Last shot win for Cooney in Béal na mBláth
Cooney had the first victory of 2013 when he beat Liam O’Sullivan in the last shot with William O’Driscoll by a bowl third at Béal na mBláth on Saturday.
O’Sullivan won the first two tips, but Cooney took the next two. O’Sullivan then took a 70m lead on Cooney with a great fifth towards Shorten’s cross, with O’Driscoll already trailing by a bowl. He was still 40m clear of Cooney at Long’s lane, with O’Driscoll rallying with three good shots to be just 70m further back.
Cooney regained the lead when O’Sullivan made a mistake with his tenth and got the better of a series of good exchanges to the big turn. He looked to have sealed victory when he played two big bowls in succession to lead O’Sullivan by 100m after 16, with O’Driscoll well over a bowl down.
The score took a twist when Cooney misplayed his third last and O’Sullivan was suddenly just 40m behind. O’Sullivan closed with two good bowls, but Cooney kept the upper hand and had just 100m to beat with his last shot.
Arthur McDonagh equalled the road record at Whitechurch where he beat Seamus Sexton by a bowl of odds. He opened with a powerful bowl to the gates, which Sexton came close to with his first bowl. They were at the pump in two and McDonagh made light with his third to take a big lead. Sexton was halfway down the hill after his fourth, but McDonagh increased his odds by making the end of the wall – Sexton just beat that with his fifth.
McDonagh raised a bowl with his fifth and he increased his lead with a great sixth past Boula lane. He held well over a bowl to the farm. He got his only poor shot from there and Sexton cut the odds with a good bowl to the Devil’s bend. McDonagh lofted brilliantly to hold his bowl of odds and he increased his lead to the line.
Aidan Murphy ended John Creedon’s perfect record of 2013 when he beat him in the last shot of the Baile Mhuirne final. Creedon dominated most of the final, but two critical mistakes cost him the title.
He won the first two tips to light and he then beat Murphy’s big third shot to the lag. He had 50m odds after five towards Cnoc an Iúir cross. He increased that to 120m with his next, taking advantage of poor sixth from Murphy. He set the pace to the slippery rock where he was a bowl in front.
His first big error came when he miscalculated his loft over the rock and had a dead bowl. After his next shot his lead was just one metre. Murphy took his first lead after a good 12th shot. Creedon won the next exchange though by 40m and increased that to 50m with his next to the bridge.
Murphy’s next was just short of the last cross. Creedon was expected to beat that comfortably and possibly make the finishing line, but he misplayed his bowl and missed the tip. He beat the line with his follow-up, but it was not enough to trouble Murphy.
On the Market Hill road Thomas Mackle won the Joe McVeigh Cup qualifier to secure a meeting with Conor McGuigan at Ból-Fada at Easter. He beat his uncle Martin Toal in the last shot, with former world champion Eddie Carr off the pace in third.
Carr started poorly and was already struggling at Twynham’s, with Toal and Mackle contesting the lead. Toal took control from there and had a big lead on Mackle facing the line. Mackle put in a decent last shot. Toal looked well set to beat it, but he played a poor shot and missed the tip.
Gary Daly beat Raymond Ryan in the last shot of a sensational score at Shannonvale. He won the opening shot, but had to wait till the latter stages to nose back in front again. Ryan got a brilliant second to go almost a bowl in front and he raised a bowl with his fifth to the quarry corner. He went close to making Desmond’s in six, but he was far enough to loft 30m with a bowl there.
Daly got an unbelievable bowl from the cross towards Sam’s lane, but amazingly Ryan beat the tip by 40m to hold his bowl of odds. Daly followed with another big shot towards the end of the straight, but Ryan beat that too. Daly knocked the bowl with another great bowl to the palms. Ryan’s reply was too fast to hold the track and crossed the brow. He was just short of Campbell’s with his next and Daly edged closer by making Campbell’s.
Daly regained the lead, by 10m, with his next bowl past the novice line. Ryan was a little left with his next and Daly increased his odds to 100m. Ryan fought on with a big last shot that beat the line by 35m, however Daly beat it comfortably.
Kieran Murphy was on top of his game too in the Béal na mBláth semi-final where he beat Thomas Boyle by a bowl. He opened with five great bowls past Shorten’s cross where he was a bowl in front. He held that to Long’s lane in eight and he was out the big turn in another four and comfortably extended his lead to the line.
