COUNTY FIXTURES
Thurday July 30th
@ BALLINACURRA @ 7.00pm Jun-C QF Eoin McCarthy (SW) v Christy Stokes (City). @ 8.00pm Nov-D QF Eoin Connolly (SW) v Tony Delaney (City)
@ BANTRY @ 7.00pm Pool C Vintage B SF John Murphy v Patsy O.Sullivan.
@ CASTLETOWN @ 6.00pm (Down from Felihys Lane) U-12 QF Bobby Cooney (East) v Ed McCarthy (Car). @ 7.00pm U-14 QF Brian Harrington (Car) v East Winner
@ 7.30pm Girls U-14 SF (From Creamery X) Robyn O' Brien (Gael) v Nicola Hurley (West)
Friday July 31st
@ ROSSCARBERY @ 7.00pm (Down) Vintage C D.D.Carroll v Donal O' Sullivan
Saturday August 01st
@ INCH @ 4.00pm Pool C Vintage B QF Denny Nyhan v Connie Connolly
Sunday August 02nd
@ BALLINACURRA @ 11.00am Nov-C QF P.J. O' Driscoll (SW) v John Linehan (City)
@ CASTLETOWN @ 11.00am Nov-D Pre Rd Luke Nolan (Car) v Aaron Barry (East). @ 12.00pm Nov-C Pre Rd Shane McCarthy (Car) v Danny Quirke (East)
Monday August 03rd
@ BAILE BHUIRNE @ 5.00pm Niv-C QF Don O' Driscoll (West) v Jamie Carroll (NE). @ 6.00pm Nov-D QF Brendan Dudley (West) v Robert Coleman (NE)
@ BALLINACURRA @ 11.00am Nov-A QF Stephen O' Connell (SW) v Garreth Burke (City)
Tuesday August 04th
@ LYRE @ 7.00pm U-12 FINAL Cait Young (West) v Ciara Harrington (Car). @ 8.00pm U-14 FINAL Aoife McCarthy (Car) v Ribyn O.Brien (Gael) or Nicola Hurley (West)
NEWS & RESULTS
MURPHY, CONNOLLY AND LINEHAN AMONG THOSE ADVANCING AS CHAMPIONSHIPS CONTINUE
Bowling Report - Week ending 19th July
The second All-Ireland series is gathering pace as county championships continue across multiple grades, with Aidan Murphy, Ger Connolly and Liam Linehan among those booking places in major finals. Several youth and ladies finalists were also confirmed, while county titles were claimed across the junior and novice grades
AIDAN MURPHY ADVANCES IN HEAVYWEIGHT DECIDER AGAINST ARTHUR MCDONAGH
With the first All-Ireland series finished. Ból Chumann are now concentrating on the 2nd series of counties, that include boys and girls U16, veteran, junior B, intermediate ladies and senior men.
The senior men's semi-final between Aidan Murphy and James O’Donovan took place at the Marsh Road for a stake of €21,100 a-side. Murphy raised huge odds with his second shot, O'Donovan got a great third and Murphy pulled his right and dropped a lot of odds. Two more each to the last council yard gate with Murphy thirty five meters fore bowl. O’Donovan was opting for the middle of the road with his sixth but his decision was swayed to the left track, he played his bowl on a ridge and it broke badly right and missed sight for the silvery gate. Murphy also went down the left track but worked his right hand pull and went out full sight. Murphy went out the steps in three more where it was just under the bowl of odds. O’Donovan was given an opportunity when Murphy got a poor bowl from the steps but he only beat the tip by ten meters. Two more each past Thornhill Cross and out sight for Ballyhilty where it was still under the bowl of odds. Murphy’s thirteenth shot was very left with no great right hand pull and O’Donovan was given another opportunity and this one he took with a perfect bowl up the middle thirty meters past the avenue, Murphy replied with a rasher tight right shot that beat this tip by sixty meters an unreal bowl. After two more past the junior finish only eight meters separated them and after their next around the bridge the odds were down to three meters. O’Donovan got a big rub with his eighteenth that Murphy missed by twelve meters to give him his first lead. Murphy got an average nineteenth and O’Donovan had the opportunity to raise odds for the last shots but he missed the tip by ten meters. O'Donovan's last was left, Murphy’s was right but got a rub and beat O’Donovan’s mark by ten meters to book his place in the Senior Final against Arthur McDonagh on Sunday next at Baile Bhurine.
