Daly and O’Leary deliver for Fermoy
Thomas Mackle won the Noel Phair Cup final at Shannonvale, with Michael Bohane second and Billy McAuliffe third — all three were in the frame for the last shot.
Gary Daly beat last year’s All-Ireland champion Martin Coppinger in the last shot to gain the second wild card entry into next month’s Hurley’s of Midleton King of the Roads semi-finals.
This was an enthralling contest from the off. Daly got the better of two good opening shots, but Coppinger won the second to Moore’s gate and extended his lead to 50m with a great third bowl to the green. Coppinger lost ground with his bowl past O’Sullivan’s and Daly regained the lead with a brilliant fifth towards no-play line. He was still in front at Heaphy’s but Coppinger regained the lead at O’Riordan’s.
Daly made his only mistake there. Coppinger then got a great bowl to the half-way line and raised a bowl of odds. Daly bowled brilliantly from there. He made clear light at the big corner in two great shots. Coppinger was not out fully in two and then missed light at the top of the short straight. Daly went up to reduce the lead to 40m.
They both got sensational bowls to the sycamores, with Coppinger’s lead now down to five metres. Daly regained the lead with his next and was still leading after another shot to light at the last bend. Coppinger’s last bowl fell left just past the line and Daly beat it comfortably.
At Ballygurteen, Andrew O’Leary made light in two shots to go a bowl clear of Trevor O’Meara and he dominated to the finish. He had two bowls at the women’s lane and raised a third bowl on the straight. He held that lead in 10 throws to O’Donovan’s. O’Meara finished with three great bowls to bring the lead under two at the line.
Thomas Mackle bowled well in the Noel Phair Cup final at Shannonvale. A good start saw him raise good odds on Michael Bohane to Desmond’s and take almost a bowl on Billy McAuliffe. He got a poor shot from the cross and both Bohane and McAuliffe closed the gap. Bohane looked set to take over, but missed the last bend in two. Facing the line they were in the order they finished, with Mackle comprehensively beating Bohane’s tip.
Raymond Ryan beat Killian Kingston in the Connie Killarney Cup at the Marsh Road. They were level after six each to the quarry gate. Kingston then took a big lead with a great bowl past the silvery gate. Ryan’s next was even bigger and put him a bowl clear. Kingston brought the lead under a bowl, but when his second last missed light his last chance of catching Ryan was gone.
The race for the Gretta Cormican Cup gathered momentum with two semi-final places filled. Cork football star Juliet Murphy got a walkover from the injured Louise Daly, while Triona O’Farrell-Kidney won a titanic last shot battle with Geraldine Daly at Dunderrow.
Denise Murphy and Emer O’Donovan meet in the third quarter-final. Susan Cullen-Scannell beat double All-Ireland champion Catriona Murphy in the last shot at Drinagh to book a meeting with Lorraine Hurley for the last semi-final place.
The last three Munster titles in women’s bowling were also decided. Nicola O’Sullivan is the new Junior champion, Chloë O’Halloran won he U14 final and ten year old Sarah Murphy won the U12 final.
Nicola O’Sullivan had too much power and accuracy for Aveen O’Connell in the Junior final at Clondrohid. She was a bowl in front at the Bell Inn and raised a second at Gough’s lane. She was three clear before the line.
Chloë O’Halloran led all the way against defending champion Emma Hickey in the U14 final at Kildee. A big shot to the cross gave her a good start and a great bowl to Rodgers’ put her a bowl clear. She had over a bowl at McCarthy’s bend. Hickey briefly knocked it but O’Halloran pulled two clear at the start of the long straight and she had three at the no-play line.
Sarah Murphy had a shock win over Maria Nagle in the U12 final at Clondrohid. Nagle was a bowl in front at the Bell Inn, but Murphy got two incredible bowls to snatch the lead. Nagle went back in front, but her second last throw just missed the line. Murphy grabbed the opening with a good bowl that Nagle missed by five metres.
Shane O’Neill is the Ulster Novice I champion after beating Gerry Boylan by almost a bowl. He trailed by a bowl, then raced into a bowl of odds lead, but was lucky to hold on at the line.
Paul Grimley beat Mick O’Neill in the last shot of the Ulster Junior C final at Tassagh.
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