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.

Peter Nagle had the first significant championship win of 2016 when he beat Anthony Gould in the last shot at Templemichael in the Cork City Junior A race.

Colin O’Donovan scorched to within three metres of the line in 12 brilliant shots to beat David Cotter by a bowl of odds in the Dinny McCarthy Cup final at Derrinasafa.

David Murphy is back on top of the bowling world after winning his second All-Ireland senior title, for just under €50,000, with almost two shots to spare on Ulster’s Thomas Mackle at Port Mór-Blackwatertown on Sunday.

The first barometer of the 2015 bowling season will be played out at the three-day Ból-Fada festival at Keady-Tassagh in Armagh over the weekend.

Gavin Twohig closed with 10 brilliant bowls to beat David Hubbard in the last shot of the Rosscarbery final. 

With an Ireland-Netherlands two-day test at Skibbereen, the final of the John Cronin Cup and two Mick Barry Cup ties this was one of the busiest weekends of the year.

Four brothers who torched the home of a sex offender and his 21-year-old girlfriend seven years ago have been found guilty of manslaughter.

David Murphy is strong favourite to lift the first classic of 2013 when he contests the Caledonian Inn Joe McVeigh Cup at next weekend’s Ból-Fada festival on the Markethill Road near Keady, Co. Armagh.

John Creedon maintained his perfect record in 2013 when he beat Edmund Sexton by a bowl of odds at Baile Mhuirne on Sunday to complete an early season three-in-a-row.

Two brothers have appeared in court charged with a double murder and arson in the North six years ago.

Two brothers wanted in the North in connection with a double murder have been extradited from the South, police have said.

Chris Murray bowled with great dash and confidence in his win over Eoin O’Riordan in the Munster Junior C final at Newcestown on Saturday.

Catriona O’Farrell-Kidney is All-Ireland senior champion for the first time since 2001 following a determined and focused finish that denied Kelly Mallon the three-in-a-row at Markethill Road in Tassagh.

Munster bowlers will be hoping to show a better return of titles in next weekend’s second All-Ireland series over the Markethill road in Tassagh than they did last month in Derrinasafa.

Tony Carey beat Tony Dunlea by two bowls in the Munster veteran final at Kilcorney on Monday to set up an All-Ireland final meeting with Oliver Gribben, who retained his Ulster title on the same evening.

DAVID MURPHY will be hot favourite when he faces Ulster champion Conor McGuigan in Sunday’s All-Ireland senior bowling final on the Markethill Road in Tassagh, Co Armagh.

ARTHUR McDONAGH will be a strong contender for next month’s All-Ireland Junior A title following an impressive two bowls-of-odds win over Michael Gould in the Munster final at Kilcorney.

ALL-IRELAND champion Martin Coppinger has a chance to show his true talent by winning the Joe McVeigh Cup at the Ból-Fada Festival in Keady, Armagh on Sunday.

ALL-Ireland champion Martin Coppinger is on track to retain his title after a solid win over Eamon Bowen Jnr at Enniskeane on Saturday.

JOHN CREEDON bowled well to beat Aidan Murphy and Eamon Bowen Jnr in the Kealkill Cup final on Sunday.

JAMES O’DONOVAN made a spectacular return from injury to beat Edmund Sexton by over twobowls of odds at Whitechurch on Saturday.

A man was being questioned today about the double murder of a couple set on fire at their home in the North.

The 21-year-old woman who was critically injured when she and her partner were set alight at their home in Co Armagh has died in hospital overnight.