O'DRISCOLL AND TWOHIG SET UP ALL SOUTH-WEST POOL C JUNIOR A FINAL

Johnny O’Driscoll and Gavin Twohig booked their places in the Pool C Junior A Final after hard-fought semi-final victories, setting up an all-South West decider at Lyre. Liam Murphy also advanced in the Premier Junior A championship, while Shane Collins claimed the North Cork Junior B title. Across the county, regional finals continued to produce thrilling finishes as players battled for championship honours and places in the county stages. 

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O'DRISCOLL AND TWOHIG SET UP POOL C JUNIOR A FINAL

It was inevitable that there would be at least one south west player in the final of the Pool C Junior A championship, with David Hegarty, Gavin Twohig and Johnny O’Driscoll all vying for a place. On Friday in Shannonvale in the first semi-final David Hegarty played Gavin Twohig a former Intermediate County and All-Ireland winner in 2004 and 2016. They played for a stake of €3,100 a-side. Twohig took the first shot and was very lucky with his second it looked buried left but speed kept it out. Both went to the quarry bend in five each where Twohig squandered a chance to raise big odds when he was too tight left. Hegarty missed Desmond’s cross in three more, played his eight shot well but pulled right and Twohig went full sight, Hegarty just beat this tip to keep it under a bowl at Desmond’s cross. Twohig made the flat of the road in two more where he had a valuable fifty meters of odds. After another huge bowl from Twohig to Kingston’s Wall he raised the bowl of odds on Hegarty. Hegarty got an excellent fourteenth shot to Tobin’s palms that Twohig missed by thirty meters, he lobbed his bowl out too far and it fell left, Twohig missed sight for Campbell’s with his next and this gave Hegarty an opportunity to level the score, he played his bowl well and went sight for Campbell’s and Twohig’s next was accidently blocked fifteen meters fore bowl. Hegarty had the luck of the green with his next, it was very tight left but rubbed off a cone and opened sight for the finish line, Twohig was too far right and missed the tip to give Hegarty his first lead, Twohig beat this tip by twenty five meters, Hegarty was very tight left again and his bowl kept turning left but had thirty five meters for the last shots. Twohig got a phenomenal last shot that beat the line well, Hegarty put his bowl down well but it fell short by twenty meters.

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O'DRISCOLL UNDERDOG TAKES HONOURS AT THE MARSH ROAD

In the second semi-final at the Marsh Road on Saturday, Johnny O’Driscoll beat Donal Riordan by one bowl with no stake in this one. After two good opening bowls to the first distillery entrance O’Driscoll had thirty meters of odds. Riordan took the third shot as O’Driscoll caught a bollard. After two more to the middle of the council yard wall Riordan had fifteen meters of odds. Three more well played bowls from O’Driscoll out sight at the Silvery gate won him back the lead by fifteen meters, both sight, both running down the hill. O’Driscoll left an opportunity to raise odds go when Riordan was very right with his ninth and O’Driscoll went left. Three more each out the steps where O’Drsiscoll led by twenty meters. Riordan missed sight for Ballyhilty in three more and O’Driscoll went full sight, O’Driscoll covered the straight to the avenue and Riordan missed this to go a bowl down. After two more each past Hurley’s lane O’Driscoll won by a bowl of odds. He now plays Gavin Twohig in an all-South West final at Lyre on Sunday 31st.

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COLLINS TAKE NORTH CORK JUNIOR B CROWN

The North Cork region held their Junior B Final between Shane Collins and Conor Lucey at Kilcorney, playing for a stake of €1,800 a-side. Collins went sight for the bridge in three great bowls where he was throwing his odds over ten meters and raised the bowl with his next. Lucey knocked the bowl of odds with his next but Collins quickly restored it with a good seventh shot and at the novice e line had thirty meters with the bowl. Both went up sight for the novice c line, Collins first attempt was “called” but he went sight again with his second attempt. He held the same odds with the bowl at the novice c line. Lucey got an incredible bowl to the yellow sign that knocked huge odds, it was just under the bowl when both players went out the “Y”, both missed the last bend but Collins was a bowl up again for the last shots and won by the bowl, he awaits the winners from a preliminary round between East Cork and Carbery.

