WEST BEST STRIKE GOLD ON MAIN STAGE

West Cork bowlers brought their A-game to the All-Ireland series in Armagh - and brought home the titles too. Schull's Shane Crowley, Drinagh's Emma Hurley, Laura Sexton from Timoleague, and Eoghan Kelly from Macroom performed outstanding performances on the Keady-Tassagh road to claim All-Ireland glory, each delivering on big stages when it mattered most.

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Shane Crowley made amends for his defeat in last year’s U-18 final that he lost to Armagh’s Oisin Gribben at Castletown when he beat Eoghan McVeigh from the Tyrone club by a bowl of odds on the Keady-Tassagh road in Armagh. Crowley’s power was the decisive factor in this contest. McVeigh took the first shot but Crowley settled into this score with a massive third and fourth out Tynams bend where he had a bowl of odds. McVeigh with a couple perfect bowls had it under the bowl at Gillogly’s. Crowley at the Creamery lane restored his bowl advantage he held this odds up to McKeown’s and into the hollow. A strong challenge from McVeigh in the last quarter, McVeigh lined a fantastic thirteenth shot down the hill past the garage and followed up with three more out past McKee’s wall and on to Dudleys where he had the odds down to fifty meters. Crowley finished with two great bowls out the bridge and over the line to bring the title back to Schull.

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ALL-IRELAND DELIGHT FOR LOCAL BOWLERS WHO RAID THE ORCHARD

In the girls U18, Drinagh’s Emma Hurley was ice-cool as she saw off Ellie Mai Carr daughter of former champion Eddie Carr.

Ellie Mai bust from the blocks lining three massive bowls into the hollow, but a totally composed and focused Hurley kept it under the bowl. Hurley took her first lead with a massive fourth and would not be led anymore. She raised big odds down Gillogly’s Heights, the defining moment came when Hurley went sight above the piggeries and Carr missed out. Hurley raised the bowl with an incredible shot to the Bus Shelter, she was over the finish line in two more adding the U18 title to her U16 of 2023.

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The boy’s U14 we thought was going to be the score of the weekend when they opened with two huge bowls each, O’Rourke taking both shots. Kelly got an incredible third shot that ran into the hollow before Gillogly’s Height’s that won him his first lead. He took control of the score from here and at Twynams bend after two more sizzling shots he raised the bowl. O’Rourke put in a late challenge when he got a magnificent tenth out the last bend at the bus shelter, it was under the bowl here, but the line was approaching and O’Rourke got an incredible last but Kelly had only to beat the line to take the title and did so with a well-played last.

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In the Junior A Paddy Stokes from Mayfield was taking on a seasoned campaigner in Conor McGuigan, McGuigan no stranger to All-Ireland titles having won Senior, Intermediate and Junior A titles already over the years. There was a stake of €600 a-side in this one. Stokes took the first and fourth shots of this score but a super fourth out to Tynams corner from McGuigan gave him control of the score. From here it was not so much the big bowling of McGuigan but the dip in form that Stokes took. Four very poor bowls in succession and suddenly he fell two bowls of odds behind at the Creamery lane. Stokes knocked the two bowls with a super ninth to Dooley’s but McGuigan raised them again at McKeown’s. A dip in form down the Carnival straight and on for the Garage from McGuigan where he played three poor bowls and the odds here was under the bowl. Stokes did his best to stem the tide from here to the bridge but McGuigan upped his game again and beat two big bowls to the bridge, Stokes missed the line and McGuigan took the title by a bowl of odds.

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Sunday morning was the turn of the senior ladies, Kelly Mallon going for her twelfth title taking on Hannah Sexton going for her first. One lead for Sexton in this score that being her first shot a massive drive up the hill that she won by three meters. Sexton got a superb fourth and the score looked to be level at Twynam’s bend, but Sexton spun her fifth crazy right and it fell short of sight at Twynam’s bend. Mallon went full sight in five having almost a bowl of odds here. Mallon playing with a bit of luck on her side got a super sixth and seventh into the hollow and over Gilloghy’s height that extended her odds with the bowl. Mallon raised the second bowl with an incredible eight to the Creamery lane. Mallon held this odds on to Dooley’s and facing up to McCann’s. Sexton’s thirteenth was a super bowl that knocked the two bowls, at the Carnival gates it was still under the two bowls but Mallon lined a big last that Sexton missed for the two bowls of odds. Mallon undisputedly the best woman bowler ever, has set a record that we can safely say will never ever be broken. We look forward to seeing her again at the King & Queen of the Roads in September.

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Back the road on Sunday we had the inaugural Junior Ladies All-Ireland between Laura Sexton (Sister of Hannah) taking on Jessica Hughes (Cousin of Kelly Mallon). A nervy start from both girls Sexton took the first shot and Hughes the second. Sexton settled the better and got two great bowls to McKeown’s, but Hughes was back in front with a super fifth facing down for the Creamery lane. Sexton got a good bowl to the Creamery lane and Hughes was very right and missed the tip, Hughes caught the left with her seventh and Sexton raised big odds with her seventh and eight shots on towards Gillogly’s, Hughes kept it under the bowl with a massive drive to Twynam’s bend, but Sexton went almost sight to Twynam’s bend that Hughes missed and now with the line approaching Hughes had it all to do. She done well to keep it to the bowl along the straight for the last bend at the bus shelter. Hughes missed the line and Sexton beat it well to take the Malachy Lennon Cup to Timoleague for the next twelve months presented by Malachy’s wife Philomena.

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The final score to close out the second series of All-Irelands was the Intermediate between Paidin Stokes playing Eugene McVeigh playing with the Cork style. McVeigh opened with a huge drive up the hill, extended his lead in two more facing Twynam’s bend, Stokes done well to keep it under the bowl at Twynam’s bend. But McVeigh unleashed a rocket of a fifth shot up Gillogly’s heights that raised the bowl as Stokes bowl fell right. Stokes knocked the bowl at the Creamery lane. McVeigh restored his bowl advantage again with another jet to Dooley’s, he held this to McCann’s and raised almost a second bowl onto the Carnival straight but two poor bowls from here for McVeigh and a gap suddenly opened for Stokes. But he missed McKee’s wall and left a chance slip, Stokes had it under the bowl before the bridge, McVeigh hopped the Bridge and Stokes got a super rub to shove this score to a last shot. McVeigh’s sixteenth looked buried left but the Gods were with him as it came out and made just back of the finish line. Stokes missed this and the title goes to Tyrone.