Coppinger’s brilliance blitzes Carr in Keady
Ulster champion Eddie Carr was on the back foot from the off, but the truth is that no bowler could have matched Coppinger’s bowling. His brilliance changed the complexion of the Ból-Fada festival for Munster supporters, who saw six of the ten ties won by Ulster bowlers.
He drove a super first shot up the right hand track and Carr was already in trouble. He made Twynam’s in two more where he was well over a bowl in front. Two more to the creamery lane and the outcome was already clear. He made McCann’s corner in seven record shots to push three bowls clear. He was almost four in front after two more to McKee’s line.
Nine shots of supreme bowling describe this better than any words. After a long wait he won his first All-Ireland title in 2010. The final acts of that great championship were heady days. Yesterday was another and one suspects there is yet more to come from the Bantry man before 2011 reaches its conclusion.
Thomas Mackle confirmed his growing reputation by winning two scores. Yesterday morning he led all the way to an emphatic win over Anthony Gould in the Charlemont Cup. On Saturday he stepped in for his uncle Martin Toal in partnership with Conor McGuigan and played a significant role in an overwhelming win over Gary Daly and Wayne Calnan in the Corner Bar challenge.
In the Charlemont Cup Mackle won the opening tip and quickly took a stranglehold on the score. He made Twynam’s in three to go a bowl clear of Gould. He followed with two big shots to the creamery lane to raise a second bowl. From there Gould had little hope. Mackle kept up the momentum and was edging close to a third bowl before the bridge, where Gould conceded.
Mackle also dictated Saturday’s double. He opened with a big bowl to settle the partnership, even if Cork senior Gary Daly beat it by five metres. Wayne Calnan edged Conor McGuigan in the second shot. Mackle’s exceptional third shot past Twynam’s turned the score. In response Daly failed to make light and Calnan then missed Mackle’s tip to concede a bowl of odds.
Daly failed to bridge the gap with a poor fifth shot. McGuigan and Mackle followed with two good bowls to the creamery lane where they were two shots clear. They gave the Cork pair no opening after that.
Ulster player Brian O’Reilly beat Gavin Twohig in the Pete Grimley Cup. A big first shot gave Twohig a perfect start as O’Reilly got a poor second to leave a shot between them. Twohig was just short of Twynam’s in three where he had almost two bowls of odds. The score took a sharp change when Twohig got a poor shot from Twynam’s and O’Reilly went over the rise.
Twohig held the lead to the creamery lane, past McCann’s and down to the carnival gates. O’Reilly took his first lead when he got a massive rub which took him well over the bridge. He held the lead from there, although Twohig put it up to him with his last throw.
Also on Saturday Cork pair David Hubbard and Michael Murphy beat Cathal Toal and Seamus McKee by over two bowls.
William O’Driscoll and Kieran Murphy gave Cork a second win by beating Fergal Donnelly and Stephen McCann by almost a bowl. O’Driscoll got a second run as a substitute for Raymond Ryan with John O’Sullivan against Ethan Rafferty and Mick O’Neill in the last of yesterday’s challenges, but he was on the losing side.
On Friday there were two Ulster wins on the Viaduct Road. Bernadette Murphy and Lorraine Hurley won the Annavale Joinery challenge when they beat Carly Grimley and Elaine McGrady by two bowls.
Armagh players took the remaining two scores. Kelly Mallon repeated her All-Ireland final win over Carmel Ryan. This was on a knife-edge to Connolly’s, but Mallon went over a bowl in front before the last bend. Ryan finished strongly to save the bowl. Brian Kinchin and Stephen O’Neill beat Billy Dalton and Sean Twomey by a bowl– the Cork pair never recovered from a bad start.
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