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With a no-show from Michael O’Donoghue at Ballinagree to play Brian O’Driscoll in the Premier Junior A, O’Driscoll instead played a pick-up score against Pool A Junior A runner-up David Roche. Playing for a stake of €1,600 a-side. After three each heading up the hill O’Driscoll had five meters of odds, the same odds separated them after five each. Roche gained fifty meters with a good sixth, O’Driscoll dropping bowls and pulling them mad left. At the Pink cottage in seven Roche had ninety meters of odds. Driscoll knocked big odds with his eight shot and Roche’s lead was now back to thirty meters. At the Post Office after two poor bowls from O’Driscoll he found himself almost a bowl down. O’Driscoll recovered again with a massive eleventh shot just short of sight and where he had the odds back to five meters. O’Driscoll missed the bridge with his next and Roche got three attempts to gain odds but on his third attempt he missed O’Driscoll tip. At the end of the houses in two more O’Driscoll gained eighty meters of odds, O’Driscoll was lucky to get a big rub with his fourteenth, and with only two shots to go it was enough to give him victory. In a morning score at Ballinagree Eoin O’Riordan beat David Hubbard by the last shot for €1,000 a-side.

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LIAM MURPHY SETS UP SHOWDOWN WITH O'DRISCOLL

At Incheelagh in an all Gaeltacht Premier Junior A score Liam Murphy beat Cillian Kelleher by the last shot. After three each Murphy led by five meters, Murphy extended his odds after five where he had almost a bowl of odds. Kelleher got a big eight shot that gave him his first lead by sixty meters, but at the Grotto Murphy had this back to five meters. It was tit-for-tat for the last quarter and Murphy won out in the end by the last shot.

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PARKES BOWS OUT OF INTERMEDIATE

Newcestown held an Intermediate Championship score between newly promoted Paddy Stokes and Wayne Parkes, playing for a stake of €2,200 a-side. Parkes had every opportunity to win this score, he left plenty chances go a begging. They were level at Mac’s cross in six each, Parkes left a big opportunity go here as he was throwing his odds and should have come out in five. On up the hill past Allen’s lane and on for Fehilly’s Parkes was ten meters fore bowl. Back of Desmond’s Stokes took his first lead and a poor bowl here from Parkes. Down the hill and into the lag Stokes held minimal odds. At the farm Stokes increased his lead but Parkes got a good next that Stokes just beat. At Dineen’s house Stokes had a valuable sixty meters and Parkes missed the cross and Stokes went full sight. Stokes missed down sight and Parkes had another opportunity but he just beat the tip. Stokes made the wall before the Pitch and Putt entrance and Parkes bowl went right no sight for the finish line. Stokes made sight with the aid of a rub and beat the line with his next.

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In a Novice A mid-cork championships semi-final at Newcestown James Kelleher was a trap to line winner beating Joe Madden by two bowls of odd, no stake in this one. They started at the bottom of the hill at Mac’s lane, Kelleher opened with a huge first shot that Madden beat by ten meters in two. After three more to the monument Kelleher held a twenty meter lead. They both went sight at Desmond’s lane in three more with Kelleher throwing over twenty five meters. At Buttimers entrance in two more for Kelleher he raised the bowl of odds and raised a second bowl between there and O’Brien’s cross that he held to the finish.

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The Carbery Junior B Final was played at Bauravilla between last year’s junior C winner Colm Crowley and Shane Shannon for €1,750 a-side. Shannon went through Robins cross in three good bowls and Crowley at the cross. Shannon made the netting in two more to raise a bowl of odds that he held to Decker’s. From here Crowley knocked the bowl and took the lead at the bridge with his thirteenth. Crowley had nice odds for the last shot, Shannon missed the finish line and Crowley beat it easy.

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CITY PRESSING ON WITH THEIR FINALS

Gareth Burke is the City Nov-A winner when he beat Thomas O’Donovan at Curraheen for €800 a-side. Declan O’Leary is the City Novice B winner where he beat Jimmy O’Connor’s by two bowls at the Bog Road for €1,200 a-side. Emily Long took the U-18 title when she beat Bella Barry Twohig @ Curraheen. Mickey Hurley is the East Cork junior b winner beating P.J Cooney at Leamlara. Killian Kingston had a convincing win over John O’Rourke in the intermediate championship at Grenagh playing for a stake of €600 a-side.

