Gary Daly gained a maximum 18 points in the first day of the Mick Barry Cup at Ballincurrig to lead the race for the last spot in the 2019 Hurley’s of Midleton King of the Roads.

Former senior champion Pat Butler rolled back the years at Castletownkenneigh on Monday where he beat Donncha O’Brien with the last shot of a brilliant Munster Junior A championship tie.

Cathal Toal beat Martin Coppinger in the last shot of a thrilling Joe McVeigh Cup final at Keady, county Armagh yesterday.

Darren Santry finished strongly to win the Béal na Blá final in a three-way battle with Noel O’Regan and Tom O’Donovan.

David Murphy beat Martin Coppinger in the last shot of a Mother Hegarty Cup tie at Lyre.

A two-day benefit series at Castletownbere attracted much of the attention in a very packed calendar over the festive period. Aidan Murphy and Martin Coppinger saw 2018 out in style there.

As 2018 comes to a close, we can reflect on a year of top-class bowling, but even some of those who achieved most will have a few regrets as the Christmas pudding is served.

Thomas Mackle is bidding to become the first player to win four Hurley’s of Midleton King of the Roads titles in succession this weekend at Ballincurrig.

Arthur McDonagh replaces Martin Coppinger in next weekend’s King of the Roads following his bowl of odds win over Colm Rafferty in Sunday’s play-off at Ballincurrig.

Martin Coppinger is out of the King of the Roads. He suffered a serious foot injury while training, which will require surgery and puts him out of bowling until 2019.

The line-up and draw for Hurley’s of Midleton King of the Roads 2018 were resolved on Saturday when Killian Kingston beat Colm Rafferty in the last of the Mick Barry Cup semi-final at Ballincurrig.

Timmy Murphy will lead the Munster team in the third All-Ireland series in Boston in October following his bowl of odds win over Michéal O’Sullivan in the Junior C final at Clondrohid.

Conor McGuigan and Éamon Bowen clash in a fascinating All-Ireland intermediate bowling final on Sunday, in the feature score of the second All-Ireland series at Tullysaran in Armagh.

David Murphy and Arthur McDonagh contest next Sunday’s Munster senior final at Grenagh.

David Murphy secured his place in the Munster senior championship semi-final, after a gripping contest with Martin Coppinger, at Baile Mhuirne, on Sunday.

James O’Donovan grabbed the limelight with two great wins in the busiest bowling week of 2018.

David Murphy put down a serious marker for all with aspirations of winning the 2018 Munster senior championship when he dismissed James Buckley in a one-sided first round tie at Firmount on Saturday.

Martin Coppinger’s ambitions of retaining the Munster senior championship are still on track after he survived a great late rally from Gary Daly at Terelton.

Aidan Murphy’s early season form continues to impress following his late surge to deny Martin Coppinger in the Willie Whelton Cup at Grange.

Martin Coppinger beat Gary Daly by almost a bowl at Glanworth in preparation for his meeting with David Murphy in the RNLI benefit at Castletownbere.

Future Ulster bowling fans will look back on this as the golden age. A decade ago not even the most optimistic supporter would have predicted Ulster winning both King and Queen of the Roads in three successive seasons.

Thomas Mackle will be bidding for a special place in bowling history when he defends his Hurley’s of Midleton King of the Roads title at Ballincurrig next weekend.

Clare O’Sullivan and Emma Fitzpatrick will contest the Gretta Cormican Cup final in a bid to secure a semi-final place in next month’s Queen of the Roads.

Michael Bohane advanced at the expense of James Buckley in the Mick Barry Cup at Ballincurrig.

Bryan O’Reilly will contest his first All-Ireland final following his bowl of odds win over his cousin Paul O’Reilly in the Ulster senior final at Madden on Sunday.

James Cooney was the star of the Munster Junior A action last weekend, beating Michael Murphy by three bowls after a scintillating 10 shot salvo at Whitechurch on Sunday.

Donncha O’Brien closed with three sensational bowls to snatch the Marshall Clarke Cup from Mick Hurley in the last shot at Derrinasafa.

Cathal Toal secured his place in the Ulster final of the Joe McVeigh Cup qualifier for the Ból-Fada with a line-to-line win over Bryan O’Reilly and Eddie Carr.

James O’Donovan is the first name on the Willie Whelton Cup after a sensational performance saw him beat All-Ireland champion Thomas Mackle by three bowls of odds at Grange.

Tim Young gave a sensational display at Caheragh where he progressed to the Bill Barrett Cup final at the expense of Denis Wilmot.

Trevor Deane bowled brilliantly at Caheragh to lift the O’Sullivan-Keating Cup at the expense of Denis O’Sullivan.

Martin Coppinger ended 2016 on a high after beating David Murphy in the last shot of the feature score in the RNLI benefit at Castletownbere.

European champion David Murphy and recent Phair Cup winner Martin Coppinger face each other today in the feature score of the RNLI annual fundraising day at Castletownbere.

Martin Coppinger won the Noel Phair Cup at Shannonvale, ending James O’Donovan’s fantastic run of wins.

The James O’Donovan juggernaut continued in the Co-Action benefit in Casteltownkenneigh where he beat Killian Kingston. Brothers Aidan and David Murphy beat Martin Coppinger and Séamus Sexton in the opening score there.

James O’Donovan added another significant win to his current run when he beat Killian Kingston by three bowls in the semi-final of the Paddy Barry Cup at Rosscarbery.

Donncha O’Brien made an explosive start to his Marshall Clarke Cup quarter-final clash with Denis Wilmot at Derrinasafa, which set him on the way to a comprehensive win.

Susan Greene is set to vacate the chair of Ból-Chumann na hÉireann, having led the national governing body since 2001.