SHANNONVALE BOWLER BOOKS HIS SPORT IN THE NEXT ALL-IRELAND SERIES
Ger Connolly from Shannonvale is junior B county champion after his bowl of odds win over Colm Crowley from Bauravilla, playing for a stake of €6,500 a-side. Drinagh was the host club of this final and they did an excellent job, road well-manicured, plenty of parking and lots of officials. After three each to the novice start line Crowley was fore bowl by twelve meters. An incredible fourth from Connolly past the Waterfall. Crowley played well but it picked badly left and missed the tip by a hundred meters. Connolly made back of the Blacksticks in two more and Crowley got a big rub off the right dyke that took him dirty sight for Shandrum cross. Connolly made sight at Shandrum Cross in two more where he was throwing his odds over thirty meters. Eight and nine to this juncture. Connolly’s shot off the cross was very right and got a small tail, this opened the door for Crowley to make sight at the rectory gate but he was crazy right and no rub. Connolly missed full sight at the rectory with his tenth and Crowley's bowl was perfect and very unlucky to get caught in a pillar. Connolly lined a gem of an eleventh past the church full sight that Crowley just beat to keep it under the bowl. Connolly gave Crowley another chance to get back into this score when his twelfth bowl veered off left to the end of the railings. But Crowley’s bowl went right and beat the tip by nothing. Connolly finished with two perfect shots past the barking dogs and on for Hurley’s avenue where he raised the bowl and booked his place in the All-Ireland final on the August Bank Holiday weekend.
LINEHAN ADVANCES TO NOVICE VETERAL FINAL
In Macroom at a nov-vet county semi-final Liam Linehan, Berrings had a last shot win over Michael Carroll, Kilmichael playing for a stake of €1,450 a-side. Both out to Bantry’s old cross in three shots each where Linehan was eight meters ahead. Carroll took back the lead in two more back of the flyover. Two more each to Mulcahy’s where Carroll held odds of thirty meters. Linehan’s eight was played very well but fell left and gave Carroll an opportunity to raise big odds. This opportunity he did not take and after two well played bowls from Linehan into the lag he was back in front by twenty meters. Two more each to “Poundy’s Lane” Linehan had forty meters of odds and put daylight between them at Denny Pauls. Carroll missed this tip to fall a bowl in arrears with road running out. Linehan made sight for the line and Carroll had a go, but only made the layby, Linehan in the final where he will play Jimmy Collins at Inch.
NEWCESTOWN YOUTH IN COUNTY UNDER 16 FINAL
Jack Allen booked his place in the U16 county final when he beat Dean O’Leary at Templemichael. Anna Power made the long journey from Fenor in Waterford to play Bella Barry Twohig in the U16 preliminary round at Carrignavar and had a two bowls of odds victory. Anna played again on Saturday against U18 All-Ireland champion Meabh Cuinnea at Terelton which Meabh won. The Sexton sisters Ellen and Laura contested the ladies intermediate semi-final at Shannonvale with Ellen coming out victorious by the last shot. Ailbhie O'Shea won the second intermediate semi-final at Drinagh when she beat Emma Fitzpatrick convincingly. Abbie McDonnell North East beat Lilly Scannell Gaeltacht in the girls U16 quarter final at Bweeng. At Grange Anna Deane Mid beat Nicola Hurley West in the Girl’s U16 QF and Cait Young West beat Elsie O’Flynn Mid in the girls U-12 QF. Jimmy Collins from Union Hall progressed to the final of the novice veteran when he beat Michael Carroll Kilmichael at Newcestown he now plays Liam Linehan from North Cork at Inch. Alisha Relihan, East Cork beat Kayleigh O’Driscoll, City in the girl’s U14 preliminary round at Carrignavar and also at Carrignavar Abbie Walsh, City beat Aine O’Farrell, East in the girls U12 preliminary round. Anthony Lynch won the Gaelteacht Junior C from Jimmy O’Brien at Clondrohid playing for €1,000 a-side.
