ITS BANTRY V BANDON AS COPPINGER AND WILMOT PLAY IN SENIOR DECIDER
Martin Coppinger and Brian Wilmot head for the Marsh Road this weekend to decide the Munster senior championship for 2024. It is a surprise pairing with Wilmot earning his place through a composed, consistent and very focused performance at Ballinagree on Thursday evening where he derailed Gary Daly’s aspirations in a manner few had predicted. Fermoy man, Daly had been superb in seeing off the challenges of Seamus Sexton and Arthur McDonagh and will rue his form deserting him at this crucial semi-final juncture when victory would have set up a re-match with Coppinger whom he bettered in a ‘Dowtcha Boy’ festival score in March. Daly made the better start rising commanding odds with his opening shot but then missed a golden chance of extending his lead when missing sight at the next bend. Wilmot closed and eventually led with a good fifth and showed signs of taking control as Daly’s play became erratic. Wilmot’s seventh, eighth and ninth were spot on and rose a full shot of odds as Daly’s travails continued. The last third did not produce any dramatics as Wilmot stayed in control although Daly was never lacking in endeavour and did succeed in bringing the margin well under the bowl. The stake money at issue amounted to €2,400.
A novel pairing though it is they have had previous in a senior championship decider. They met at Bauravilla in the 2013 decider when the Bantry man prevailed. Thirteen years on it promises an intriguing match-up. Coppinger will be the favourite, and should he hit his best as he did for much of his semi-final against Michael Bohane at Ballygurteen, he will be extremely hard to stop. He didn’t have much to spare at Bauravilla all those years ago and he will know that mistakes will be punished and given Wilmot’s general championship record he has ousted defending champion, David Murphy and now Daly, he can be assured it will be a battle to the end.
There is a bit to go in the Ulster championship after Colm Rafferty levelled up his best of five with Thomas Mackle at Eglish on Sunday morning. It will go to a decider now at two wins each.
With the dust barely settled on Castletownkinneigh, the fucus now is firmly on Eglish on August Bank Holiday weekend. The Tyrone village whose progressive club is a vital cog in Bol Chumann Uladh’s structure, will for the second year host All-Ireland finals weekend series 2. The undoubted highlight of course will be the senior men’s decider on Sunday afternoon. As we stand, Martin Coppinger and Brian Wilmot on the Cork side and Thomas Mackle, defending champion and going for three-in-a-row, and Colm Rafferty remain in contention. Eglish has a seven final programme with junior B and veteran men and ladies intermediate finals also in the adult grades while youth will have it’s fling in boys and girls U16 play-offs along with another in boy’s U12. All in all, much to whet the appetite for a sojourn northwards in early August.
STEADY PERFORMANCE FROM CREEDON
Aside from the senior championship semi-final at Ballinagree, it was a week chockful of qualifiers, as inter-regional rounds brought selected grades down to final play-offs in many instances. Another big clash looms when the county junior B final is to be decided. Semi-finals at Ballinacurra and Clondrohid have left Conor Creedon and Willie O’Donnell the last wo standing. Creedon prevailed over North Cork’s David Hubbard at the mid Cork venue and can thank two piledrivers in the bowling down past ‘Perrot’s’ for his victory. For a €6,000 total, nothing separated them after four before Hubbard took a brief lead. Creedon’s fifth and sixth ran to perfection and they put him back in front to the tune of a valuable fifty metres. He defied Hubbard who lined a big eight with an equally good response and these exchanges defined the outcome. Creedon eventually won by the bowl.
O'DONNELL REELS IN HEGARTY TO BOOK HIS PLACE IN DECIDER.
The second semi at Clondrohid carried a whopping €22,000 total stake and produced a dramatic finale. Willie O’Donnell from the North East division inflicted the most agonising of defeats on South West’s David Hegarty taking his only lead with his final cast after the Lyre man dominated virtually throughout. Hegarty, with the hardest of the road covered and in a commanding position almost a bowl up with four to go, lost ground over those vital closing stages and O’Donnell didn’t forego his late opportunity. So Its Conor Creedon v Willie O’Donnell for the 2024 county junior B championship this Saturday at Firmount at 2.30pm.
VETERAN TITLE HEADS TO EAST CORK
The novice veteran county championship for 2024 has gone to East Cork after Padraigh O’Brien, from Castlelyons, the East Cork representative crowned a great campaign with the slimmest of victories over strong City challenger, Declan O’Leary at Bweeng on Friday evening. For a €2,700 total, it was a tight shot for shot duel throughout as the lead exchanged on numerous occasions with never more than thirty metres separating them. O’Leary missed a small chance when O’Brien’s eleventh went left but got no justice from a well-played bowl. O’Brien then produced two big ones as the line neared before O’Leary fired a big final cast past the finish. O’Brien held tough and had its measure by three metres. It’s a North East-East Cork play-off now with junior champion Andrew O’Leary the favourite when they meet at Whitechurch. The winner will vie for veteran All-Ireland honours at Eglish.
