David O’Mahony, Fivemilebridge, had a trap to line win over Denis Murphy, Beal na mBlath, in the Ballinacurra, Upton, tournament semi-final on Saturday. With a disparity in grading in place between the two, the contest did not carry a stake and it was the hot favourite, O’Mahony, who made a strong start that would stand to him throughout. Three big ones to the main road junction had him in a commanding position and he followed with a fine brace to the ’gas line’. When Murphy made a mistake with his fifth, the Fivemilebridge man led by a bowl of odds. Junior C county finalist, Murphy, tried hard in the next segment to ‘Perrot’s’, but a huge cast at Brinny GAA pitch from O’Mahony effectively put the issue beyond doubt. On the other side of the draw in the Ballinacurra, tournament, Tim Young plays Andrew O’Callaghan in a quarterfinal with the winner meeting Denis Wilmot in the second semi. The O’Mahony camp had a win too in the return, when David partnered by his father Jerome, defeated Denis Murphy and Michael O’Leary, last shot for €1,000. On Sunday at Ballinacurra, Carbery’s Donie Harnedy, bowled well in last shot victory over City’s Peter Nagle. For a €5,400 stake, a consistent finish just got him over the line against the 2016 All-Ireland junior A winner. In a return on Sunday, the City men scored a win when Anthony Gould and Tom Reaney teamed up to defeat Jim Coffey/Declan O’Mahony by a bowl for €3,200.
John Young stayed in the groove at Lyre on Saturday winning his second round junior B tournament score with Mid Cork’s Kenneth Murphy by a bowl of odds. It stayed close over the first quarter to the ‘tunnel’, Young shading tips by a small margin, and it was he who made a significant breakaway when a monstrous sixth on the way to ‘Crowley’s bend’ pushed him a bowl clear. He held that odds across the double bends and up to ‘McCarthy’s’ but was pressurised when Murphy hit an excellent effort to the ‘rose bed’. The Drinagh man came close and yielded no more as he closed it out a bowl of odds winner. They played for a stake of €4,200.
In a Saturday intermediate score at Ballygurteen, Wayne Parkes marked his upgrade with a last shot win over Donal O’Riordan. For a €5,200 total, Bantry man, O’Riordan, made a slack start missing the first bend in three. This allowed Parkes rise a seventy-metre lead but O’Riordan’s fourth to ‘Dullea’s new house’ was a smashing effort that reduced odds. Parkes continued to hold sway in mixed bowling along the straight, but little enough still separated them at the bend by ‘O’Donovan’s’. In a tight finish, O’Riordan’s second last looked to have taken it to a last shot shoot-out but Parkes lined his reply perfectly and beat the finish mark. Back the road, an exciting finale saw Skibb’s Gavin Harrington come from a long way back to deny Luke Connors in the last shot for a €1,800 stake. Mick Hurley was in the winner’s enclosure at Jagoe’s Mills accounting for Muiris Buttimer, last shot for €700. At Newcestown on Saturday, David Desmond scored a double winning two from two with Michael Waugh, both last shots for stakes of €800 and €1,000. In scores at Firmount, Alan Sexton defeated Paul O’Sullivan, last shot, for €1,200 and Mickey McAuliffe defeated Paul Walsh, last shot, for €1,260.
In a vintage B (East) third round contest at Clondrohid, a ferocious set-to between defending champion, Micheal O’Callaghan and fellow Gaeltacht contender, James O’Leary, ended with Association Secretary, O’Callaghan, preserving his interest with a last shot win. His early bowl of odds lead was wiped out when O’Leary tracked a super effort to the ‘Bell Inn’. They traded their best in a shot for shot duel to the finish with O’Callaghan’s fifty metre advantage for the last shots proving vital. Scores at Timoleague, Lyre and Shannonvale progressed section B (West). In an interesting duel at Shannonvale, Carbery’s Liam O’Driscoll stayed on course with big win over Mick Murphy, Innishannon, and will now play Christy Butler who overcame James O’Driscoll at Lyre for a €700 total. At Timoleague, John Murphy, Brinny, overcame previous winner, Jimmy Nyhan, by a bowl for €1,600. Murphy’s huge cast from the brow of the hill to ‘Barryshall cross’ and another from ‘the monument’ swung this one his way. He plays the winner of the all Carbery clash of Donal Harnedy v John Nagle in the last four round. In Section C (West) P J Hegarty looked strong in a one bowl win over Pat Joe Sheehy and will now play Kevin O’Sullivan in the last four. O’Sullivan won his clash with Carbery’s Charlie O’Neill at Grange. Last years C winner, Joe Walsh of Grenagh, is going well in the upper B section and is through to the county overall semi-final after defeating Ned Kelleher at The Bog Road on Sunday, last shot, for €500 and here too in section C (East) Tom Browne defeated Denis Murphy (Ballinagree). At Ballincurrig in Section C Tom Fulham overcame Willie Collins. Fulham and Browne meet in the last four round.
