Cooney brothers into last eight
Cooney bowled brilliantly at Kilcorney where he dominated Terry Mallon from the off. He lead into Coleman’s bridge and pushed it to almost two bowls after three more to McKeering’s lane. He raised the second bowl at Cullinane’s to ease home.
John O’Rourke won the first two shots at Baile Mhúirne, but Raymond Ryan got a good third to go 50m clear but he missed a chance to extend his lead after O’Rourke got a poor shot to O’Donoghue’s. However, he still beat the tip by just five metres. O’Rourke regained the lead with his seventh. After they both missed the novice line in 14 O’Rourke got a brilliant bowl to Ullane’s bridge. Ryan’s reply hit a pothole and broke right 100m shy of that.
Ryan played his next too far right and O’Rourke confirmed his win with a good bowl to just short of the line. He now faces Arthur McDonagh for what promises to be a great quarter-final at Ballyvolane.
PJ Cooney’s win at Kilcorney ensured there are two Cooney brothers in the quarter-finals. PJ plays Trevor McCarthy at Gortroe and Denis, representing London, plays Mick Gould at Sally’s Cross. Declan O’Donovan meets Denis O’Driscoll in a West Cork derby at Kildee.
Trevor McCarthy qualified by beating Brendan O’Neill in the Mid-Cork final at Newcestown. O’Neill briefly knocked it with his tenth throw, but McCarthy raised it again at Desmond’s lane. He was two in front at Collins’ lane and held that lead to O’Brien’s cross. O’Neill reached the last bend in two from there to bring the lead back to a bowl, but he got no closer.
Declan O’Donovan gained his quarter-final slot with a last shot win over John O’Brien in the Carbery final at the Marsh Road. O’Brien led after a great sixth shot to Currahill but O’Donovan regained the lead at the silvery gate. O’Brien rallied strongly to make the steps in 10 where he had well over a bowl of odds.
He lost most of his odds by missing light at Ballyhilty. He missed another chance when O’Donovan got a poor shot to Crowley’s boreen. O’Donovan grabbed that reprieve with a great bowl towards the last bend. O’Brien kept in contention with a good throw towards the line and when O’Donovan just missed the line it was down to a last shot. O’Brien played a good shot, but O’Donovan beat it comfortably.
Elsewhere, Maria Noonan and Geraldine Daly secured the last of the Munster senior women’s quarter-final slots in a three-way tie at Enniskeane on Monday evening, in which Sharon Russell lost out.
Daly opened with five great bowls to the first bend where she had almost a bowl on Russell and a full bowl on Noonan. She got a poor seventh and Noonan then got two good bowls to bring the lead under a bowl at the watery lane.
Daly was a bowl clear again at the middle of the wall, but she lost ground to the bridge and they were all level after 14. Russell followed with two short bowls to fall behind.
Noonan gained the upper hand with a great bowl out the big bend. After the next shots she had a bowl on Daly and two on Russell. Daly made a late rally with a good second last shot to save the bowl.
Maria Noonan now plays Louise Daly at Killumney, Geraldine Daly plays Juliet Murphy at Clondrohid and Emma Fitzpatrick and Denise Murphy meet at Enniskeane. Defending champion Carmel Ryan has already qualified for the semi-final.
Andrew O’Leary is the first to secure a place in the semi-final of the Munster intermediate championship after a surprisingly easy two-bowl win over Seamus Sexton at Killumney. He was a bowl clear before the cul de sac. He then held off a good rally from Sexton before raising a second bowl on the straight.
The Ulster intermediate championship is tied between Fergal Donnelly, Paul Rafferty and Thomas Mackle following Donnelly’s win at Knappagh. He bowled well to Grimley’s where he was a bowl in front. He held that lead to the line with Rafferty finishing second and Mackle third.
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