McGuigan stuns Murphy in decider

CONOR MCGUIGAN pulled off the biggest bowling shock since Danny McParland beat Mick Barry in the 1963 All-Ireland final, when he beat David Murphy by almost three bowls of odds in the All-Ireland senior final at Tassagh, Co. Armagh yesterday.

It is a weekend Cork bowlers will want to quickly forget. Only Cathriona Murphy in the Intermediate Women’s decider and Ciara Buckley in the Girls U16 final were victorious. David Murphy’s father John lost the Veteran final to Oliver Gribben and his cousin Kieran lost to Ethan Rafferty in the U18 final.

Colm Rafferty got the first leg of a family double when he beat Neil Crowley in the U16 and Donal Daly got a rare win for Tyrone when he beat Wayne Kingston in the Junior B final.

David Murphy stormed into the senior final with a massive bowl to just short of light. He was almost a bowl up after three, but he played a poor fifth to hand the lead to McGuigan. Murphy’s very short seventh left McGuigan almost a bowl in front at the creamery lane. McGuigan raised the bowl with his next, but lost most of his lead with a poor 10th.

He was back in control after a great 11th raising the bowl again after Murphy played his bowl to the right. He increased his lead to almost two bowls with a good bowl to light past the garage. He got a poor 13th and Murphy launched a minor rally with a big bowl to the bridge.

McGuigan didn’t flinch. He pulled his bowl around the bridge to keep his lead 60m over a bowl. Murphy’s next was too far right at the Junior B line and McGuigan hit him with another to take the lead close to three bowls.

Cathriona Murphy added the Intermediate title to the U18 she won in Dunmanway by beating Haley O’Neill-Morgan with the last shot.

Morgan went a bowl in front after three and pushed it close to a second bowl with a great fifth. Murphy hit back with a massive ninth to wipe out all the odds and snatch the lead. She was 30m clear after 12. Morgan cut the odds to two metres with her next and regained the lead with her 13th. Murphy then played her score-winning bowl to end Morgan’s hopes.

Ciara Buckley beat Sinead Kiernan by almost a bowl in a brilliant Girls U16 final. They were level at McCann’s, but Buckley turned the score with a massive bowl that was unlucky to miss light at the creamery lane. Kiernan beat it in two to hold the lead under a bowl. They matched each other shot-for-shot to the line, with Buckley holding her lead.

Ethan Rafferty confirmed his growing reputation by winning the U18 final less than 24-hours after playing with the losing Armagh minor footballers at Croke Park. He was a bowl in front after three shots and extended that to two after Kieran Murphy misplayed his next two and he held that lead to the finish. The win completed a double after his brother Colm beat Neil Crowley in Saturday’s U16 final.

Rafferty gained a bowl early on, but played poorly from Twynam’s to the creamery lane where Crowley was almost a bowl in front. Crowley took four throws to reach McCann’s when he had a chance to do it in three. He was still ahead for the last shot but Rafferty reversed it with a brilliant last.

Tyrone’s Donal Daly beat Wayne Kingston in the Junior B final while Oliver Gribben crowned a great day for Ulster with a two bowls of odds win over John Murphy in the Veteran final.