Coppinger edges Murphy to reach Munster quarter-final
Coppinger opened with what looked a well-played bowl on the left, but it fell in left at the bungalow. Murphy replied with a brilliant bowl, which went to within 50m of the bend to give him a solid lead. Coppinger went around the bend with his second, but Murphy delivered a beautiful loft into the bend and spun his bowl perfectly to extend his lead to 100m. Coppinger was too far right with his next and hit the bank to leave almost a bowl between them.
Murphy maintained maximum pressure with a good bowl to the hedges, which Coppinger just beat to keep the lead under a bowl. Murphy beat O’Donoghue’s with his next and Coppinger missed that tip to concede a full bowl of odds. They contested the bowl of odds lead up the rise. Coppinger got a great bowl from Healy’s cross past the double gates. Murphy’s reply stayed left and missed the tip by 30m to leave the lead just under a bowl.
The next exchange had a huge impact on the outcome. Murphy lofted confidently and got a perfect run to clear sight at the slippery rock, but he was called for overstepping his tip. His second attempt was not as sharp and missed sight. Coppinger seized the opening with a good bowl to sight, which Murphy beat by just 40m with his tenth throw.
Coppinger’s next was good too, making sight at Moore’s facing down to Cnoc an Úir cross, but Murphy beat it by ten metres to hold the lead. Coppinger’s next bowl was too tight on the left and just beat the cross. Murphy beat that comfortably, but neither player excelled in the next exchange. Murphy then played a great bowl to Ullanes Bridge, which pushed his lead to two metres shy of a bowl of odds again.
He didn’t get a great next bowl to Ullanes cross and Coppinger reduced the lead by 30m. Murphy followed with two poor shots, both with excessive right spins. Coppinger made no progress against the first, but then played a scintillating 19th bowl that scorched to within 70m of the line. Murphy missed that tip by 50m to lose the lead for the first time. His last had a lot of right-hand spin too and only beat the line by 20m. Coppinger beat it comfortably, twice, his first throw was called.
PJ Cooney was an impressive winner over Liam O’Sullivan at Templemartin where he secured the last to the Munster Intermediate semi-final places ahead of tonight’s draw.
O’Sullivan got a good opening bowl, but Cooney was on top from there. He got a good second bowl, which put him almost a bowl in front. He raised a bowl with his third and increased his odds after four to Slyne’s corner. He raised a second bowl with his shot from Slyne’s. He held that lead all the way to the schoolhouse cross. His big bowl to the light at the stonefield bend put the issue beyond doubt.
Peter Nagle finished well to beat Ian Callanan in the Munster Junior A championship at Ballinacurra. They were level after three each to the cross, though Nagle was lucky to get good rubs with both his second and third shots. Callanan took a good lead with his fourth to Foley’s, but Nagle got the better of the next two to lead. The tips were dead level after seven to Perrot’s.
They were past the GAA in another two, with Nagle just fore. Callanan took a 60m lead after two good shots past the Novice D line. Nagle then got a brilliant bowl on the left well up the straight. Callanan was too tight on the right with his and missed the tip by 50m. Callanan cut the odds with a good shot past Cronin’s avenue. But when he missed the last bend with his second next, Nagle had an unassailable 50m lead facing the line.
Carmel Ryan reached the Munster senior women’s semi-final with a comprehensive win over Juliet Murphy at Carraig na bhFear. She led all the way. She had full light in two and increased her lead in the next five to Daunt’s. She raised a bowl with her shot from Fitzgerald’s and took it to the creamery cross. She got three brilliant bowls from there to put the contest out of reach.
Catriona Murphy beat Denise Murphy in a previous quarter-final at Béal na mBláth. All-Ireland champion Catriona Kidney plays Emma Fitzpatrick at Killumney and Gretta Cormican plays Geraldine Daly at Ballinacarriga in the other quarter-finals.
In the Girls U18 Munster quarter-finals, Jane Pennyfeather beat Mairéad O’Driscoll at Timoleague; Lydia Sexton beat Eibhlís Ní Mhurchú at Bweeng and Ciara Buckley beat Lisa Hegarty at Baile Mhuirne. The last quarter-final between Megan Collins and Claire O’Sullivan will be played tonight at Lyre.
Kieran Murphy had too much power for Denis Wilmot in the Mid-Cork Junior B final at Jagoes Mills.
