Murphy edges out Mackle in final

Aidan Murphy beat Ulster’s Thomas Mackle in the last shot of the Mother Hegarty Cup final at Lyre on Sunday.

Mackle started with two good bowls to the forestry entrance, where he led by 60m. He then beat a big shot from Murphy to hold his odds. Murphy cut the lead to just five metres with a good fourth throw. He followed with another big bowl over the hump, but Mackle replied with an even better one to increase his lead to 25m.

Murphy kept pressing and reduced the lead to just four metres with his bowl to sight at Crowley’s, though Mackle should have done better with his reply. A great ninth across towards McCarthy’s finally put Murphy into the lead. They both made sight at McCarthy’s with their next bowls, with Murphy 30m fore.