O’Donoghue holds off Creedon to edge win at Killumney

PADDY O’DONOGHUE held on for a good last-shot win against a powerful late surge from John Creedon at Killumney in Pool 4 of the Munster Senior Championship.

That win guarantees him at least joint leadership of the group, with Pat Butler and David Murphy still in the hunt.

However if he beats Murphy in the last round at Donoughmore he will automatically go into the last eight.

Creedon started with a great bowl to light. O’Donoghue beat it by 90m in two, but Creedon left him off the hook with a poor second. There was just 10 metres between them after three to the school cross.

O’Donoghue won the next shot by 40m and quickly raised a bowl in the shots to the cul-de-sac bend. He went two clear after a brilliant bowl away from the cul-de-sac.

Creedon got a super shot to the next bend which cut the lead to just over a bowl.

He followed with another miler to Connie’s bend to bring the lead under a bowl.

After Creedon lofted Connie’s bend the lead was well under a bowl and there was just 40m between them at the novice line. The lead was down to 15m after two more throws.

Creedon then beat the line with a big bowl, but O’Donoghue kept his focus and beat it by eight metres.

Brian Wilmot beat Martin Connolly by two bowls in the Munster Intermediate Championship at Monarone. He led from the off and was a bowl in front after four.

He held that lead comfortably, but missed a chance to raise a second bowl at the junior line. A perfect break at the bridge gave him the second bowl and Connolly conceded at Tanner’s lane.

Brendan O’Neill will contest the Mid-Cork Junior A final after a last-shot win over Johnny Murphy at Castletownkenneigh.

He beat Murphy’s big opening shot, but neither player gained an upper hand to the triangle.

O’Neill nosed in front at the first no-play line and Murphy was in front at the second.

O’Neill won the next exchange by 20m. Murphy then missed the line and O’Neill beat it with his 14th throw to qualify for a final meeting with either Trevor McCarthy or Paul Buckley.

The Carbery Junior A round-robin series has four players tied. This means that the final rounds between Declan O’Donovan and John Cahalane and Pat O’Donovan against John O’Brien are effectively semi-finals.

O’Brien finished strongly to beat Cahalane at Schull. They were locked together from the off, but Cahalane had edged 40 metres clear with three to go. O’Brien snatched the lead with a great second-last shot and then beat the line with a big bowl to get a vital win.

Michael Gould is through to the Cork City Junior A final, where he will play either Richard Murphy or Brian Daly.

He beat William O’Driscoll in the last shot of the first semi-final at Whitechurch. O’Driscoll started well and was a bowl in front at Downey’s line. He got two poor shots from there, He still had almost a bowl at the top of the straight, but missed the farmhouse to leave him just 10 metres fore. The same lead separated them after the next shots.

Gould then made the Devil’s Bend and took the lead.

O’Driscoll reached the wall with his next, but Gould beat it well with a good bowl towards the line. O’Driscoll’s last shot was not his best, but Gould just beat it.

PJ Cooney beat Mick Hurley by a bowl at Ballincurrig to qualify for the East Cork Junior A semi-final.

Cooney went over a bowl clear after five great shots to just short of the no-play line. He didn’t make the second line with his next and Hurley held him to a bowl to the top of the long straight. They took three each to open the big corner.

Hurley knocked the bowl when he made light at the top of the short straight and Cooney missed. Cooney steadied things with a good bowl towards the sycamores which gave him almost a bowl again. He now plays Billy Dalton at Clashmore, while Dave Dennis and Pat Butler meet in the other semi-final at Cloyne.

Raymond Ryan’s class was the main talking point in the five-day Carbery South West festival at Kildee.

Ryan bowled brilliantly on Thursday night to beat Arthur McDonagh by two bowls. He had over a bowl after three good shots to light.

He made Boreen-na-Parach in six and was just short of the ‘Stickeen’ in seven where he had two bowls.