Murphy proves too good for Coppinger in McGarry Cup feature

On Sunday, David Murphy beat Martin Coppinger by almost a bowl in the Denis McGarry Cup semi-final at Whitechurch, the feature score of a packed weekend that included four tournament finals and several cup ties.

Lyre club, near Clonakilty, has won the bid to host the first All-Ireland series of 2015, featuring the men’s intermediate and the senior women’s finals.

At Whitechurch, Coppinger shaded the first two to the pump. He increased his odds with a brilliant bowl to the top of the hill. Murphy responded with a massive bowl over the hill and down to the wall. Coppinger missed that well. Murphy won the next by 60m and Coppinger made a mistake with his following throw to concede almost a bowl. Murphy held that past Boula lane and onto the straight, Coppinger cut the odds levelling with a massive bowl to sight at the top of the straight. Murphy did better in the shots past the farm and when Coppinger missed the Devil’s bend, he went almost a bowl in front again. Coppinger challenged well in the shots to sight at the last straight.