The vintage section A final will be contested at Terelton by Ted Hegarty and Martin Connolly. Lyre man, Hegarty, seeking his second outright win the over 60’s championship, overcame a hesitant start against North Cork’s Eugene O’Sullivan to bowl a fine consistent score on the junior road at Castletownkenneigh on Saturday. O’Sullivan held a forty-metre lead after two but didn’t consolidate when the Lyre man’s average third gave him an opening. Hegarty upped his game with a brilliant sequence and reached to ‘old pub’ in eight, a bowl of odds up. Three more to the bend by ‘O’Leary’s’ had him in a commanding two-bowl lead and matters were terminated shortly after. Connolly overcame Jerry Murphy in a tight contest at Beal na Morrive on Saturday week. In section B an eagerly looked forward to quarterfinal shoot-out took place at Derrinasafa and produced bowling of a high standard. Carbery’s Donal Harnedy got there in the end after a hard-fought battle with Mid Cork’s John Murphy. Going for a €3,000 total, the Skibb man’s opening four had him close to ‘Faxe’s bridge’, but it was his three from ‘nattie’s’ to ‘darkwood’ that gave him significant leeway to the tune of a bowl of odds. Murphy stayed in a challenging position and took full advantage of a slack sequence from the score leader as they played to ‘Walshe’s lane’. Just as his lead was threatened, Harnedy fired a massive cast to ‘Hons’ and when his follow-up ‘made’ ‘O’Neill’s cross’, victory was assured. He plays Grenagh’s Joe Walsh in the B semi-final with last year’s outright winner, MIcheál O’Callaghan playing Carbery’s second contender, Liam O’Driscoll, in the second semi. Section C is down to the last four as well. Jerome O’Mahony ended the good run of Castletown’s Jim Walsh at Grange on Saturday. A competitive contest ended with the Fivemilebridge man a shot to the good. Also, on Saturday two more section C quarterfinals were played in North Cork. At Beal na Morrive Denis Murphy, Ballinagree, defeated junior A champion from the eighties, Mick Murphy, Donoughmore and at Bweeng, Pat Scanlon of Carrignavar overcame Joe Mackey of the City. The semi-final line-up now reads Jerome O’Mahony versus Tom Fulham or Denis Murphy and Pat Scanlon versus Kevin O’Sullivan.
The Fearghal Beamish Cup resumed at The Pike and a quarterfinal fixture on Saturday saw Carbery’s Denis O’Sullivan and inaugural winner, Darren Santry go head to head. The popular tournament commemorates the late Ardfield man who died tragically in a work accident in 2015 and is allocated to those who are graded junior B at its commencement. Kilmeen stalwart, Santry, whose victory over Micheál O’Sullivan secured the cup in it’s first running, made an impressive start to his defence when ousting John Young in the first round and opened in style again on Saturday. Two outstanding efforts from the start-line had him a bowl of odds up and, although O’Sullivan brought it under the shot with a fine third, Santry powered away again to rise big odds with the bowl as they neared ‘White’s cross’. Then, in an astounding turnaround, O’Sullivan, from a long way back, beat the no-play line and when Santry missed, the score was suddenly level. They went shot for shot to ‘Draper’s’ still more or less on even tips before the cup-holder, with a big effort from here, took a handy lead at the three-quarter point. O’Sullivan tracked a superb response and came in front with four to go. In an exciting finale, the Caheragh native held on to a narrow lead and will play either Ger O’Driscoll or Brendan O’Neill in the semi-final. Wayne Parkes and Johnny O’Driscoll are on the other side of the draw as the tournament progresses to its latter stages following a two-year hold-up due to covid restrictions. The stake at The Pike on Saturday amounted to €1,360. The Ballinacurra, Upton tournament progressed and last Sunday’s score saw Bantry’s Tim Young, add another notch to an impressive list of wins for the current year. Playing fellow intermediate, Andrew O’Callaghan, Mallow, in a quarterfinal contest, Young was on the back foot in the early stages.
