Daly has a bowl and more to spare at Drimoleague
He won the first three shots to Caheragh cross. Mullins took his only lead with a good fourth to Crowley’s pillars. Daly was too tight with his reply there, but followed with a brilliant bowl to Crowley’s farm. Mullins beat that by just 20m in two throws. Daly went two bowls clear when he followed with a great shot to the farm lane.
He erred with his next and lost the second bowl, but continued to dominate. Mullins rallied with a good shot to the end of the straight followed by a perfect bowl to the wide road to cut the odds to an even bowl. Daly repulsed that rally with two big shots to the top of the hill past O’Driscoll’s where he had well over a bowl.
Mullins hit back again with good shot the forge. Daly made his second big mistake and missed that tip. He bounced back instantly though with a brilliant shot past the forge, which restored his bowl of odds.
James O’Donovan beat Cathal Toal by well over two bowls at Whitechurch. They were level after three to the top of the hill. Toal was unlucky with his next. O’Donovan just beat that, but increased his odds to 40m with his next shot to the end of the wall. He increased his lead to 100m with two good shots past Boula lane, which he held that to the top of the straight.
Toal blew his next shot into the left bank. O’Donovan punished him with a perfect bowl past the farm. That put him almost a bowl in front and his next to Devil’s bend gave him almost two bowls. He killed off Toal’s challenge with another big shot to the stones that took his lead well over two bowls.
Gretta Cormican who tops the national roll of honour with seven All-Ireland senior titles and is a former European, World and Queen of the Road champion will not contest next year’s senior championship. She announced her retirement at the launch of her excellent book ‘Glory Days’ on Saturday. Glory Days chronicles every All-Ireland final played over the past 50 years.
Jerry Murphy beat Thomas Boyle by a bowl in the Mick Long Cup semi-final at Curraheen. Boyle started well and was just short of light in two, while it took Murphy three to open the first bend. Murphy turned the score with a brilliant shot to Ryan’s, which gave him a good lead when Boyle missed sight.
Murphy had almost a bowl at the Mill Bridge. Boyle fought back strongly with three great shots past the riding school to regain the lead by 20m. Murphy responded with two brilliant shots to Richard’s lane, Boyle took three and was now a bowl down again and never recovered.
Brendan O’Neill beat Jerry Gibbons by almost a bowl in the Bill Barrett Cup semi-final at Caheragh. Gibbons missed the bridge with his first and when O’Neill made the churchyard he was almost a bowl in front. Gibbons closed the gap in the next exchange. O’Neill then got a huge third to Sweetnam’s gate which put him well over a bowl in front.
Gibbons brought the lead under a bowl after two more to the bridge. Two shots later he had the lead back to 30m and won his only lead with his next to the lawn. O’Neill followed with a massive shot to the tunnel, which put him well clear. He then made the farm gate to raise a bowl again. Gibbons knocked the bowl at the novice line, but got no closer.
Padraig Scanlon and Billy Cahill beat Denis Connolly and Darren Bowen by over a bowl in the Finbarr Walsh Cup final at Carraig na bhFear. They were a bowl in front at the creamery. Connolly and Bowen bowled well to the novice line where the lead was under a bowl. Cahill then got a great shot and Scanlon followed up with an equally good one to wrap it up.
Eoin O’Riordan and Denis Bradley beat Dónal Óg O’Leary and Noel Murphy by almost two bowls in the Michael-Tom Bradley Cup final in aid of Enable Ireland at Macroom.
O’Riordan opened with a big bowl over the brow. They were just fore at Bantry’s cross, but they made the top of the waterfall in another two to go a bowl in front. They held that to the gap and pushed two bowls clear at Kelleher’s. O’Leary and Murphy knocked the second bowl before Glasheen cross.
Kieran Murphy beat Tim Young by over a bowl at Drinagh. Young won the first three tips. Murphy then got a good shot to waterfall to take a big lead. He raised a bowl at the black sticks. Young knocked it at the rectory gate. Murphy raised the bowl again at the Barking Dogs and won comfortably.
