James O' Donovan powers into Semi-Final

Willie Stokes in U-18 action at Terelton

U-18 QF at Terelton Tom McCarthy (Car) r-up, Willie Stokes (NE) Winner with ref Jimmy Hennessy

U-18 County QF at Grange Jack Allen (Mid) bt Ethan Hurley (West) with reff Chris Coleman

Tommy O'Sullivan r-up to James O'Donovan in Senior Quarter Final at Shannonvale

To McCarthy in U-18 action at Terelton

South West U-18 Final presentation at Lyre

Senior SF at Newcestown Hannah Sexton Winner, Veronica O'Mahony R-up with John O'Driscoll, Ref

Senior SF at Newcestown Hannah Cronin R-up, Denise Murphy Winner with referee Bernie O'Donovan

Senior Championship at Carrignavar Pa Flood R-up, Arthur McDonagh Winner with Pat Scanlon Referee

Premier A Junior A Final at Ballygurteen Darragh Dempsey beat Cathal Creedon

Mid Cork Junior-C SF at Ballinacurra, Christopher Murphy beat Kevin Ó'Cruálaoi

Jayden Crowley U-16 North Cork R-up at Berrings

James O'Donovan in Senior QF action at Shannonvale.

Jack Allen in U-18 QF action at Grange

Girls U-18 Final at Laura Laura Sexton bt Grace Ahern

Ethan Hurley in U-18 QF action at Grange

U-18 County QF at Timoleague Emma Hurley (West) winner, Anna Deane (Mid) R-up with ref Donal O'Donov

Gaelteacht Nov Vet Final at Baile Bhurine Freddie Scannell (Winner), Noel Murphy (R-up) with Eamonn

Cathal Creedon in Premier Junior A action at Ballygurteen

Darragh Dempsey in Premier Junior A action at Ballygurteen

5th Class from St Patricks School Skibbereen, practising Roadbowling at the strip at the Showgrounds

Culann Bourke North Cork U-16 Winner at Berrings

James O' Donovan is through to the semi-finals of the men's senior championship after surviving a epic battle with Tommy O'Sullivan at Shannonvale, playing for no stake. O’Sullivan made a blistering start in this score he was out the quarry bend in four huge bowls where he had a full bowl of odds, at Buttimer’s in two more he held his bowl advantage and thirty meters, O’Donovan missed Desmond’s but put himself up far enough for a loft. O’Sullivan went for the killer up the left track in the hopes of rising two instead it got caught left and a long way hind of O’Donovan’s tip. The latter lofted his seventh and now O’Sullivan was only throwing his odds over fifty meters. O’Donovan got a great eight up onto the flat of the road and O’Sullivan’s was unlucky to drift left only twelve meters fore bowl. O’Donovan followed up with another super bowl to the end of Kingston’s wall that gave him his first lead of the score as O’Sullivan was too tight right and caught the high grass. After two more each back of Tobin’s where both had chances to pull away O’Donovan had ten meters of odds. O’Sullivan missed sight for Campbell’s and O’Donovan missed the tip. O’Donovan recovered the lead with a great bowl to Campbell’s lane but O’Sullivan was back in front again after the next shots out sight for the home straight. O’Donovan got two attempts at this next and gained ten meters, O’Sullivan missed the tip by fifteen meters, but we weren’t quite done yet, O’Sullivan got a super sixteenth that fell forty meters short of the finish line and O’Donovan missed this tip by thirty meters, O’Donovan done the impossible and opened the last bend past the layby and O’Sullivan missed this by a hundred meters. O’Donovan’s awaits the winner from the Aidan Murphy v Brian Wilmot score in the semi-final.

Another stake less affair was played at Templemichael where Gary Daly beat Martin Coppinger in a first round score. Daly was in control after three shots, but a super loft from Coppinger kept the deficit under the bowl. Both out the straight in five each where Daly led by thirty five meters. Coppinger got a huge sixth that Daly missed well, but Daly brought the lead back to two meters with a great eight shot and a poor bowl from Coppinger. Out the cross in nine each Daly led by forty meters. Coppinger’s tenth was an excellent shot but Daly followed and beat it by ten meters. At the forest in eleven each Coppinger had eight meters of odds. Gary got an average twelfth that Coppinger put nothing on. At the lollipops in fourteen each Daly led by ten meters and extended that to eighty after the next shots. Coppinger kept himself in it after a big sixteenth out sight for the line. Daly only beat this by three meters. A big loft from Coppinger that Daly beat by ten meters. A poor next from Coppinger and Daly pushed well ahead but Coppinger lined a big last and Daly went in well hind but speed got it out and he beat the tip by three meters. Arthur McDonagh had a close call at Carrignavar in the senior championship when he won by only the last shot over Patrick Flood.

