Impressive O’Donovan edges out Murphy
His first bowl fell right, but Murphy’s went to the left and missed it by 40m. Murphy got a fine second shot to take his only lead. O’Donovan bounced back with a brilliant third bowl on the white line that swung with the road and ran past McCarthy’s avenue. Murphy did will to come within 60m of that.
O’Donovan held his odds with his next shot to the end of the wood. He played a perfect fifth shot past Ashman’s, but it drifted to the right. Murphy then got a brilliant bowl towards the top of the straight.
In reply O’Donovan played the first of three great bowls that decisively turned the score. The first beat Murphy’s tip by 90m. The second turned perfectly with the road past Lynch’s cross and brought the lead to within a metre of a bowl of odds. The third went well past Drinan’s and pushed his lead 60m over a bowl.
He beat the double avenue in two more where he had almost two bowls. He edged closer to the second bowl to the novice line and there was still almost two between them after 14 and 16 to the junior line. Murphy made a late rally with a great bowl to the Paddock’s to knock the bowl. O’Donovan responded with a big last shot to raise it again.
Eamon Bowen gave a bustling performance in his emphatic win over Edmond Sexton in the Kelleher-Hurley Cup at Drimoleague.
Sexton won the first tip by 80m with a good shot to the top of the hill. Bowen’s second cut the lead to 50m, but he looked unlikely to make Caheragh cross in three. He not only made the cross but his bowl turned perfectly to cut Sexton’s lead to 10m. Sexton went 40m clear again with his next bowl past the pillars.
Bowen took his first lead with a brilliant bowl past the next bend and he followed with another to go 100m clear at the bottom of the hill. Sexton beat that tip by just 50m with his next. Bowen followed with two powerful bowls to go almost two bowls in front. He had well over two at the end of the straight and a massive bowl onto the wide road made it three bowls.
James O’Donovan, David Murphy, Raymond Ryan, Killian Kingston, Edmond Sexton, Eamon Bowen, James Buckley, Wayne Calnan, John Shorten and Tim Young all booked their places on the Irish senior team for next year’s European Championships in Sunday’s trials at Halfway.
Geraldine Daly, Catriona Kidney, Carmel Ryan, Louise Collins and Aisling White have qualified for the senior women’s squad. John O'Sullivan, Cian Shorten, Cian Boyle and Brian O'Halloran secured the first four places on the youth team with Meghan Collins, Ciara Buckley and Juliann Hayes getting the first three places on the girls’ team.
Gary Daly beat Christy Mullins in the last shot at Shannonvale, with Thomas Mackle a disappointing third. Mullins started well to raise a bowl, but his form dipped from Buttimer’s and Mackle had almost a bowl on him at Desmond’s with Daly third.
All three were level at Sam’s lane. Mackle took a good lead when he was the only one to make light past Tobin’s. Mullins and Daly closed the gap towards Campbell’s boreen and they both got good bowls past the last bend. Mackle lost touch with two poor shots there. Daly got the better of Mullins in both the last two throws.
Denis Wilmot beat David O’Mahony in the last shot at Ballinacurra. He won the opening shot and when O’Mahony’s second shot hit the kerb he had a big lead. O’Mahony recovered with a great third towards Brinny cross and he was just 30m hind at Foley’s. He cut the odds with a big shot to Perrott’s and led at the GAA field. He missed a chance to push clear to the bridge. Wilmot regained the lead with three to go.
Mick Hurley dominated from the off in his two bowls of odds win over Thomas Boyle at Donoughmore. He was a bowl in front at Ring’s corner and he increased his lead by making the start of the straight in three more. He had a second bowl at the end of the straight and Boyle conceded before the line.
Denis O’Driscoll led all the way at Béal na mBláth against John O’Rourke. He raised a bowl with his seventh from Shorten’s cross and held it to Long’s lane. O’Rourke brought the lead under a bowl at the garage and levelled to the big turn. He then got a great bowl past the line, but O’Driscoll beat it by a few metres.
Brendan O’Neill beat a good last shot from Dan O’Halloran at the Marsh Road. He led early on. O’Halloran levelled at the quarry hill and had a bowl at the steps. O’Neill was back in control at Ballyhilty and held on against O’Halloran’s big last shot.
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