Dan O’Halloran edged out John Shorten in the last shot of the Ballinacurra final, with Cian Boyle a bowl off the pace in third.

Edmond Sexton beat Brian Wilmot in the last shot of a Tim Foley Cup tie at Templemartin.

Gary Daly opened the renewal of the Willie Whelton Cup with a comprehensive bowl of odds win over Michael Bohane at Grange.

David Murphy’s dream of winning four successive European gold road-bowling medals is still alive as he is named on the Irish team to contest next May’s European Championships in Garding, Germany.

James O’Donovan and Meghan Collins were full value for their win over Gary Daly and Emma Fitzpatrick in the mixed-doubles final at Sam’s Cross on Sunday.

Your columnist is no art expert, though he likes recycling his favourite line of criticism occasionally. (When the King of France viewed Géricault’s painting The Raft of the Medusa, he remarked: “M. Géricault, your shipwreck is no disaster.” Kudos to anyone who can mail me the name of the band which used Géricault’s painting on an album cover.)

Christy Mullins had the first win in the renewal of the Johnny Holland Cup at Bauravilla where he beat Seán Murphy by over a bowl of odds.

Gary Daly showed impressive form in his two bowls of odds win over All-Ireland champion Aidan Murphy in the O’Connell-Dullea Cup at Ballygurteen.

Mick Young finished with three big bowls at Clondrohid to defeat David Walsh in the Munster Vintage (over-60) A final.

James O’Donovan, Tim Young, Billy McAuliffe, and Aidan Murphy were the top four performers in Sunday’s senior men’s trials for the Irish road team at next year’s European championships in Germany.

Donncha O’Brien beat Kieran Murphy in the last shot of a Hancy Hubbard Cup tie at Beal na Marbh.

Martin Coppinger beat Thomas Mackle in the Joe O’Sullivan Cup final at Castletownbere on Sunday hot on the heels of his Friday win over Killian Kingston in the Mick Barry Cup at Ballincurrig.

Martin Coppinger got his bid to reach the Hurley’s of Midleton King of the Roads back on track with an impressive win over Gary Daly in the Mick Barry Cup at Ballincurrig on Sunday.

Aidan Murphy’s All-Ireland winning performance on Sunday was all about extending to the limits of his physical powers, sustaining an emotional charge for over two hours and at the end to have the self-belief, energy and skill to play a knockout last shot.

Aidan Murphy and Cathal Toal contest what looks an evenly balanced All-Ireland senior bowling final at Tullysaran in Armagh on Sunday.

Michael Bohane is Munster Intermediate champion following a commanding win over Paul Buckley at Baile Bhuirne on Sunday.

Paul Buckley and Michael Bohane will contest next Sunday’s Munster intermediate final at Baile Bhuirne after both had surprisingly comfortable semi-final wins.

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.

Paul Buckley beat Wayne Callanan in the last shot of their Munster intermediate championship tie at Peake. He led over two bowls of odds, but Callanan finished strongly to force a last shot.

Raymond Ryan and Donal O’Riordan had the first two wins in the 2019 Munster intermediate championship.

Paul Buckley won the feature Carbery-South West festival score in the last shot from Michael Bohane at Ballygurteen on Monday.

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

Declan O’Mahony won the William Wolf Cup final at Waterloo on Sunday. He beat Derry Crowley by over a bowl.

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

Thomas Mackle picked up €70,000 when he defeated David Murphy by two bowls of odds in the feature score of the Team Emily Benefit at Port Mór-Blackwatertown, Armagh on Saturday.

Séamus Ó Tuama (Road Bowling) James O’Donovan won the Willie Whelton Cup at Grange on Sunday where he comfortably beat Michael Bohane and Aidan Murphy.

Michael Bohane was sharp and focused in his win over James Cooney at Conna on Sunday.

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

David Hubbard parried three magnificent bowls from Denis Wilmot to win a sensational Bill Barrett Cup quarter-final by 20m at Caheragh.

Team Éamon Bowen (Éamon Bowen, Declan O’Leary, Pat O’Donovan) got the perfect start to 2019 when they beat Team Craig Moynihan (Craig Moynihan, Maurice Connolly, Darren Bowen) in the John O’Donovan Cup final at Bottlehill.

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.

Christy Mullins won the Jerry Desmond Cup final at Fisher’s Cross where he beat Nicholas Carey by almost a bowl.

Aidan Murphy beat James O’Donovan in the last shot of the feature score in the Irish Wheelchair Association benefit series at Shannonvale.

Dan O’Halloran finished strongly to beat Michael Murphy by well over a bowl in the Patsy Walsh final at Grenagh.

James O’Donovan bowled brilliantly at Whitechurch to advance in the Denis McGarry Cup at the expense of Martin Coppinger.

James O’Donovan had the slenderest of victories over Arthur McDonagh in the Willie Whelton Cup at Grange.

Ted Hegarty won his second Munster championship of 2018 when he beat Denis Hickey by almost a bowl in the Munster Vintage (over-60) A final at Crookstown on Sunday.

Brendan O’Neill denied David O’Mahony a Champy Deasy Cup three in a row when he beat him in the last shot in Sunday’s final at Grange.

Timmy Murphy won the All-Ireland Junior C bowling title for Cork in the autumnal glory of Wompatuck State Park south-east of Boston on Sunday.

Thomas Mackle’s historic Hurley’s of Midleton King of the Roads four in a row overshadowed everything else at Ballincurrig last weekend.

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.

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.