Cathal Toal caused the first major upset of the 2019 All-Ireland race when he eliminated Thomas Mackle from the Ulster senior championship at Tullysaran on Saturday.

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.

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 created history by winning a fourth successive Hurley’s of Midleton King of the Roads at Ballincurrig yesterday.

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.

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.

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

David Murphy gave a bowling masterclass in yesterday’s All-Ireland senior final at Grenagh, to beat Ulster champion Thomas Mackle by a bowl of odds.

David Murphy beat James O’Donovan in the last shot of an enthralling, top class Munster senior semi-final at Béal na mBláth on Sunday.

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

While Thomas Mackle was lighting up the northern roads with his sensational bowling, the main attraction down south was the Carbery-South West festival at Shannonvale.

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

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.

Michael Harrington leads the Munster team in the first All-Ireland series at Grenagh this weekend. The Killarney man is hoping to make history as the first Kerry native to win the title when he faces Paul Rafferty on Saturday.

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.

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.

Kelly Mallon’s win over Silke Tulk in the final of the Global Catering Queen of the Roads was the standout contest of the 32nd King and Queen of the Roads at Ballincurrig.

Ulster completed the double double, when Thomas Mackle retained the Hurley’s of Midleton King of the Roads and Kelly Mallon the Global Catering Queen of the Roads at Ballincurrig yesterday.

Ulster visitors Cathal Toal and Thomas Mackle pulled off a significant double over Munster rivals at the weekend. Toal beat James Buckley at Ballincurrig in the Mick Barry Cup and Mackle beat Aidan Murphy in the Sonny O’Donovan Cup in Ardcahan.

All-Ireland champion Thomas Mackle bowled well to beat Aidan Murphy by almost a bowl in the Willie Whelton Cup at Grange.

Kelly Mallon is bidding for her sixth All-Ireland senior title at this weekend’s All-Ireland bowling series at Madden in Armagh.

Michael Bohane and Séamus Sexton had the two first wins in the Mick Barry Cup in the race to the Hurley’s of Midleton King of the Roads at Ballincurrig.

Thomas Mackle won his first All-Ireland senior bowling final with a solid performance against Killian Kingston at Lyre yesterday.

Killian Kingston is Munster senior bowling champion following a tremendously exciting contest with Edmond Sexton at Lyre yesterday.