Murphy upsets O’Donoghue to claim Crowley Cup
He led hot favourite Paddy O’Donoghue from the off. His first bowl looked to be too far right, but it got a lucky hop which set it on a better course. O’Donoghue was too far left with his bowl and it hit a bollard 50m hind. His second was left too, it hopped the kerb and hit a tree and just beat Murphy’s opening tip.
Murphy’s second was a shade unlucky, but he still beat Brinny cross with a great third shot. O’Donoghue missed that to fall a bowl behind. O’Donoghue then made the church. Murphy now had a chance to go close to two bowls clear, but he misplayed his bowl left and missed O’Donoghue’s tip. This was his only mistake. He bounced back with a super shot past Foley’s, which O’Donoghue missed by 30m.
He went to the gas line with his next to extend his lead to almost two bowls. He raised the second bowl with his shot from Perrott’s. He was just short of the bridge in nine where he still led by two. He increased his lead with his shot over the bridge. He raised a third bowl past the Junior C line. They contested that lead to the last bend, where Murphy was well over three in front.
Finbarr Coughlan reached the final of the Mikie Hourihane Cup at Bauravilla when he beat Noel Murphy and Adrian Butler.
All three went through the first cross with good opening shots. Murphy took that one, but Coughlan edged the next exchange to Robin’s cross. He held the lead with another good one to Coppinger’s gates. Buttimer got into trouble when he missed the netting with his next. Murphy and Coughlan made sight, with Murphy regaining the lead.
Coughlan won the lead with a great bowl past Dekker’s. Murphy missed that well and stayed just ahead of Buttimer in second place after his next. Murphy regained the lost odds by making the rock in two more. Coughlan missed in two and lost the lead with his next. Buttimer put himself out of contention when he lofted a dead bowl there.
Murphy took a big lead with his next. Coughlan cancelled that making light at the bridge in two. Murphy missed in two and had just 30m odds at sight. Coughlan pushed on with a good bowl over the brow. Murphy missed that to lose the lead. He was too tight left with his next. Coughlan tightened his grip with another big shot to the middle of the railing. Murphy just made the line, which was not nearly enough.
Coughlan will play former Cork senior football star Michéal O’Sullivan and Muiris Buttimer in the final on December 28.
The Annual Jerry O’Mahony Cup, with 14 teams of three, got underway at Carraig na bhFear on Sunday.
Aidan Horgan, Mark Long, and Niall Moloney were brilliant in their comprehensive win over Seán Buckley, Ted O’Donovan, and Ted Lyons. Michael Sheahan, Simon Buckley, and Jeremy Downey were even better in their victory over Kieran McCarthy, Joe Mackey, and Anthony O’Sullivan. They were at the creamery in six super shots from thee junior line to go three bowls clear.
The John O’Donovan Cup with eight teams of three will commence at Bottlehill on St Stephen’s Day with the meeting of Éamon Bowen, Michael Barry, and Denis Murphy against Davey Fitzgerald, Gearóid Spillane, and Declan O’Leary. It well alternate between Bottlehill and Carraig na bhFear. The finals of both this and the Jerry O’Mahony Cup will be played at Bottlehill on New Year’s Day.
The annual RNLI benefit at Castletownbere is scheduled for December 27.
Three Ulster first cousins, Thomas Mackle, Ethan, and Colm Rafferty add novelty to the programme. Mackle plays James O’Donovan in the first, Armagh senior footballer Ethan Rafferty plays Christy Mullins in the second, and Colm Rafferty closes the day against Michael Bohane. Martin Coppinger plays David Murphy in a repeat of last year’s feature score.
Paul Butler finished strongly to hold off Denis Connolly at Grenagh. Connolly was 60m clear after three. Butler played a poor fourth, beating that tip by just 40m. Connolly looked set to extend his lead with a good bowl through the S-bend. Butler hit back with a super shot past onto the straight. Connolly beat that by just 40m.
Butler gained his first lead with a great drive to the white wall, which Connolly just missed. Connolly followed with two good shots in succession, but Butler beat both. Butler then got a huge bowl which gave him sight of Boula lane. Connolly missed that by 30m to concede a bowl. He looked to have levelled when he made Boula lane with his next. Butler replied with an even better one to beat the tip by 30 to secure a bowl of odds win.
Kevin Wall beat Gearóid O’Riordan in the last shot of the Mid-Cork U21 D final at Ballinacurra. They were locked together till O’Riordan lost ground on the home straight, handing the initiative to Wall.
