In-form Hurley comfortably sees off Daly

MICK HURLEY maintained his good form with a comfortable win over Martin Daly at Pouladuff.

Daly got the better of the opening shots and increased his lead in the next two. He was almost a bowl in front after four and held that lead to the trailer gate. Hurley knocked the bowl with his next, but Daly still had 70m odds. Hurley followed with another good shot, but Daly held his lead with a good bowl to Corcoran’s bridge.

Hurley got another nice bowl from there to take his first lead after Daly drove his reply to the right. From there, Hurley took command and was almost a bowl in front before they reached the line.

Dan O’Halloran bowled impressively at Ballinacurra where he beat John O’Donoghue by almost two bowls. O’Donoghue opened with a massive bowl, beating O’Halloran’s good opener by 50m. O’Halloran got a good second to the end of the factory, which O’Donoghue missed by 30m when his bowl hopped the kerb. He increased his lead with a good third shot through the cross. O’Donoghue then completely misplayed his next bowl and missed that tip to concede a bowl of odds.

O’Donoghue knocked the bowl at Foley’s, but O’Halloran restored it in the next exchange. O’Halloran’s formed dipped to Perrott’s where his lead was down to 80m. He recovered with a great bowl to the GAA which put him almost a bowl clear. He held that onto the straight. A massive 14th shot to the end of the straight took his lead to almost two bowls and ended the contest.

Thomas Boyle beat Denis Wilmot by almost a bowl in the same tournament. They were level after three each to Brinny cross and little divided them to Perrott’s. Boyle took over to the bridge, but Wilmot finished strongly to hold the lead under two bowls.

Gary Daly beat Christy Mullins in the last shot in the O’Connell-Dullea Cup at Ballygurteen Mullins got two great opening shots to light which Daly missed in three.

He held his bowl of odds to the women’s lane. Daly got a great bowl there, which Mullins beat by just 50m in two. Daly beat the avenue with his next to take his first lead. On the straight he gained more odds and was almost a bowl in front at O’Donovan’s. He had a full bowl at Burke’s.

Mullins cut the odds with two good bowls to just short of light at the bottom of the hill. Daly made light in three, but Mullins kept him under pressure with a good bowl to the bridge which Daly beat by just 60m. Mullins’s last bowl was not enough to trouble Daly though.

Seamus Sexton beat Wayne Callanan by a bowl in the Hughie Desmond Cup at Curraheen. He got a great opening shot and had 40m odds after three to the Hall cross. He was a bowl in front after three more to the bridge. He beat Callanan’s big bowl from there to hold his lead and won every tip to the riding school. He missed a chance to increase his lead at the tarmac. Callanan got a brilliant bowl to Richard’s lane, but Sexton missed that tip by just 40m. He then played a nice bowl past the corner to edge towards a bowl again and regained it with his second last.

John Young led all the way against Johnny Murphy in the JJ Murphy Cup at Bauravilla. He won the first tip by 20m. Murphy then played a poor second and was in trouble for the rest of the score. Young raised a bowl at Caverly’s and held it after eight to the rock. He still had a bowl after 12 to the bridge. Murphy knocked the bowl with his next, but Young bounced back with three great last shots.

Aidan Bowen had a slender win over PJ Cooney in the John Cronin Cup at Cobh. They both opened with three near record shots to the boreen where Bowen had 40m odds. He led in the next three to Sam’s corner. Cooney got a poor shot from there and Bowen made McCarthy’s cross in two for an even bowl of odds.

Cooney cut the odds down the hill and snatched his first lead with a great bowl through the clash. Bowen regained control to the top of the hill. It looked over when his bowl rubbed perfectly at the last bend, but Cooney got a sensational last bowl. Bowen held his nerve and beat it by a few metres.

Ian Callanan beat Aidan Hurley by almost a bowl at Lyre. Hurley led by 40m after eight shots to Crowley’s bend. He missed a chance to go clear with his next, but got the better of the shots to McCarthy’s. Callanan found a higher gear from there to take almost a bowl with three great last shots.