Creedon on top at Kealkill
He just shaded the opening shot from Murphy and Bowen. He made clear light with his second to increase his odds. Bowen missed the cross with his next bowl. Murphy followed with a great bowl past the post office, which Creedon just missed. Bowen fell a bowl behind when his fourth bowl hit a wall and was never again in the frame.
They made O’Sullivan’s in two more, with Murphy still leading Creedon and Bowen a bowl off the pace. Little changed to O’Mahony’s. Creedon then delivered an exceptional bowl past Kingston’s that ran to just short of the graveyard. Murphy’s reply just beat Kingston’s. He made up for this with a good bowl to light at the graveyard, but Creedon beat it by 20m.
Murphy’s next bowl was too tight and ran against the wall. Creedon beat that by 70m and looked to have a chance of making the line with his next. Murphy as expected missed the line, but when Creedon also failed he was given a lifeline. He beat the line with his last shot, but Creedon easily beat that tip.
The draws for the pool stages of the Munster senior championship sees All-Ireland champion Martin Coppinger in Pool 1, with Eamon Bowen Jnr, Gavin Twohig and Gary Daly. Coppinger will need to be close to his devestating 2010 form if he hopes to take one of the quarter-final slots from this pool. Gary Daly in his first senior could make life difficult for both Bowen and Twohig for the second quarter-final place.
Beaten Munster finalist James O’Donovan looks well placed to take one of the two spots from Pool 2. The real battle here could be for second place between Bill Daly, Christy Mullins and Eamon Bowen Snr. Mullins would seem to have the edge in that contest.
World champion Aidan Murphy is the standout player in Pool 3. He should have too much in reserve for James Buckley, Edmund Sexton and Nicholas Carey. Buckley who reached last year’s semi-final might get the second spot. Neither Sexton nor Carey have enough form yet this term to suggest that they will be serious challengers.
David Murphy should take the first qualifying spot in Pool 4. While his early season form cost him dearly in 2010, he closed out the year as King of the Roads and is the long odds favourite for the 2011 title.
John Creedon has the ability to take the second slot, if he can maintain his form. The pool also contains Pat Butler who reached last year’s semi-final and the last two Intermediate champions Paddy O’Donghue and Willie O’Donovan.
Brendan O’Neill won the resumed Ballinacarriga final where he beat Killian O’Sullivan by 50m. O’Sullivan settled into an early lead with a good bowl to light at Hurley’s and led to McSweeney’s. O’Neill won the next exchange and held sway in the next two past the line.
Eamon Bowen Snr. beat Paddy O’Donoghue in the last shot at Cobh. O’Donoghue made Dennis’s in two and Durkin’s boreen in two more to go almost a bowl in front. Bowen dinted the lead with a brilliant loft over McCarthy’s cross, but O’Donoghue pushed clear again to the top of Clash. Bowen took the lead by making light at the last bend in three good shots. O’Donoghue played a good last bowl, but Bowen beat it well.
His son Aidan gave a polished performance too at Ballincurrig where he beat David O’Mahony by two bowls and Dan O’Connor by three. O’Connor won the first shot, but quickly fell out of contention. O’Mahony had a good lead after seven to Heaphy’s, but Bowen took the lead after two good shots past the halfway line. He raised a bowl at the big corner and had a second with two shots to go.
Billy McAuliffe came from a bowl down at Ballyhass lakes to beat John Shorten in the last shot at Ballyclough. Richard Murphy beat John O’Donoghue by almost two bowls at the same venue.
Brian O’Reilly beat Thomas Mackle in the last shot at Tassagh. Mackle dominated the early part of the score, but O’Reilly fought back to level for the last shot and easily won the final exchange. It was a bad weekend for Mackle who was knocked out of the Northern Builders tournament at the Cathedral Road by Sean Donnelly.
The Danny McParland Cup will officially replace the retired Armagh Turf Accountants Cup for the Ulster senior championship at a special ceremony tonight in the Tomás Ó Fiach Library in Armagh.
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