A BIG 2ND HALF FROM O'RIORDAN IN BALLINACURRA
The Junior Veteran final between Eoin O’Riordan Gaeltacht, Trevor O’Meara City and John Cahalane Carbery was played out in Ballinacurra, playing for a stake of €2,300 a-side. Cahalane never got going in this final, so much so that at Foley’s it turned into a two horse race between O’Riordan and O’Meara. O’Meara took the first shot and O'Riordan and Cahalane both hopped the kerb left with their second shots. O’Meara made Brinny Cross in three, Cahalane was in the middle of the cross in four and O’Riordan at the upper side also in four shots where both were keeping it under the bowl of odds. O’Meara’s & Cahalane’s bowls broke badly right off the surface and O'Riordan lined a smashing bowl that made well past Foley’s entrance. O’Meara followed this to keep the score level and Cahalane missed the tip to fall a bowl down. A poor seventh from Cahalane that turned in right at the waterworks, O'Riordan lined a huge bowl to the muddy gap that gave him his first lead of the score over O’Meara by seventy meters, and Cahalane fell a further bowl down when he missed this tip. O'Riordan dropped a lot of odds with his next when he was too far left and now only twenty meters separated himself and O’Meara with Cahalane two bowls down. O’Meara a poor eight to the end of the sheds and O’Riordan lined another beauty back of the GAA entrance. O’Meara made sight for the bridge and O’Riordan made the bridge with a fifty meter advantage. O’Meara’s tenth just beat this tip to go almost a bowl down. Cahalane got a good twelfth to the double gates that knocked some odds, O'Riordan’s tenth fell right and O’Meara made the black pole with his eleventh. O'Riordan opened the last bend for the finish line, O’Meara was too tight right and got caught just fore bowl. O'Riordan went on top of the line and had too much odds for the last shot.
Mark O’Flynn won the North Cork Novice C final from Michael Horgan at Firmount, playing for a stake of €1,720 a-side. After three shots each Horgan had ten meters of odds. After two more huge bowls from O’Flynn he raised a bowl of odds. Horgan had it under the bowl with five shots to go. O’Flynn missed the bridge in two and Horgan laid down a huge shot to win back the lead by twenty five meters. O’Flynn finished the better though and won by a big last shot.
Stephen O’Connell and Shane Nugent both Shannonvale Club members played out their Novice A final for a stake of €1,450 a-side at Shannonvale. Nugent got off to the better start in this score, having played three good bowls past McSweeney's bungalow where he had fifty meters of odds. O’Connell got three well played bowls well around the quarry bend that knocked the odds back to twenty five meters. Both went out Desmonds in three more, nine each with O’Connell yet to lead. Poor bowls off the cross but Nugent got an excellent shot up onto the flat of the road. O'Connell missed Kingston's lane and Nugent had an opportunity to put big odds on this tip but his bowl went left and his odds were only forty meters. O’Connell lined a perfect bowl past Kingston's Wall and it was unlucky to fall back right. Nugent missed this to give O’Connell his first lead of the score. Nugent got a remarkable fifteenth that made Hayes Cottage, O’Connell made back of Campbell's lane in two to keep himself in the score. Nugent beat this tip by one meter his bowl hopped up on the right. Both missed the line as both were weak and fell right. O’Connell lined an average last, and Nugent's bowl was too far right and missed the tip by seven meters.
CONNOLLY TAKES SOUTH WEST NOVICE D TITLE
The South West Novice D final was played at Ballygurteen between local man Eoin Connolly and Ritchie Lawton from Timoleague, playing for a stake of €2,460 a-side. Lawton made a blistering start going half way to Dullea’s new house in three huge bowls where he had almost two bowls of odds, Lawton made just back of the women’s lane in three more but Connolly was keeping it under the two bowls. At O’Mahony’s avenue in three more it was a bare bowl of odds. Connolly from here gnawed away at Lawton's lead and got a huge rub to the coffee dock that brought Lawton's lead back to thirty five meters. Connolly got a huge bowl up O’Donovan’s hill that won him his first lead. Lawton came bare sight and Connolly was very left and only beat the tip by ten meters. A poor bowl up left from Lawton and Connolly put huge odds on this, Lawton missed the tip to fall a bowl down and Connolly was crowned the winner.
