Michael Harrington franked his All-Ireland intermediate credentials with an impressive win over Christy Mullins in the Cancer Research benefit at Shannonvale on Saturday.

Betimes, The Menu is inclined to think there are more food awards than actual foodstuffs, so great has their proliferation become in recent years, but The Irish Food Writers’ Guild Community Food Awards remain exceptional and above criticism in his eyes. 

Paul Buckley bowled brilliantly at Newcestown to beat Kieran Murphy by over two bowls in the Munster intermediate championship quarter-final. 

The 31st Annual King & Queen of the Roads festival will break off tomorrow at Ballincurrig, with Europe’s leading bowlers vying in the two flagship events.

Edmund Sexton had an exceptional weekend. On Saturday at Ballinagree he won the feature score of the Donagh Murphy-Kingston Fund and on Sunday he won the Dutch Moors European championship trials at Castletownkenneigh.

Éamon Bowen secured the last semi-final place in the Hurley’s of Midleton King of the Roads with a clear win over Aidan Murphy in the Mick Barry Cup final at Ballincurrig on Sunday.

Thomas Mackle is Ulster senior champion following a last shot win over his uncle, Martin Toal, at Port Mór-Blackwatertown.

The Munster senior championship will dominate bowling for the next few weeks, starting with both semi-finals at the weekend.

Patrick O’Donoghue just edged PJ Cooney in the last shot of their Munster intermediate championship clash at Templemichael on Saturday. 

Road Bowling

Michael Bohane bounced back from his Flor Crowley Cup defeat with an impressive win over Gavin Twohig in the Jim O’Driscoll Cup at Ballincurrig.

Séamus Sexton and Willie O’Donovan will contest what promises to be an exceptional Munster intermediate final at Jagoes Mills on Sunday.

Aidan Murphy and Christy Mullins will contest the Munster senior final on Sunday July 6 at Ballygurteen.

Bowling fans throughout the country are mourning the loss of Willie Carroll, the doyen of Connacht bowling, who died at the weekend.

The Munster senior championship semi-final pairings were finalised at the weekend after wins for 2013 champion Martin Coppinger, Christy Mullins and Gary Daly. Aidan Murphy had already qualified.

David Murphy has his Munster senior championship campaign back on track after a last-shot win over John Creedon at Kealkill.

David Murphy and Christy Mullins were the big winners at the Murphy Fund benefit weekend at Shannonvale.

Thomas Mackle had an easier thanexpected win over Aidan Murphy in the Dunmanway Hospital Day Care Tournament semi-final at Derrinasafa on Sunday.

Martin Coppinger led all the way in his last shot win over David Murphy in the Munster senior semi-final in front of a huge gallery at Ballygurteen on Sunday.

The clash of Martin Coppinger and David Murphy in Sunday’s Munster senior semi-final at Ballygurteen has quickly shifted bowling fans’ attention towards next month’s second All-Ireland series in Port Mór-Blackwatertown.

Martin Coppinger and David Murphy will meet in the Munster senior semi-final at Ballygurteen on Sunday, July 21 in the biggest score of 2013.

JAMES O’Donovan took thefinal honours of 2012 when he beat Christy Mullins by a bowl in the RNLI benefit at Castletownbere for €24,400 on Friday.

Brian Wilmot beat Liam O’Sullivan by over a bowl in the Marsh Road final on Sunday.

Vincent Kiely beat John Cahalane in the last shot in the opening round of the Jerry Desmond Cup at Sam’s Cross on Saturday.

Tomorrow’s Munster senior bowling final in Dunmanway is a Bantry derby between 2010 champion Martin Coppinger and Christy Mullins, who also contested last year’s final.

Martin Coppinger produced a massive last shot at Ballygurteen on Sunday to beat Aidan Murphy in the last shot of a closely contested Munster senior semi-final.

Martin Coppinger kept his Munster senior championship hopes alive when he beat James O’Donovan by five metres at Bauravilla on Sunday.

A 31-year-old Cork man who had been missing for more than three days has been located.

A PARISH priest said the decision to close his local Garda station, in Doon, Co Limerick, appeared to him as if the state is “handing over the community to criminals”.

MICK HURLEY maintained his good form with a comfortable win over Martin Daly at Pouladuff.

WAYNE Callanan led all the way to a bowl of odds win over Trevor O’Meara in the Mother Hegarty Cup final at Lyre.

FERMOY bowling had a bumper weekend with wins for Gary Daly in the Mick Barry Cup semi-final at Ballincurrig and Andrew O’Leary in the O’Connell-Dullea Cup final at Ballygurteen.

THE Murphy tide is on the rise again as brothers David and Aidan Murphy gave five-star displays in the Munster Senior Championship at the weekend.

WAYNE CALNAN got 2011 off to a perfect start by beating Johnny O’Driscoll by almost a bowl in the opening score of the Mother Hegarty Cup at Lyre at the weekend.

GAVIN TWOHIG and James O’Donovan put in a tremendous second half at Grange where they beat Éamon Bowen and Gary Daly by almost two bowls of odds in the annual St Stephen’s Day challenge.

DAVID MURPHY just edged past All-Ireland champion Martin Coppinger in the O’Connell-Dullea Cup at Ballygurteen on Sunday.

WORK has still not started on a new garda station in West Cork, despite promises made six months ago by Minister for Justice Michael McDowell.

Gardaí are being forced to leave a West Cork town unpoliced at weekends due to a lack of resources, it was claimed today.

PAT BUTLER produced a dramatic last shot win over Bill Daly in the Murphy’s Stout Munster senior championship tie at Templemartin on Sunday. Butler looked to be making his exit from the 2004 race before redeeming himself with a make or break last shot.