O'Donovan leads all the way to edge out Bowen

JAMES O’DONOVAN led from the start in his bowl of odds win over Eamon Bowen Snr in the Munster senior championship at Carrigaline on Sunday.

O’Donovan got a good opening shot towards the first bend, which Bowen missed by 70m. Bowen just made the bend with his second and O’Donovan extended his lead with a good bowl to clear light. Bowen beat that by just 20m with his next to fall almost a bowl behind. O’Donovan raised the bowl with his next past the avenue.

After this bright start O’Donovan’s form dipped and Bowen knocked the bowl after his sixth shot onto the first straight. Bowen benefitted from a rub to beat O’Donovan’s next shot towards the end of the straight. They played two very poor shots each from there, taking a third to make light at the railing, where Bowen had the lead well under a bowl.

Bowen cut the odds again in the next exchange. O’Donovan then played a great bowl past O’Sullivan’s avenue and while Bowen beat it, there was a sense of inevitability as they settled into the long final straight. Another huge shot past the bungalow edged O’Donovan to within two metres of a bowl of odds. He followed with a brilliant bowl, which put the lead well over a bowl of odds and ended Bowen’s challenge.

Edmund Sexton beat Nicholas Carey in the last shot of their senior championship tie at Whitechurch.

Carey opened with a great shot from Kilcronan lane, which gave him a comfortable lead. He made light at the first corner in three more to go almost a bowl in front. Sexton rallied briefly, but Carey pushed clear again to Boula lane where he had a bowl. He increased his odds in the shots to Downey’s line.

His early promise evaporated when he took three more throws to make the end of the straight and Sexton was back in contention. Sexton got a great bowl to the light at the farmhouse to win his first lead. He struggled to break clear, but after a good shot to the last bend victory looked certain. There was a final glitch though when he missed the line with his second last. Carey did not exploit this though and Sexton won the last shots comfortably.

Five players – Eddie Carr, Brian O’Reilly, Conor McGuigan, Martin Toal and Cathal Toal – will contest the Ulster Senior championship in a round-robin series. All the scores will be played on the Knappagh Road. Fergal Donnelly, Thomas Mackle, and Paul Rafferty will contest the Ulster Intermediate championship, the first player to win three scores will be the champion.

Billy McAuliffe and Andrew O’Leary had wins in the Munster intermediate championship on St Patrick’s Day. O’Leary led all the way against Anthony Gould at Ballincurrig, while a strong finish saw McAuliffe beat Liam O’Sullivan at Béal na mBláth.

A better first shot gave O’Leary the perfect start at Ballincurrig. He made the no-play line in six while Gould missed it in six. He held a nice lead to light at O’Riordan’s and turned that into a bowl of odds with a brilliant bowl on the long straight, which he held to sycamores. Gould knocked the bowl at the elbow, but O’Leary closed with a brilliant bowl from the last bend to seal his win.

McAuliffe started well too at Béal na mBláth and was in a good lead at the water. O’Sullivan fought to take the lead at Long’s lane and bowled well to the garage. McAuliffe turned the tide with a great bowl to the big bend to go almost a bowl in front. They contested that lead to the line.

Derry Cooney and Michael Murphy booked their places in the North Cork Junior A semi-finals.

Cooney beat Seamus Sexton by well over a bowl at Ballinagree. Sexton was a bowl in front after two good shots to light and held that lead till Cooney got two great bowls from the cottage to just short of the bridge where he had a bowl of odds. He increased his lead from there.

Murphy led all the way in his equally emphatic win over John O’Rourke at Kilcorney. The early exchanges were close but Murphy raised a bowl at the three-quarter stage and held it to the finish.

John Young gave a polished display in the West Cork Junior A championship at Drimoleague where he beat Teddy O’Driscoll by over three bowls. Bernie Chambers beat Finbarr Lynch at Togher Cross on St Patrick’s Day.

They were level to the chips. Chambers made Hurley’s in two shots to raise a bowl. He held that to the garage. Lynch knocked it with a great bowl from the school and finished strongly, but he could not reel in Chambers.