Aidan Murphy edges James O’Donovan in Shannonvale battle

Aidan Murphy beat James O’Donovan in the last shot of the feature score in the Irish Wheelchair Association benefit series at Shannonvale.

O’Donovan had 100m odds after two to McSweeney’s wall. Murphy made the new house with his next. O’Donovan played his reply to the left, missing a chance to consolidate his lead, and beat the tip by just 20m.

Murphy followed with a great bowl to the quarry bend. O’Donovan played his to the right, it went into a pool and missed the tip by 100m.

He only beat the tip by 40m with his next to fall almost a bowl behind. Murphy got a good fifth shot, which O’Donovan missed to concede a bowl.

O’Donovan’s next was not great either. Murphy increased his odds with a good bowl past Buttimer’s pillars and got a great rub off the left with his seventh to edge close to a second bowl at Desmond’s.

O’Donovan got a brilliant bowl from there against two poor shots from Murphy to bring the lead back to an even bowl. Murphy held the bowl in the next three towards Tobin’s. They both missed Tobin’s with their next shots.

O’Donovan then got a super shot past Hayes’, which Murphy missed by just five metres to keep him close to a bowl in front.

He played his next to the left, though, to give O’Donovan a chance. O’Donovan grasped the opening with a great bowl. Murphy denied him further hope, though, when he replied with an equally good one and beat the line.

Among the other winners at Shannonvale were Cian Boyle over David Hubbard and Jordan O’Sullivan against Mark Sheahan, both in the last shot.

Martin Coppinger beat Gary Daly in the last shot at Glanworth. Daly hat a great first shot to take the opening tip by 50m. Coppinger closed the gap with his second and they were level after three to Clontinty boreen.

Coppinger was 30m fore at the top of the hill. Daly won a big lead with a brilliant bowl from Ahern’s. Coppinger levelled again and had 30m odds at O’Brien’s. There was little between them to the line. Daly closed with a big shot from hind bowl, but Coppinger beat it by 20m.

Denis Wilmot beat John Young by two bowls in the Mick McCarthy Cup at Bantry. They were level after three to the netting. Wilmot then played four super shots to turn the score. He raised a bowl after the first two to the Gospel Hall and he reached the novice line in two more to extend that to two bowls. He held that lead to the line.

At Derrinasafa, Noel O’Regan and Adrian Buttimer qualified to face off in the Dinny McCarthy Cup final.

In the Teddy Kelly Cup, Michael Carroll beat David Cotter for the right to play Pat Daly in the final. Carroll was almost a bowl clear after three to the end of the wall. He held that in the next two over the bridge. He was a full bowl clear at Ross’. Cotter bowled well to the Darkwood turn, but Carroll gained control again.

Noel O’Regan beat Paul Kingston by a bowl in his semi-final. They reached the bridge in four. Kingston then got two poor shots to fall a bowl behind at Ross’. O’Regan held that to the Darkwood turn. They both struggled to Walsh’s lane. O’Regan got the better of things from there.

Adrian Buttimer had a great joust with Niall Crowley in the other semi-final. It was all to play for facing the line. Crowley’s last bowl was well played, but it veered right and missed the line. Buttimer’s reply looked in trouble, but it rubbed and just beat the line.

Micheál O’Sullivan and Peter Murray were declared tied at the Marsh Road. Failing light prevented them playing the required decisive shots.

Murray got an early advantage when one of O’Sullivan’s bowls was blocked. He was a bowl clear at Ballyhilty corner and held his lead past the avenue. O’Sullivan played a brilliant bowl around the last bend. Murray missed it well and only beat it by five metres with his next. O’Sullivan closed with another big shot. Murray’s bowl followed, but drifted left and stopped on the tip.

Michael Gould beat Derry Cooney by a bowl at Grenagh. He won the first two shots, but Cooney got a great third to the wall to take a 30m lead. He looked to be heading for a bowl of odds at the double bend, but Gould levelled with a great shot onto the straight.

They were locked together until Gould got a brilliant bowl to Boula lane. That put him a bowl clear and he held that lead to the line.

Denis Cooney and Seán Hegarty held off a strong finish by Mick Hurley and Donie O’Sullivan to win in the last shot at Ballincurrig. Pa Butler and Bert Randalls were over a bowl behind in third.

They compensated though by beating Hurley and O’Sullivan by over a bowl in the return.