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UNDER-AGE

All regions are getting on with their under-age finals in readiness for the county rounds that will take place in June. In the North East at Ballyhooley Gerald McDonagh beat Mikey McDonagh in the U-18 Final. In West Cork at Durrus Ethan Hurley beat Adrian Deane in the U-18 final. At Ballinacurra in Mid Cork Roisin Allen beat Sophie Murphy in the Junior Ladies Final. Tommy O’Donoghue beat Ben Cooney at Conna in the U-18. O’Donoghue was in control of this one from the off, he had a bowl and odds at Cullinane’s cottage, and held this bowl advantage to the bridge. They both got big bowls off the bridge and at Mullin’s O’Donoghue was still a bowl up. O’Donoghue finished rather erratically but still won by a bowl.

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MCCARTHY TAKES THREE FROM THREE

At Sam’s Cross in the South West region Gearoid McCarthy clocked up his third win in the Junior C round robin championship when he beat John Connolly by two bowls of odds for a stake of €970 a-side. Connolly out to Santry’s house in two just fore bowl, McCarthy took the third shot and would be led no more. A poor fourth back of the double chicane for Connolly and McCarthy extended his lead to a bowl of odds at Shortens wall. After four more shots to the farmyard McCarthy was throwing his odds over forty meters with the bowl. The both went sight at Woodfield cross and McCarthy raised the second bowl here. He held this in two more to the end of the layby and has booked his place in the final.

DEMPSEY ADVANCES TO SEMI-FINAL IN MURRAY CUP

Ballygurteen held a Paddy Murray Cup quarter final between Darragh Dempsey and Cathal Creedon, playing for €1,300 a-side. Both missed up sight for the first bend in two throws with Dempsey fore by twenty five meters. Creedon was in front after two more past Dullea’s new house. Dempsey was back in front again after a huge fifth that Creedon missed well and only beat the tip again by forty meters at the women’s lane. Creedon put down a big seventh that Dempsey missed, but Dempsey recovered the lead again with a massive bowl to O’Mahoney’s avenue. Dempsey followed up with two more super bowls back of the coffee dock where he raised a bowl of odds. Dempsey went up and around O’Donovan’s bend in two more extending his lead, Creedon got a good fifteenth and Dempsey a poor fourteenth, so it was under the bowl at Burke’s entrance. Dempsey lined a huge last that beat the line and book his place in the semi-final.

AILBHIE TOPS HER GROUP AT INCH

At Inch on Tuesday in a Ladies Intermediate Pool A score Ailbhie O’Shea beat Lisa Hegarty by the last shot for a stake of €340 a-side. Both got a good break of the bridge in four where Hegarty had twenty five meters of odds at Arnop’s motor entrance, O’Shea took her second lead with a huge fifth to the end of Arnop’s yard, Hegarty bowl was weak and fell right. Hegarty was back in front with a huge seventh through the cross, but O’Shea took the next three shots and was throwing her odds over twenty meters until Hegarty got three big bowls in sucession that raised almost a bowl of odds for her. Hegarty undid her good work with three poor bowls in a row and only four meters separated them for the last shots. Hegarty missed the line by a meter and O’Shea beat it well to give her a second point in the group. Meanwhile in a pool b score at Castletown, Laura Sexton gained her first point when she beat Rachel Kingston by two bowls of odds for no stake. Laura stepping up to the Intermediate grade having won the inaugural junior all-Ireland in 2025. No lead for Kingston in this score, Sexton was in top form, she had a bowl of odds at round tower cross and raised a second bowl between there and Pynes corner, where Kingston conceded.

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O'MAHONY SETS UP SEMI FINAL SHOWDOWN V SEXTON

Veronica O’Mahony secured her place in the Senior Ladies semi-final when she beat Ciara Buckley by the last shot in Clondrohid, she will now take on reigning county championship winner Hannah Sexton. In the other semi-final Denise Murphy awaits the winner of the Meghan Collins v Hannah Cronin score that is to be played this Friday at Bauravilla. Ellen Sexton booked her place in the ladies intermediate championship semi-final with a last shot victory over Emma Fitzpatrick at Drinagh. Sexton raised a bowl of odds at the church, but missed sight with her next. At Shandrum Cross Sexton still had a bowl but missed the crossover into the Blackash and Fitzpatrick played very well and out into the Blackash where she levelled the score. A poor bowl up the hill from Sexton and at the pond only eight meters separated them for the last shots. Fitzpatrick just missed the line and Sexton beat it. Kay Kelly is the North Cork junior ladies winner when she took victory from Rachel Lucey and Shauna Lynch at Ballinagree.