Conor O’Donovan from Belgooly won the Mid Cork novice B final from Kevin Coughlan Gloun at Dunderrow, playing for a stake of €3,240 a-side. Coughlan was on the back foot from the off as he missed down sight with his first shot and O’Donovan down fully. O’Donovan held this bowl advantage for the next two shots but a blunder with his fourth left Coughlan a big chance to half level the score but he only beat the tip by forty meters. Coughlan was keeping it under the bowl up past the factory entrances following big bowls of O’Donovan’s. O’Donovan got a good run out of his eight shot and Coughlan missed this tip to fall a bowl down. O’Donovan raised further odds with the bowl at Nyhans lane and facing down the hill. At the bridge it was an even bowl for O’Donovan. No lead for Coughlan in this score as O’Donovan was on top of the line in two more to win by a bowl.
1st Series All Ireland Finals - Report
Ballinagree, County Cork
Saturday 11th & Sunday 12th July
All-Ireland Championship Drama, Triumphs and Heartbreak as Champions Are Crowned Across the Grades ALL-IRELAND FINAL HEARTBREAK FOR DARRAGH DEMPSEY & HANNAH SEXTON Disappointment for Darragh Dempsey in the Junior A All-Ireland when an old knee injury hampered his finish. Playing for a phenomenal stake of €30,000 a-side. Dempsey was in command from the off but failed on a few occasions to put the score beyond Gribben’s reach. After two each through An Capaillín Ban Cross Dempsey had ten meters of odds. A poor third and fourth from Gribben but Dempsey was not pulling away as he only held odds of forty meters. Gribben’s fifth was one of his better ones and Dempsey beat this again by the same margin. At the Pink Cottage, Dempsey put big odds on Gribben’s tip and looked to be after settling into this score. Past the Post Office in nine Dempsey held a hundred meter advantage and looked like no bowl to make sight for the Quay Wall. Gribben tenth bowl veered off right and missed out and Dempsey was also very right and now nothing separated them. Gribben went out sight of the Quay Wall and Dempsey cut the bend and got a valuable touch into the Quay Wall. Gribben could do very little from where he was, but he got a nice run off the right dyke, from here Dempsey’s trouble started as he pulled his hamstring with his next delivery and only beat the tip by six meters. What a misfortunate thing to happen in the last quarter of this epic junior A final. After some medical attention play continued, Gribben got a big bowl to the White Wall and Dempsey just could not run into his bowls and missed the tip to give Gribben his first lead, after two more there was almost a bowl of odds in it and Gribben raised the bowl at Robins Lock and beat the finish line with his next. MCDONAGH WINS U18 TITLE Munster took the opening two scores of the weekend when Méabh Cuinnea beat Megan O’Reilly and Gerald McDonagh beat Johnny Campbell both U-18. They both played very impressive scores. McDonagh got off to a scorching start raising a bowl of odds after three shots, he pushed this out to almost two bowls at the Post Office but from here Campbell played some perfect shots and McDonagh got a bit wayward and at the Quay Wall McDonagh had twenty five meters with the bowl. They matched each other’s shots up past the white wall but McDonagh got a huge rub with his seventeenth towards the village. He had big odds with the bowl at Robin’s Lock and beat the line comfortable with his last to win by a bowl. MAGICAL MÉABH CROWNED CHAMPION AS SHE LANDS ALL-IRELAND U18 TITLE Just like McDonagh, Méabh Cuinnea got off to a blistering start on the outward route from the village, three incredible bowls to the end of the new houses where she had a hundred meters of odds, Cuinnea followed up with another sensational bowl just short of sight at the Quay Wall, O’Reilly done well to keep it under the bowl here but Cuinnea replied with another smashing bowl that cut the left bend and got a big touch off the right dyke. O’Reilly missed this to fall a bowl down. From the Pink Cottage onwards O’Reilly found her grove and lined some perfect shots, but Cuinnea followed and beat them to hold an even bowl at the falling pole. Two uncharacteristic errors from Cuinnea both extremely right of the sop and suddenly this score was going to a last shot. O’Reilly lined her bowl well but just fell short of the finish line and Cuinnea steadied herself and played a perfect shot down the centre to take the title. A reverse of