Murphy lands title after strong second-half surge

SEÁN MURPHY won the Ballinacurra Christmas Tournament by two bowls of odds after a powerful second half display saw him burn off the challenges of Wayne Calnan and Raymond Ryan respectively.

Calnan, the favourite, made a good start and he took a 50m lead after three shots through Brinny cross. He tightened his grip by making light at Foley’s, while Ryan and Murphy both missed. He held the upper hand in the next exchange and eased into a 60m lead with his sixth shot. Ryan missed Perrott’s with his next and was never a contender again.

Murphy ignited his challenge with a monstrous bowl to the end of Perrott’s. Calnan missed that by 100m. Both Ryan and Calnan played their next bowls to the left, Ryan missed Murphy’s tip to concede a bowl of odds and Calnan beat it by just 20m.