Strong finish sees Murphy into last eight
The first five shots to light before Cnoc an Iúir cross were level. Sexton gained an advantage past the cross and was 20m fore after his next to Healy’s. He missed a chance to increase his lead in the next shots, however, but Murphy missed light at the slippery rock giving Sexton a chance to go a bowl in front but again, he failed and with it, went his best chance of victory.
He held the lead in the next three to Murphy’s wall, but hit a bad patch to the novice line to fall a bowl behind.
He got a good bowl to Ullanes Bridge, which Murphy just beat by 30m in two. Murphy killed off that rally with a good bowl towards the junior line and raised a bowl with his next to advance to the last eight.
David Murphy, Patrick O’Donoghue and Pat Butler are tied for the two Pool 4 quarter-final places, following Murphy’s win over O’Donoghue at Donoughmore.
Terry Mallon is Gaeltacht Junior A champion following a comprehensive two bowls of odds win over Jerry O’Riordan at The Mons. All the other regions have also reached the final stages.
In West Cork, Denis O’Driscoll and Mick Young contest the decider. O’Driscoll beat John Young by two bowls at Kealkil and Mick Young beat Bernie Chambers at Ballinacarriga.
John Young won the first two shots at Kealkil, but his third hit a pillar to leave them level. O’Driscoll took a 100m lead when his bowl got a great rub at O’Sullivan’s and he led to Kingston’s. Young got three poor shots from there to fall over a bowl behind at the graveyard.
A lucky rub with his first shot gave Mick Young a dream start at Ballinacarriga. He had almost a bowl after three to the bridge. He raised the bowl on the straight and added a second after two good throws to O’Hehir’s corner. He made the cross in two more where he had well over two bowls.
Brian Daly gave a five star performance at Whitechurch against Richard Murphy in the Cork city semi-final. Murphy played a great bowl past the wall, but Daly beat it. He then played a sensational bowl to Boula lane to go a bowl in front. He raised a second on the straight and when Murphy missed light at the farm the lead was almost three bowls.
John O’Donoghue and Arthur McDonagh meet in the North East final. McDonagh beat Martin Daly at Bottlehill and O’Donoghue got an amazing last shot to beat Aidan Bowen at Ballyclough.
O’Donoghue raised a bowl at the start of the straight. Bowen cut the odds to 50m at Ballyhass lakes and won his first lead with a great bowl to the forestry. He was 70m clear at the school. O’Donoghue regained the lead at the double bend but Bowen then made light at the last bend, but O’Donoghue’s reply brushed and ran just short of the line.
John O’Rourke and Mark Bourke are in the North Cork final. O’Rourke beat Michael Murphy by two bowls at Bweeng and Burke beat Derry Cooney at Béal na Marbh.
O’Rourke made light with his first shot at Bweeng and was a bowl in front after four to the ‘Tinny House’. Murphy missed a chance to level at Buckley’s and fell almost two behind at the railing. O’Rourke raised the second bowl at the novice line.
At Béal na Marbh Mark Bourke went almost a bowl clear after two to light. Bourke made the rock in three to raise almost two bowls. He had over two at the start of the straight and was three clear at the end.
Dave Dennis and PJ Cooney will contest the East Cork final. Dennis beat Patrick Butler by a bowl at Cloyne and Cooney beat Billy Dalton in the last shot at Clashmore. Ian Callanan and Raymond Ryan meet in a tie-breaker for the South West title, following Callanan’s last shot win over Ryan at Kilbrittain on Monday.
Declan O’Donovan beat John Cahalane in the Carbery semi-final at Leap. Bowling lost an enduring personality with the sudden death early last week of Charlo Daly, who was the principal figure in the clubhouse for decades.
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