Murphy’s early blitz too much for Coppinger in Mick Crowley Cup

David Murphy opened with six brilliant bowls at Bauravilla to send him on his way to an emphatic win over Martin Coppinger in the Mick Crowley Cup.

He went to sight at the cross in two, while Coppinger missed it in two. Murphy reached Coppinger’s gate with his third to go a bowl in front. Coppinger missed the netting with his next and Murphy went well past the netting to push his lead to almost two bowls. He followed with a great fifth past Dekker’s to put him two bowls clear.

He pushed his lead to almost three bowls with his next to the rock. Coppinger rallied with two good bowls while Murphy took three throws to cover the same road, which meant there was now less than two bowls between them. Coppinger followed with another good shot over the brow, which Murphy beat by just 20m to leave the lead just over a bowl.