Battling Martin Coppinger stays on track to retain crown

Daly got a poor opener after playing his bowl too far right. Coppinger went left with his and only beat the tip by five metres. Daly’s second was also short. This time Coppinger punished him with a perfectly delivered bowl to Cronin’s. He followed with two more good shots to raise a bowl of odds.
He then played a big shot past Buckley’s lane, but Daly held the lead to a bowl. Daly knocked the bowl with a big seventh. Coppinger followed with an equally good one to raise it again. Daly got a good rub with his 10th past the garage, but Coppinger beat it to hold his bowl of odds. They both followed with big bowls to O’Sullivan’s, with Coppinger still keeping his lead.