Wilmot holds off late O’Donoghue surge

Brian Wilmot made a successful start to his senior championship career when he beat Patrick O’Donoghue in their Pool C tie at Gortroe.

He comfortably won the opening tip with a good bowl to the piers and increased his lead to 70m with his second to the end of the railings. He was 80m clear after his fourth and increased his lead at the sixth tip with a super shot past the white piers.

O’Donoghue knocked the bowl at the next tip, but Wilmot was almost a bowl in front again at the Well Bar. The latter restored his bowl of odds with a brilliant bowl to light but lost focus with two poor shots and O’Donoghue led for the first time. Wilmot regained the lead for the next two throws and held on to the finish.