Sensational finish seals it for Butler
All three had their periods of dominance – Daly in the opening shots, Bowen in the middle but Butler struck when it counted. Daly’s two good opening bowls to Robin’s cross gave him a good lead on Butler and Bowen who both missed light. He lost the lead to Bowen’s great fourth shot to the netting and fell out of contention. Bowen pushed clear in the throws to the bridge but his good work unravelled through three short bowls to O’Donoghue’s where Butler took his first lead by five metres. He rallied with a brilliant shot to Madore Station, which Butler did well to miss by just 20m.
Butler was back in front when he played a brilliant bowl past the junior line. Bowen took two to beat that tip but Butler beat the line with a sensational last shot.
His next major assignment is at Rylane where he faces David Murphy and Patrick O’Donoghue in the Munster senior championship Pool 4 playoff. The first two home will qualify for the quarter-finals. A draw will decide which of them plays last year’s champion Martin Coppinger with the other meeting Christy Mullins.
Eamon Bowen is already through to the last eight and will play the winner of the Pool 3 tie between James Buckley and Edmund Sexton. The last quarter-final is a Bandon derby between James O’Donovan and Aidan Murphy. O’Donovan had a very easy win over Bill Daly in his final pool score last Wednesday at Rylane.
The race in Ulster is coming down to three players following Martin Toal’s win over Eddie Carr on Sunday in his first score. As it stands both Conor McGuigan and Brian O’Reilly have two wins each – O’Reilly received a walkover from Cathal Toal on Sunday. Toal has withdrawn which would mean that Martin Toal will get a second win by default.
Toal bowled well at Knappagh on Sunday giving Eddie Carr just one fore bowl. He started with six brilliant bowls to Farley’s but his form dipped to Grimley’s, while Carr came more into things and took his first lead past Rowntree’s lane. Toal regained the lead with his next, but was just 20m fore at Brannigan’s. He finished strongly though to win by close to a bowl.
John O’Rourke beat Mark Bourke by a bowl in the North Cork Junior A final at Kilcorney. He won each of the first three shots to Cooney’s. Bourke took the fourth, but O’Rourke was back in front after another two shots to the bridge.
He increased his odds to 30m at McKeering’s lane and extended his lead to Cullinane’s bungalow. He gained almost a bowl of odds in the shots to the novice line and played a great bowl towards the finish line to raise the bowl.
Experience and perseverance won the day for Michael Gould in the Cork City Junior A final at Whitechurch. Brian Daly led from the off and was a bowl in front before Boula lane. He lost momentum to Downey’s line where Gould had the lead back to 50m. Daly continued to lead but missed light at the top of the straight. Gould got a good bowl towards the farm and when Daly missed light there the score was level.
He hung to the lead by beating Gould’s good bowl towards the next bend. Gould followed with a smart bowl to light at the Devil’s bend, which Daly beat by 20m off a rub. Another good bowl to the wall gave Gould his first lead by 15m. Daly closed with a great bowl past the line. Gould had the title in focus now and beat the tip by 15m.
Last year’s U18 champion Raymond Ryan beat Ian Callanan by almost a bowl in the South West Junior A final at Kilbrittain. He had 50m odds after two throws each and increased it to 80m with a good third. He lost a chance to increase his odds in the next exchange, but was still in control at the big corner. He followed with two poor shots and Callanan took his first lead at O’Mahony’s Ryan regained the lead at the next tip and then beat a series of super bowls from Callanan.
The contest was decided when Callanan missed full light at the last bend and Ryan went close to the line with his bowl. Callanan just beat that tip with his reply.
Carmel Ryan beat Catriona O’Farrell-Kidney in the first of the John Lowney Munster senior quarter-finals at Carrigaline on Sunday. Kidney started well, but Ryan led briefly after five. Kidney went back in front and raised good odds on the straight. Ryan levelled to the pump house and regained the lead at the bend.
There was nothing between them in the closing stages. Ryan played a brilliant last shot from hind bowl, which Kidney missed by 20m.
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