STOKES REACHES INTERMEDIATE FINAL

An Intermediate semi-final score was played at Firmount where Paddy Stokes the favourite got the better of Michael Murphy. The bowling was well below par. Nothing between after three shots. After two more Stokes held a slender lead of five meters. Murphy took his first lead with a big sixth as Stokes bowl broke right. After two more Murphy was only holding on to the lead should have more odds raised. A big ninth from Stokes and a chance for Murphy to go out the bend that he took and raided big odds. Stokes beat this to keep it under the bowl by thirty meters. After two more Murphy had almost a full bowl of odds, but Stokes got a massive bowl to the grotto that Murphy beat by ten meters just keeping his nose in front. Stokes missed sight for the last bend and Murphy went dirty sight. Stokes next was “called” and he gained forty meters with his second attempt. Murphy just beat the tip by five meters for the last shots. Stokes put down a huge last that Murphy opted for left track and missed tip well.

Brian O’Driscoll unbeaten run in championship, stretching to 2023, came to an end at Kilcorney where he got beat by Gaeltacht man Cathal Creedon by one bowl, playing for no stake. After three shots each to the passage Creedon had a minimal lead of fifteen meters. A big touch off the right dyke for O’Driscoll’s fourth took him sight for the bridge. Creedon just beat tip to go sight also. Both down and around the bridge in two more Creedon was still fore bowl by one meter. Up the rising road past the mill in two more O’Driscoll took his first lead. O’Driscoll held a slender lead after three more, had a chance of raising big odds but brought his bowl too far and it fell right. Creedon was back in front again with a huge bowl just short of the bend, O’Driscoll was crazy right and missed tip by eighty meters. Creedon would be led no more in this score and plays Darragh Dempsey in the premier junior a final at Ballygurteen.

VICTORY FOR DEMPSEY IN PREMIER JUNIOR A FINAL

In the Premier Junior A final at Ballygurteen, Darragh Dempsey carried the favourites tag, and there was no stake. Three each up and around the first bend where Creedon had fifteen meters of odds. Creedon was back of the Women’s lane in two more excellent shots and had almost a bowl of odds. Dempsey lined a huge seventh back of O’Mahony’s avenue that Creedon beat by twenty five meters in two. Dempsey took his second lead with his eight shot as Creedon was very left and could not pull it back and was very left again with his next and now Dempsey was in control. However Dempsey dropped huge odds with his ninth and tenth shots when they were both very right and at the layby only three meters separated them. After two more up sight at O’Donovan’s bend, Dempsey’s lead was only ten meters. Creedon got another great bowl back of Burke’s entrance but his next was left and only made Burke’s wicket gate, Dempsey punished this shot when he made Granure cross, Creedon missed the line and Dempsey had nothing to beat.

CLASS PERFORMANCE FROM SEXTON IN PADDY MURRAY CUP

Edmund Sexton progressed to the semi-final of the Paddy Murray Mem Cup at the expense of Noel O’Regan at Ballygurteen, playing for €4,500 a-side. Sexton got the dream start in this score when he went up and well around the first bend in two shots to have almost two bowls of odds all to twenty meters. Sexton raised the bowl with another big shot past Dullea’s new house. O’Regan made the women’s lane in seven and Sexton had two bowls and big odds on him there. He had the makings of three bowls after his seventh to O’Mahony’s avenue, after three more past the coffee dock, O’Regan had it under the two bowls as Sexton’s eleventh was always right and could not pull out of it. Sexton followed up with another poor bowl when he missed sight at O’Donovan’s cottage, but was almost two bowls up again after his thirteenth to the big tree. Sexton sealed the deal with two more to Granure cross.

MOTHER AND SON BOW OUT OF CHAMPIONSHIPS

Tom McCarthy from Skibbereen bowed out of the U-18 county championship when he was beat by Willie Stokes of the city region at Terelton, playing for a stake of €1,500 a-side. Stokes raised an early bowl of odds after two huge opening shots. McCarthy got a great fourth shot past the layby that knocked the bowl of odds. Stokes replied with another big bowl past the well gate where he had fifty meters of odds. McCarthy unleashed a fantastic seventh shot past O’Sullivan’s cottage and Stokes caught the right dyke and gave McCarthy his first lead, but this lead was short-lived as Stokes got a super bowl just to the garage yard, McCarthy missed this in two and fell a bowl down again, McCarthy lined a big ninth but Stokes was covering all tips. McCarthy had it under the bowl again at Lehane’s lane, but a short thirteenth in right and with a poor fourteenth also he was now almost two bowls down. At Buckley’s lane Stokes raised the two bowls and now meets the winner of Culann Bourke or Rory Twohig in the semi-final.

Eileen McCarthy mother of Tom also lost her Junior Ladies preliminary road to Aisling O’Callaghan representing the East/Waterford region when they played at Castletown. O’Callaghan led from start to finish in this one, O’Callaghan was at the first cross in three bowls where she had a bowl of odds. McCarthy done well to keep it to a bowl in two more to Peg’s Hole and down to the Creamery cross in nine and ten shots where it was an even bowl of odds. Some long bowls were played down the straight, McCarthy had a chance when O’Callaghan got a poor fourteenth back of the Hollies, but recovered her full bowl of odds again with a massive fifteenth, after two more to Ballineen cross O’Callaghan won by the bowl of odds.