TIMOLEAGUE BOWLER WILL FACE HANNAH CRONIN IN INTERMEDIATE DECIDER.
The second women’s intermediate semi-final went ahead at Beal na mBlath on Friday and it resulted in another championship victory for Ellean Sexton as she seeks a season double having claimed All-Ireland U18 last week. Juliette Murphy made a good score of it for the first five before Ellen opened up to rise a bowl of odds approaching ‘Bradfield’s cross’. Murphy tried hard in the ensuing exchanges, but the young Timoleague exponent matched everything. It’s up to Hannah Cronin now, a finalist with fierce competitive instincts, to halt Ellen’s run in this week’s decider.
Underway too are the county round scores in the junior C and novice grades. Preliminaries at Ballinacurra, Upton, on Sunday forenoon saw City and Carbery champions in Novice A battle for quarterfinal places. Here City’s rising star, Anthony Crowley is a formidable novice A and had that bit too much going for Carbery’s game Danny Coughlan and, having forged a bowl in front at ‘Foley’s’ survived a few scares and won by the shot.
ROSS O'BRIEN TARGETS THE DOUBLE
The boys U16 county rounds are nearing completion. Gaeltacht’s Ross O’Brien is on course for a double. The All-Ireland U14 champion, was a clear quarterfinal winner over Mid Cork’s Rhys Murphy, at Kilcorney on Tuesday. A massive second shot set him on his was here, rising a big bowl of odds and when he doubled his margin shortly after there was no way back for the game Mid Cork champion. O’Brien pitches up now against West Cork’s Daniel O’Sullivan in the semi-final. A quarterfinal at Beal na mBlath saw North East’s Gerald McDonagh win from Conor Crowley (Carbery). McDonagh led by a shot approaching the finish before Crowley’s monstrous last brought it very close. North Cork’s Culann Bourke was next up for McDonagh. Their semi-final clash at Grenagh on Saturday had an anti-climactic finish when McDonagh suffered an injury and was forced to concede. U14 finalist Bourke who along with Ross O’Brien made a seamless transfer to the 28oz for the older grade lead early but it was a close contest when matters were unexpectedly terminated.
The girls U16 county rounds had worthy contenders from all nine divisions. A highly competitive series has seen some superb contests none more so than at Clondrohid on Tuesday when Laura Sexton, a winner, of the grade two years ago, just about saw off the challenge of North Cork’s Jena Healy, who won at U14 last year. The lead changed on numerous occasions before Laura prevailed in the closing stages. Laura plays Carbery’s Maebh Cuinnea in the semi-final. Maebh and North East’s Abbie McDonald had a good joust at Beal na mBlath with little separating them early on. Maebh upped the ante over the second half of the score and won by two. On the other side, defending All-Ireland champion, Emma Hurley, representing West Cork, and Gaeltacht’s Darcey O’Brien battled out an exciting semi-final at Beal na mBlath on Wednesday. Again, Emma’s finishing prowess was decisive as she edged ahead after an even start.
EXCITING U-12 BOYS FINAL IN PROSPECT.
The boys U12 final is pencilled in for The Inch road Dunmanway on this Tuesday when Gaeltacht’s Eoghan Kelly takes on South West’s Fionan Twohig. In the first semi at Lyre on Monday, there was a late recovery for Galetacht’s Eoin Kelly who came at the death to deny West Cork’s highly rated Jason Deane. Eoin turned around an early deficit to lead with a big sixth. In a score of swaying fortunes, Jason came ahead and held a sixty metre advantage only to lose it with two misplays and the Gaeltacht representative needed no second bidding to snatch the spoils and a place in the final with a splendid last shot. Ballinacurra, Upton, on Tuesday had North East’s Cian Buckley in against South West’s Fionan Twohig in the grades second semi. Fionan Twohig, having got the better of a strong North Cork contender, Jayden Crowley, overcame another likely contender at Ballinacurra, on Tuesday when edging out North East’s Cian Buckley. The Rossmore boys strong finish got him through to the decider.
On the other side of the scale the vintage grade had a score at Grange, and here Jerry Connolly got the better of Robbie Limrick.
HOURIHANE DENY'S AN O'DRISCOLL FAMILY TRIPLE.
West Cork’s junior C decider went on at The Clubhouse on Saturday evening. There was a turn up here, as Bantry’s Kieran Hourihane won convincingly against Brian O’Driscoll who was the punter’s favourite in the €1,600 total stake. A fourth shot screamer from the long-time Bantry campaigner got him on the way here enabling him rise a shot of odds and two more of the highest order kept O’Driscoll at bay. The Drimoleague 2023 novice 1 champion was below his best, a tendency to drop bowls militating against his usual fluency. Hourihane was in his element firing further big shots to ‘Murray’s’ and increasing his margin to almost two bowls. Hourihane will face the East Cork winner in the county rounds. West Cork’s novice D decider was on at Drinagh on Tuesday was a fitting finale to a large, well-run championship that started in February with almost sixty vying for honours. Youth prevailed as Drimoleague’s Kieran O’Driscoll, brother of 2023 All-Ireland novice 1 champion, Brian, won the day but only just from a game Daniel Hayes, Kilronan, who was also excellent all through. For a €5,000 total stake, testimony the big backing both players brought to Drinagh, it went shot for shot to the ‘rectory gates’ with Hayes marginally ahead. The Kilronan player fired a beauty up to ‘Shandrum cross’ but, crucially, O’Driscoll kept it level to the ‘blacksticks’. The vital breakaway came when O’Driscoll’s effort for ‘the pond’ made sight but even then, Hayes with a big second last came back to challenge. The Drimoleague man had enough to take the prize by a good fore bowl.
