Nyhan’s battling performance sees him past O’Driscoll and Carroll
Carroll and O’Driscoll started well, leading Nyhan in the early shots. When Nyhan missed sight at Cleary’s with his third Carroll and O’Driscoll extended their leads, though O’Driscoll’s bowl was lucky. Nyhan levelled the score with a massive fourth shot, which Carroll missed by two metres and O’Driscoll beat by just five.
Carroll won the lead with his next, a great bowl up the hill to the double gates. Nyhan fell delivering his reply and O’Driscoll’s bowl drifted left, both well short of Carroll’s tip. Nyhan edged O’Driscoll in the next exchange, but they were little more than 15m fore of Carroll’s tip. Carroll followed with another great shot to the senior finish. O’Driscoll beat that by just five metres and Nyhan missed it to concede a bowl of odds.
Nyhan didn’t reach Barryhall lane in two more, but Carroll also failed in two. O’Driscoll went to clear sight past the lane to put himself firmly back in the frame. Nyhan then got a brilliant bowl, which had him back challenging after Carroll got a poor shot.
O’Driscoll played his next to the right and missed Nyhan’s tip. Carroll got another short one to leave just 15 between him in first place and O’Driscoll third at Kingston’s avenue. O’Driscoll got a great bowl from there to just short of sight at the last bend. Nyhan got an even better one to clear sight and 30m past O’Driscoll’s tip. Carroll’s bowl spun right and fell well short of both and his next only beat Nyhan’s tip by five metres to leave him almost a bowl behind.
O’Driscoll played his next too far right, but Nyhan only beat it by 30m to leave the score still in play. Carroll missed his last chance to get back in contention as he played his bowl to the left. O’Driscoll closed with a good bowl, but missed the line. Nyhan scored it to cap an outstanding season.
Christy Mullins beat Gary Daly by a bowl at Donoughmore. He won the first tip by 30m. He increased that to 50m with his second and had a chance to make the Bounds with his third to go a shot clear. He misplayed that third shot, his only mistake of the day, and lost the lead. He regained the lead at Ring’s corner. He then played two massive bowls to the start of straight to go a bowl clear. He was very efficient from there to the end, giving Daly no chance to close the gap and was facing the line after 13 throws.
Éamon Bowen beat David Hubbard by well over a bowl at Grenagh. Hubbard raised almost a bowl with a sensational first shot. He followed with two more brilliant bowls to just short of sight at Boula lane. He delivered a perfect loft there, but it was called. His second attempt was poor and his form dipped for the rest of the score.
Bowen raised almost a bowl with a great throw from Boula lane. He raised the bowl at the halfway line and held it to the double bends. A big second last shot pushed him over a bowl clear.
Michael Murphy beat Thomas Boyle comfortably in the last shot at the same venue. He got two great opening bowls to the end of the kerb to raise almost a bowl. Boyle wiped out that lead and went a bowl clear with a record shot through the double bends. He lost most of his lead at the white wall, but eased 60m clear again to the halfway line.
Murphy led again with a super shot from there. They made Boula lane in four more. Murphy edged the shots through the cross. Boyle’s next was unlucky not to make sight at the last bend, but Murphy left him with a small chance as he beat it by just 30m. Boyle’s next was too tight and lodged in the turn. Murphy beat the line with his reply.
Andrew O’Leary beat Davey Fitzgerald at Whitechurch. He won the opening tip by close to 200m as Fitzgerald got a very poor first shot. Fitzgerald’s second was much better and O’Leary’s reply got an unlucky hop to left and just beat it. O’Leary quickly took control again and had almost a bowl at the end of the wall. He raised a bowl on the flat and held it past Boula lane. He increased his odds at Downey’s.
Fitzgerald then got two great shots in succession to the top of the straight, but O’Leary still managed to keep a bowl advantage. He increased his odds at the farm and beat a phenomenal shot from Fitzgerald to the Devil’s bend. Fitzgerald followed with a poor bowl and conceded.
Former Minister for Sport, Bernard Allen, was instituted into the Bowling Hall of Fame at the Ból-Chumann na hÉireann presentation evening. The award was in recognition of his service to the sport during his career as a Minister and a TD.
