise almost a bowl of odds and book her place in the inaugural girls U14 final at Madden Armagh on Sunday August 16.

Liam Kearney from the Gaeltacht a Nov-C county finalist in 2025 beat Conor O’Donovan Mid Cork in a Nov-B QF at Beal Na Marbh, playing for a stake of €690 a-side. After three each to the farm gate Kearney had thirty meters of odds and extended this to eighty meters after two more over the hill. Kearney got a great rub past the rock to extend his lead to a hundred meters. O’Donovan halved that odds in two more at the start of the straight. O’Donovan took his first lead at the middle of the hedging by two meters. At the Forest entrance O’Donovan had odds of only one meter, but Kearney was back in front again looking at the line, O’Donovan was too tight left and missed the line and Kearney beat it. Earlier in the week two more county quarter final scores were played Freddie Scannell beat Alan Butler playing for a stake of €500 a-side, Both went up sight in two with Scannell fore bowl by half a meter. Scannell played a more consistent score, whereas Butler was off target with some and there were weak. At the top of the hill Scannell had a big advantage of putting big odds on the tip but he was way right of play and only beat the tip by forty five meters, this advantage he held in two more past the rock. Scannell got a huge ninth to the palms but Butler got a super tenth onto the straight that got him right back into the score as Scannell only beat the tip by twenty five meters. Butler had to cover the straight in two but this he failed to do as both of his shots went right. Scannell made sight with the aid of a rub and was now throwing his odds over thirty five meters, he beat the line in three more to win by almost a bowl of odds. On the return route in a Nov-D QF score Conor Cotter from the Gaeltacht played Conor Desmond from Mid Cork for a stake of €1,750 a-side. Cotter took the first three shots past the forest entrance, but this was a good as it got for Cotter and Desmond lined three huge bowls past the rock to lead by fifty meters. Cotter buried his seventh to fall a bowl of odds down. After two more from Desmond’s his odds was almost two bowls of odds that he held out to the last bend before the line.

NORTH CORK TAKE THE SPOILS AT GRENAGH

It was a double victory for North Cork at Grenagh on Friday evening last when David Crowley beat Mickey Wall in the Jun-C QF and Dan O’Regan beat Aaron Walsh in the Nov-D QF. David Crowley was in blistering form in hi bowl of odds win over Mickey Wall, Wall had only one fore bowl in this score that being his first. Crowley went out the double bends in four sensational shots, Wall done well to keep it under the bowl of odds, after six and seven to Murphy’s Farm, Crowley’s odds was sixty meters. Past the Bungalow’s in two more Crowley extended his odds to a hundred meters. Crowley raised the bowl with his tenth shot as Wall’s bowl turned in right and his next was of a shorter version also right. Crowley went out Boula cross in twelve shots where it was under the two bowls of odds. It was back to a bowl of odds at the cross but Wall missed sight for the line and Crowley cut the bend nicely and out full sight to set himself up in a semi-final against Eugene Kiernan from Mid Cork or Anthony Lynch for the Gaeltacht.

In the return score Dan O’Regan showed his favouritism with a trap to line win and a two bowls of odds winning margin over Aaron Walsh, playing for a stake of €700 a-side. Both opened Boula cross with their first shots, O’Regan had nice odds after three shots but a blunder with his fourth across right reduced his margin to ten meters. But O’Regan steadied himself and produced two good bowls that raised a bowl of odds cushion for him, Walsh knocked the bowl briefly with a good eight but O’Regan raised it again instantly with his next. O’Regan held this odds to the double bends and produced a sensational last shot to the lollipops that raised a second bowl for him, he now plays Conor Desmond from Mid Cork in the semi-final at Carrignavar.

On Saturday also at Grenagh, a further two county quarter final scores were held, in a Nov-A QF Tommy O’Donoghue from East Cork beat Eamonn Murphy from North Cork by two bowls of odds for a stake of €1,100 a-side. Three each to the lollipops Murphy was thirty meters fore bowl. At the palms O’Donoghue took the lead by fifteen meters, he raised almost a bowl of odds at the White house and took two bowls of odds out to Boula cross and held it to the line. In the return score Danny Quirke from East Cork beat Mark O’Flynn from North Cork by one bowl of odds for a stake of €1,000 a-side. They went out level to Boula cross, Flynn led by fifteen meters after two more but Quirke was back in front at the palms. At the double bends Quirke had almost a bowl of odds and raised it and won by a bowl.

KIERNAN LET THIS ONE SLIP FROM HIS GRASP

Beal Na Marbh held the last of the Junior C QF between Anthony Lynch from the Gaeltacht and Eugene Kiernan from Mid Cork, they played for a stake of €2,200 a-side. After two shots each up sight Kiernan led by ten meters. At the top of the hill in three more Kiernan had almost a bowl of odds, at the rock in two more Lynch had the odds back to forty meters. Lynch got a huge eight shot past Hubbard’s that won him his first lead of the score, but Kiernan was back in front again at the start of the lawn. After twelve each to the forest entrance Kiernan odds was only ten meters. Two poor bowls from Kiernan in succession put himself out of the score, Lynch was facing down for the finish line and Kiernan only beat this tip by twenty meters. Lynch missed the finish line and Kiernan missed this tip.

