Bowen too good for Twohig

ÉAMON Bowen Jnr moved into the quarter-finals of the Munster senior championship when he beat Gavin Twohig by over a bowl at Templemartin.

Neither player started particularly well, but Bowen went over a bowl clear after seven and nine to Slyne’s corner. Twohig raised his challenge but Bowen ended his hopes with a brilliant bowl past the monument, which helped him go well over a bowl clear again at the pub cross.

In Ulster Conor McGuigan has taken pole position with two wins from two starts in the senior championship. He easily beat Eddie Carr at Knappagh on Sunday.

McGuigan opened with a big shot and was almost a bowl in front after two to the planting corner. Carr cut the odds to Farley’s, but McGuigan raised a bowl to the top of the hill. He increased his lead to two bowls after Condy corner and couldn’t be caught.

The race for the Munster Junior A title became a lot clearer with three regional finals and a semi-final.

Arthur McDonagh beat John O’Donoghue by almost a bowl in the North East final at Bottlehill. After opening up a bowl lead O’Donoghue rallied but McDonagh restored the bowl with his shot to light and held it to the last corner.

PJ Cooney won the East Cork title at Clashmore. It had a disappointing end though as Dave Dennis pulled up injured.

Denis O’Driscoll beat Mick Young in the West Cork final at Corran. Young won the first three shots. O’Driscoll won his first lead with a good fourth shot to the double bends. They were dead level after ten each to the no-play line at Wilson’s. Young got a great bowl from there to go almost a bowl in front but O’Driscoll finished with two good efforts.

John O’Brien will face Declan O’Donovan in the Carbery final following his comprehensive win over Pat O’Donovan at the Marsh Road.

He was a bowl in front after five shots to the council yard gate. He made the steps in four more to go two bowls clear and settle the score.

Dan O’Halloran won the Joan O’Donovan Cup final at Ballinacurra where he beat Michael Bohane by over two bowls. O’Halloran was a bowl clear after three great shots through Brinny cross. Bohane briefly cut the odds, but two great bowls towards Cronin’s avenue had O’Halloran two in front again.

Denise Murphy got a lifeline in the Munster senior women’s championship when she had a surprise win over Catriona O’Farrell-Kidney at Curraheen. Maria Noonan kept her hopes alive too through a comprehensive win over Sharon Russell at Newcestown.

Thomas Mackle is back in contention for the Ulster intermediate title after his runaway win over Fergal Donnelly and Paul Rafferty. Donnelly must win the next round if he is to stay in contention. In the Ulster Junior A at Portmor Phillip Corrigan beat Kieran Morgan with the last shot.