The North Cork man fired a big opener and might have gained more ground with a better second. He still led by sixty metres after six to ‘Perrot’s’ but was hauled back in the next exchanges to ‘Brinny GAA pitch’. The Bantry men then fired his score winning shot, a super drive that reached Innishannon cross that catapulted him into a lead he wouldn’t relinquish. It stayed competitive as Young repelled the best O’Callaghan could offer and he came home a big last shot winner. Denis Wilmot is next up for the Bantry man. The stake-money between Young and O’Callaghan amounted to €2,400. In a score back Ballinacurra, the City men, Anthony Gould and Tom Reaney having been on the receiving end on Saturday, scored a doubles win over the partnership of Jim Coffey and Deccie O’Mahony for a €2,000 total. At Ballinacurra on Saturday, John Hickey scored a double over John Connolly, last shot, and two bowls, for €1,600 and €2,000. In a third score here, Ger Connolly and Meghan Collins defeated Anthony Gould and Tom Reaney by a bowl for €2,000. At Fisher’s Cross on Sunday, Noel O’Regan bowled impeccably to defeat Pat Daly by two bowls. Four huge opening shots had the recent Jagoe’s Mills finalist up to the junction by ‘Footman’s’ and he powered on from there to score the line in thirteen. Two scores went ahead at Newcestown. Donnacha O’Donovan put the brakes on Mickey McAuliffe’s winning run with a last shot win over the Banteer man for a €2,100 total and, back the road, Michael Desmond defeated Paul Walsh, last shot, for €1,600. The Mikie Hourihane Cup is a long-running staple over the winter months for Bauravilla bowling club. The nine-man tournament usually has a Christmas week finale and first through to that decider is Newcestown’s James Kelleher. The versatile Coolenaugh man did not make the best of starts in this qualifier with Eoin Murray and Donal Crowley on Sunday last but recovered sufficiently to post a big bowl of odds win over both opponents. Crowley hit a fine opener to lead and, with Murray getting a good run too, both had close on a bowl lead on the Newcestown man who took four to gain good sight at ‘Robin’s cross’. Neither Crowley nor Murray got good purchase on their fifth and Kelleher was soon level with a big cast to the ‘netting’. It was still all to play for at ‘the rock’ but, from here, Kelleher made the decisive break with three excellent efforts to sight at the ‘bridge’. Two more three-way qualifiers over the coming weeks will determine James Kelleher’s final opponents.
The team bowling event at Drinagh again attracted a big gathering with nine teams competing the full course. As in the previous Sunday, Drimoleague’s quartet of Connie O’Driscoll, Niall Forbes, James O’Driscoll and Andy McCarthy posted the best figures with the youthful Ardcahan team (Danny O’Donovan, Colman Murray, Darren Kehily, Ian O’Sullivan) coming in in second place. The West Cork novice E competition is down to the final. In last weekend’s semi-finals at Drimoleague, Johnny Hurley, Castle Road, won from James O’Driscoll, Drimoleague, and Andy McCarthy defeated Anthony O’Connell. In Gaeltacht novice E at Clondrohid Joe Warren ended the good run of Homer O’Connell with a last shot win from a tight score. Warren now plays Donal O’Shea in the Gaeltacht E final.
The City division bucked the trend at its recent AGM when electing a mainly new administrative board to manage its affairs for 2023. A well-attended gathering at St. Finbarr’s Pavilion, heard reports from outgoing officers and this was followed by the introduction of the new committee. Staying on in the role of regional President, is Mick O’Driscoll, Blarney. The Reenascreena native brings the experience of many years of service to the region especially in his role as referee and as chairman of the Templemichael club. New City regional chairman is former two-time county intermediate champion, Trevor O’Meara, while filling the Honorary Secretary’s position is the long-serving Curraheen clubman, Ken Long. Martin Connolly has the dual role of regional treasurer and registrar. Stephen Bowen remains from the previous committee and acts as Fixtures Secretary while Jonathan Curtin is PRO. Safety Officer is Jennifer Horgan and Youths Officer is Thomas O’Donovan. Bol Chumann representatives, Micheal O’Ceallachain and James O’Driscoll were in attendance. The Honorary Secretary extended his good wishes to all in their endeavours for the coming year.