SEXTON PUTS TITLE ON THE LINE AGAINST MURPHY

Hannah Sexton and Veronica O’Mahony played the first Senior Ladies semi-final of the weekend at Newcestown, no stake in this one. Both went sight in two, O’Mahony a good bowl to the lollipops and Sexton well hind. At the cross O’Mahony had twenty meters of odds and extended this to fifty at Pedros entrance. Sexton got a good bowl up past Kingstons but O’Mahony followed and beat it by the same margin. Sexton another good bowl up past the farms that gave her the lead by ten meters, but O’Mahony was back in front again at the flower pots. O’Mahony didn’t take advantage of a poor bowl from Sexton at Canty’s Lane and nothing separated them with five shots to go. Sexton missed sight with her next and O’Mahony out sight, Sexton’s next was perfect and cut the right bend nicely to go back in front with nice odds at O’Callaghan’s fencing. She followed up with two more great bowls over the line to book her place in her fourth senior county final.

MURPHY BACK IN HER THIRD SENIOR FINAL

Denise Murphy will join Hannah Sexton in the Senior Ladies final at Ballinagree when she beat Hannah Cronin by one bowl of odds at Newcestown where they played for a stake of €700 a-side. Cronin took the first three shots to the lollipops. Two more each up through O’Brien’s cross and Murphy took her first lead by a foot. Murphy extended her odds in the next two shots to Kingston’s and held it past the farm where she raised a bowl of odds. Cronin got a couple of good bowls that knocked the odds, but Murphy finished the better to win by almost a bowl of odds.

MURPHY ADVANCES TO REGIONAL FINAL

Ballinacurra held the regional Junior C semi-final between Christopher Murphy and Kevin Ó’Crualáoi, playing for a stake of €400 a-side. After four each through Brinny Cross Murphy was twelve meters fore bowl. O’Crualáoi took the lead with his next to the end of the church wall. A short bowl from Murphy that only made Foley’s entrance and O’Crualáoi made the Waterworks. Murphy lined a super seventh to the gas line that O’Crualáoi missed as his bowl was too tight. Three more shots each to the GAA entrance and Murphy’s was throwing his odds over fifteen meters. Murphy line a huge bowl past the Bridge up to the double gates that O’Crualáoi missed to fall a bowl down. O’Crualáoi missed sight for the line and Murphy played well again went full sight and now plays Eugene Kiernan in the final.

LAURA SEXTON WINS SOUTH WEST FINAL AT LYRE

The South West held the final of the Girls’ under 18 between junior ladies winner Grace Ahern and Laura Sexton, Ahern raised an early bowl of odds in this score, and took it out to the school cross. From here Sexton made inroads into Ahern’s lead and at O’Donovan’s pillars Sexton took her first lead. There was nothing between them at the bottom of the Mason’s hill with Sexton just fore bowl. Ahern did not make the top of the hill fully and Sexton up all the way. Ahern was unlucky to catch the left dyke with her next and missed sight for the home straight, Sexton had full sight. Two poor bowls from Ahern and Sexton took full advantage to advance on to the county rounds.

Nicola Hurley is the West Cork girl’s under-16 winner when she beat Alison McCarthy at Drinagh. Culann Bourke (Jnr) took the boy’s U-16 North Cork title for a third year in a row when he beat Jayden Crowley at Berrings, Culann is also in the boy’s U-18. Emma Hurley a duel player in both U-18 and Junior ladies. She beat Roisin Allen (Mid) in the junior ladies on Friday and on Sunday beat Anna Deane (Mid) at Grange. Gerald McDonagh from that famous clan in Fermoy took victory over Dylan O’Shea from the Gaeltacht at Bweeng in another of the u-18 quarter finals. Kay Kelly (North Cork) took victory from Grace Ahern (South West) at Curraheen. Freddie Scannell won the Gaeltacht Novice Veteran when he beat Noel Murphy at Baile Bhuirne.

Jack Allen from Newcestown just short of fifteen year of age put in a great performance at Grange to beat Ethan Hurley of West Cork by the last shot. Bowled from the senior start in Lislevane village. Allen went out and around the Stud Farm bend in three top shots, Hurley done well to get out in four where it was just under the bowl of odds. Allen was right with his fourth and missed full sight and Hurley went up Holland’s yard and was out fully. After two more each out sight for De Barra’s Allen’s odds was back to five meters. Hurley made De Barra’s Wall with his seventh and Allen made the double gates thirty meters fore bowl. Hurley’s next was a perfectly played bowl down the school hill got a nice rub off the left dyke to the bottom of the hill. Allen missed this well and gave Hurley his first lead. At the end of Hegarty’s wall Hurley had almost a bowl of odds. Hurley’s eleventh shot was always right and turned in at the muddy passage, Allen lined a beauty up the left track to the big tree that reduced Hurley’s odds to ten meters. After two more and a bad blunder from Hurley, Allen was back in front at Noelie’s Bungalow by five meters. Allen finished the better from here to the line and won by a big last shot.