their 2024 meeting when O’Reilly beat Cuinnea in the U-16 All-Ireland at Eglish, Co. Tyrone. STOKES WEARES CARR DOWN TO TAKE INTERMEDIATE TITLE Paddy Stokes was back in another All-Ireland final, having lost the Junior A to Conor McGuigan in 2025, his opponent on this occasion in the Intermediate final was Pete Carr, playing for an astronomical stake of €41,000 a-side, with Stokes a major favourite. This was of very poor standard for the grade. Stokes got a huge first and should have opened the first bend with his second where he would have had an early bowl of odds, but both players were right and had no sight. Carr took his first lead by three meters with a big third. Both players with a right hand pull hit the pillars of Timmy Nuts house with Stokes back in front. Carr got an excellent fifth to Coakleys Lane to win back the lead by a huge eighty meters as Stokes was crazy left and got no rub but recovered well with his sixth to the bridge that reduced Carr’s odds to twenty meters. Nothing between them after their next through An Capaillín Ban cross Carr holding a three meter lead. Stokes got a poor eight that was very left but he got a second attempt at it as his bowl was “called” and his second effort was a much better one. Carr was too tight right and missed tip by eighty meters. After two more to the double gates Carr had the odds back to six meters, Stokes just not pulling away and making bad blunders. Carr’s eleventh wasn’t great but it was enough to win him back the lead by one meter. Carr’s opportunity to rise odds came when Stokes got a poor twelfth to the Pink cottage but he pulled his bowl crazy right and missed the tip by thirty meters. After two more average shots from Stokes he had almost a bowl of odds. Stokes was finishing the better of the two as he went out to the Quay Wall with a bowl and thirty meters. Two more up to the White wall and another out sight for the village where he held a bowl and thirty meters. Carr only made Robins Lock and Stokes took the title. SEXTON'S WAIT GOES ON FOR FIRST SENIOR TITLE Hannah Sexton’s wait goes on for a senior ladies All-Ireland title. On Sunday she played Dervla Mallon Toal who was competing in her tenth Senior All-Ireland and going for a sixth title. They played for a stake of €7,000 as. Sexton took the first shot and Mallon the next two past the white wall where she had fifty meters of odds. Sexton got a massive fourth shot to the end of the new houses that won her back the lead by six meters. After two more out around the quay wall full sight Mallon won back the lead again by three meters. When Sexton lined a perfect seventh well past the post office, fans though it was sure to win back the lead again but Mallon hit a perfect shot down the middle and beat the tip by fifteen meters. Sexton followed up with another excellent shot and Mallon missed this one by ten meters. After eight shots we had five leads. Mallon got a super bowl past the Pink Cottage, Sexton lined hers well but it fell left and Mallon was back in front again. It was hard to believe that Sexton would lead no more in this final. At the junior line in two more Mallon was throwing her odds over thirty meters. After twelve shots each facing down for An Capaillín Ban Cross only twenty meters separated them Mallon fore bowl. The next shots were the deciding factor of the score. Sextons bowl turned in left and got no run off the dyke, in fact it caught a stone and stopped dead. Mallon took a different line and made down through An Capaillín Ban cross an excellent shot. Sexton played her next very well but only beat the tip by twenty five meters, Mallon went over the finish line in two more to take the title. MALACHY LENNON CUP GOES NORTH Introduced in 2025 we had the junior ladies final, played between Rachel Desmond and Alice Mackle, they played for a stake of €10,000 as, with Mackle taking the favourites tag. It was a trap to line victory for Mackle. Four each to the white wall Mackle held a thirty five meter advantage. Mackle extended this to the Quay Wall, from here Desmond let rip her best of the day when she went sight for the straight and brought the odds back to fifteen meters. Mackle upped the ante from here and with every shot raised odds, at the falling pole she threw her odds over twenty five meters and raised the bowl of odds at the Pink Cottage. Try as she might Desmond could not reel Mackle in and her winning margin was one bowl of odds.
The winners of the weekend....