In regional novice E an exciting Gaeltacht joust at Clondrohid saw Charles Kenneally get the better of Shane Foley. For an €1,600 total, Kenneally went a bowl up at the ‘Bell Inn’ and held his odds to the finish. The Gaeltacht division will celebrate a year of rare success with a days bowling at Ballyvourney on Saturday next. Among the features is a meeting of Frank Kiely and Conor Creedon. Following the action, the region will host its presentation night at The Mills Inn when its All-Ireland and county winners and runners-up will be feted. The City novice E final threw up a cracker at Paddoes. Played on Saturday for a combined €600 total, Jeremy Forde and Timmie Barry had an engaging shot-for shot duel that went to the last shot. Waterfall man, Forde, just edged those vital exchanges.
Chair, Michael Brennan, and treasurer, James O’Driscoll, represented Bol Chumann at the meeting of International Bowling Associations (IBA) held in Bremen on November 5. Governing bodies from the five member associations delivered glowing reports on the 17th European Championships held in Meldorf in May and were given a viewing of venues where the 18th games will take place in 2024. The continents best bowlers will be heading back to Germany the year after next when the larger of the two German associations Friesiche Klooschiefserverband (FKV) will be hosts. All the action will take place at locations close to Bremen. Central to the meeting was the handing over of the chain of office of President IBA to the new incumbent Ernst Hinrich Reimers of the second German Association VSHB who were hosts in May. Bol Chumann’s James O’Driscoll, a previous holder of the office (2010-2014), praised the outgoing President, Alloys Timmerhuise, for his commitment to the European timetable and thanked him for his visit to Ireland in 2019 when he launched Bol Chumann’s publication ‘Celebrating 50 years International Bowlingplaying’. Ernest Reimers succession to the role was warmly received by the attendant bodies. He is a widely respected figure and has been an integral part of European bowling for several decades playing a pivotal role in ensuring the championships continued to develop as a major sporting spectacle.
Bol Chumann’s Ladies Committee organised a very successful women’s team event at Dunderrow on Saturday morning last. Fortunately, given recent trends, idyllic weather conditions greeted the fine turnout, and it was down to business shortly after the 10.00am start time. Teams of three were the order of the day with each including a leading player from adult ranks accompanied by a newcomer and one of the games rising stars from the under-age grades. It was a morning when top senior exponent, Meghan Collins, showed good form from the off. Well supported by Laura Slattery and the excellent Amy Ryan from the U14 category, their team ‘A’ set a big early target after each had thrown their six shots. Their mark would stay unbeaten throughout the morning. Mid Cork and the City divisions combined for second place with intermediate player, Bernadette Murphy, receiving plenty of help from her niece, regional U16 winner, Sophie Murphy, and by a splendid performance from Curraheen’s Emily Long. In the last grouping out, Carbery and Mid Cork came close and notched third spot. Top juniors Eileen McCarthy and Evelyn Foley hit big shots while Eileen’s daughter, Aoife, contributed handsomely. Following the team scores, a team long-shot rounded off the morning’s events. Meghan Collins’ thundering drive measured at 157 metres ensured another trophy for herself, Laura and Amy. Coming close here were the team comprised of Marguerite Collins, All-Ireland intermediate winner, Denise Murphy, and another fine exponent from the City, Caolinn Calnan. Chairperson of the women’s committee, Caroline O’Leary and Bol Chumann chair, Michael Brennan expressed thanks to Mark Coleman of the Dunderrow club and to all who helped on the morning.