A novice B semi-final at Ardcahan on Saturday saw Whiddy’s Jimmy O’Leary defeat Kevin Murphy, last shot, for €2,200. Following a massive ninth shot of Murphy’s was crucial to this O’Leary win. He plays Brian Horgan in the decider.
In novice E at Inch, Jamie Kearney defeated Noel O’Brien by two bowls and Jack Murphy got the better of Niall Forbes, also by two bowls for a €700 total.
MCCARTHY TAKES SOUTH WEST NOVICE B TITLE.
Ballygurteen’s Garoid McCarthy is South West novice B champion for 2024 after overcoming Darren Harrington in the decider at Timoleague on Tuesday. For a €3,000 total, the bowling was mixed at times as a few Harrington misplays allowed McCarthy go a shot in front after seven. McCarthy then lost ground with two wayward attempts, his ninth and tenth, but recovered well enough to put in a sprightly finish and take the championship by a good fore bowl. In the novice C semi-final at The Pike on Friday, Diarmuid Murphy defeated Cillian Twohig.
In the Gaeltacht championships at Clondrohid on Thursday at Baile Bhuirne in the novice A semi-final, Cathal Creedon defeated Noel Murphy, last shot, for €700. At the same venue in novice D, a semi-final clash saw Jack Lynch win from Jonathan McCarthy. On Monday, Donnacha Lucey won from Adrian O’Driscoll and at Terelton on Tuesday in the novice A semi-final, Liam Murphy defeated Eoghan Kelly. At Baile Bhuirne on Friday, 19 July 2024 in the novice C semi-final, Garoid Lucey put the brakes on Flor Crowley’s winning run defeating the Caheragh native in the last shot, for €5,400.
JACKIE HICKEY CUP GOES TO HIS NEPHEW.
Playing for the Jackie Hickey Cup, the Mid Cork novice A final went ahead at Newcestown on Friday and an engaging joust it proved to be. Going for a €3,200 total, Chris Murphy and Joe Madden duelled it out shot for shot with neither making a big breakaway. Less than a metre separated them for the last shot before Murphy’s fourteenth got its full run on the downward stretch over the finish line. Madden’s game reply fell agonisingly short.
The Mid Cork novice D final went ahead at Dunderrow on Thursday. A big money clash, €8,500 in total, unfolded between Colm O’Regan and Damien Healy testimony to the good backing both had acquired on the back of a string of wins. O’Regan who has been a revelation since playing a big part in Jagoe’s Mills team win at Castletownkinneigh in March, took the spoils in a close contest. In scores at Jagoe’s Mills on Wednesday, Donnacha O’Driscoll defeated Mark Coleman for €2,100 and, on the way back, Chris Hayes defeated Dereck Murphy, last shot, for €2,300. In other scores at Ballinacurra, on Saturday, Michael John O’Brien defeated John O’Donoghue by a bowl for €5,500; a doubles, Dylan O’Brien/Luke Forde defeated Ryan Buckley/Colm O’Regan, last shot, for €2,400 and Eoin McCarthy defeated Jamie O’Brien, last shot, for €2,800.
R.I.P PETER FARRELL.
Mid Cork bowling and the bowling community in general mourned the passing recently of Peter Farrell, Inninshannon. A regular at scores throughout the county, Peter was an affable, easy-going presence whose company was enjoyed by who met him. A fervent supporter of the Wilmot bowling brothers and sisters, Peter was part and parcel of many good days when laurels were won. Ar Dheis De go raibh a Anam Dilis.
In the City junior C final at The Bog Road, Maurice Connolly defeated Gareth Bourke, last shot, for €1,600.
In North Cork at Ballinagree on Monday, the novice A semi-final had Conor Lucey and Simon O’Connell in opposition. It was hot favourite Lucey who has had a good run in both tournament and championship this year who prevailed having risen a bowl of odds at ‘Lehane’s cross’. Back the road, Pat Fitzgibbon won from Jerry Hubbard, last shot, for €800. A ladies junior contest at Bweeng on Wednesday saw U18 champion, Rihanna Collins advance at the expense of Rebecca Wall while, here, too, in an U12 semi-final, Layla Fleming won from Elise O’Donoghue. At Beal na Morrive on Thursday, Martin Kelleher came from a bowl down to deny John MacSullivan for a €2,200 total. Back Ballinagree after the senior semi an intermediate clash saw Tommy O’Sullivan defeat Patrick Flood, last shot, for €9,600