Beal Na Marbh wrapped up the last of the QF’s when John Hickey from Mid Cork beat Evan Kelleher from the Gaealtach in a Nov-C QF score playing for a stake of €2,200 a-side. At the pump in three shots each Hickey had a one meter lead. At the top of the hill in two more Hickey extended his lead to twenty meters. Two more to Hubbard’s from Hickey and he gained a further advantage. Kelleher got a super eight shot that knocked the odds back to ten meters. At the end of the palms in ten shots each Hickey was keeping his noise in front by twenty five meters. Two more shots each from Hickey to the Forest entrance and he had a huge advantage as Kelleher missed full sight and only beat the tip again by a few meters short of a bowl of odds, from here it was corner to corner and three more over the line where Hickey will progress to the SF to play Danny Quirke from East Cork at the Bog Road.

Fishers Cross was the venue for the last Nov-B QF between Shane Dennehy from North Cork and Sidney Shannon from Carbery, such a long trip for Dennehy but he made it worth his while when he won by two bowl of odds for a stake of €1,700 a-side. Both missed up sight for the first bend. Dennehy went out to Footman’s Cross in five and it took Shannon six a bowl of odds down. After two more past O’Sullivan’s entrance Dennehy held his bowl of odds advantage. Dennehy got a super bowl back of the Galley Bridge and he had almost two bowl of odds at this juncture, which he held out to the Carhouse bend where he now plays Liam Kearney from the Gaeltacht at Castletown in the semi-final.

Lyre held a Junior A tournament score between Edmund Sexton and Jimmy O’Driscoll playing for a stake of €2,200 a-side with O’Driscoll a big favourite. Three each past the forest entrance O’Driscoll had fifty meters of odds. Sexton’s fourth shot was “called” and his second attempt was too tight right. Over the tunnel in five and six Sexton was keeping it under the bowl of odds. O’Driscoll got a super sixth past Crowley’s Wall and Sexton done better when he made Crowley’s domestic entrance. O’Driscoll missed sight for Crowley’s bend with his seventh it was way left and Sexton came up and around that O’Driscoll beat by fifteen meters. Sexton crossed over and O’Driscoll buried his next two shots in right and suddenly Sexton was a bowl of odds in front. O’Driscoll got a great eleventh shot up and around McCarthy’s bend that knocked the bowl of odds briefly, but Sexton restored his bowl advantage with a huge eleventh to the big tree, but it wasn’t over yet as Sexton got two poor bowls and suddenly his odds was back to forty meters for the last shots. O’Driscoll just beat the line and Sexton had two attempt at beating this as his first attempt was “called” and he beat it well with his second attempt. In a return score Darren Harrington beat Fergus “Quenchers” O’Sullivan by two bowl of odds for a stake of €5,200 a-side.

Ballygurteen are progressing on with their Paddy Murray Cup, on Sunday Micháel Desmond beat David Shannon in a below par score for a stake of 1,800 a-side. They were both out the first bend in three each with Shannon fore bowl by twelve meters. That was his last lead as Desmond took over from the fourth shot onwards, and at the Women’s Lane he was throwing his odds over forty meters. Desmond got a good bowl and Shannon missed this tip to fall a bowl down. Back of O’Mahoney’s Avenue, Desmond had almost two bowls of odds all to one meter, as Shannon was very right of play. Shannon got some good bowls and had it back to an even bowl up past Mahoney’s coffee dock and on to O’Donovan’s bend where it was an even bowl of odds. Shannon got an incredible bowl from here that looked like it might knock big odds but the killer came when Desmond followed and beat the tip by twenty meters with the bowl. There was no back now for Shannon. Shannon got caught right and Desmond beat this well to book his place in the semi-final.

Macroom honoured their All Ireland Winners Eoin O'Riordan and Ailbhie O'Shea with a parade through the town on Wednesday evening last.

In other Novice and Junior C County scores Don O’Driscoll West Cork beat Jamie Carroll North East in the Nov-C QF, Robert Coleman North East beat Brendan Dudley one bowl Nov-D QF for €2,550 a-side, Alan Brickley West Cork beat Arthur Pio McDonagh in the Nov-A QF no stake all at Baile Bhuirne. John Linehan, City beat P.J. O’Driscoll South West in the Nov-C QF by two bowls for €1,350 a-side, Timmie O’Sullivan South West beat Declan O’Leary City by the last shot for €3,250 a-side in the Nov-B QF and Garreth Burke City beat Stephen O’Connell South West by the last shot for no stake all at Ballinacurra.