James O’Donovan on song in Mother Hegarty Cup
O’Reilly won the first tip with a big bowl, but didn’t sustain his challenge. O’Donovan won the second shot towards the forestry. He increased his odds to 70m with his third and he was almost a bowl clear at the tunnel. He made Crowley’s bend in eight, where he had pushed his lead to almost two bowls.
He held that lead to McCarthy’s bend and was well over two clear after his next to McCarthy’s wall. He extended his lead with his next.
Andrew O’Callaghan beat Bryan O’Halloran in the last shot at Ballinacurra. He won the first two shots to the factory. O’Halloran took a big lead in the next two to the church.
He hit a limb when he lofted his fifth into overhanging trees and he struck a pillar with his next and lost the lead.
O’Callaghan had big odds at Perrott’s and was almost a bowl in front at the GAA field. O’Halloran cut the odds with a good bowl past Innishannon cross, but he misplayed his next to the left. O’Callaghan pushed clear again and beat a big last shot from O’Halloran.
The Ballinacurra festive Junior A tournament kicks off tomorrow with David Hubbard, Jim Coffey, and Denis Murphy in action. On St Stephen’s Day it’s the turn of David O’Mahony, Dan O’Halloran, and John O’Rourke.
The third semi-final, between Thomas Boyle, Denis Wilmot, and Jerry Gibbons, is on Sunday.
The annual Grange challenge on St Stephen’s Day sees James O’Donovan and Michael Bohane facing Killian Kingston and Gary Daly in what promises to be a cracking contest.
In the traditional Christmas Day challenge at Reenascreena, Seán O’Riordan plays Micheál O’Sullivan. On Sunday, December 27, the Mikie Hourihane Cup Final between Shane Shannon, Connie Connolly, and Brian Coughlan will be played at Bauravilla.
Dónal Riordan and Séamus Sexton open the annual RNLI benefit at Castletownbere on Monday, December 28. In the second score Killian Kingston plays John Creedon. Edmond Sexton plays Martin Coppinger in the third and it closes with a junior contest between Jim Coffey and Declan O’Donovan.
The Séamus Grew Cup final on the Moy Rd on St Stephen’s Day is the main attraction in Ulster with Darren Donnelly, Shane Feighan, and Christopher Fields in opposition. However, the Teive Tara tournament will continue on the Knappagh Rd over the festive period too.
Liam Scannell was the dominant player in the opening round of the John O’Donovan Cup at Carraig na bhFear where he teamed up with Thomas and Cian Boyle to beat Michael Murphy, Kieran Daly, and Jerry O’Donovan in the last shot.
Murphy opened with a big shot to the first bend, which Cian Boyle missed. Murphy’s team led until Scannell got a brilliant bowl from the doctors to gain their first lead. Daly got a great shot to just short of the creamery cross, which gave his side a solid lead after Cian Boyle missed.
Murphy increased the odds with a good shot past the creamery cross. They lost momentum with three poor bowls in succession. Scannell then snatched the lead with a brilliant bowl over the rise past the novice line. Kieran Daly regained the upper hand with a brilliant bowl to the last bend. Murphy had a chance to seal it, but missed the line. Scannell grabbed the opening with a big last shot, which Jerry O’Donovan missed.
The O’Donovan Cup continues at Bottlehill on St Stephen’s Day with the clash of Éamon Bowen Jr, Stephen Cahill, and Darren Bowen against Shane Lotty, Maurice Connolly, and Joe Walsh.
It returns to Carraig na bhFear on Sunday when Noel Bowen, Éamon Bowen Sr, and Liam Walsh play Billy McAuliffe, Pádraig Scanlon, and Denis Murphy.
Raymond Galvin and Kieran Conway beat Steve Cahill and Pa Forde by almost two bowls in the Finbar Walsh Cup final at Carraig na bhFear. Galvin’s huge opening shot sealed this one as it put them a bowl clear. They held that lead to the creamery and Galvin’s power on the straight pushed them further ahead.
Vincent Kiely had an easy win over Thomas Boyle at Grenagh. They were level for the first two shots, but Boyle hit three poor shots in succession to fall well over a bowl behind. Kiely got two big bowls to the halfway line to raise a second bowl.
He followed with four great shots to Boula lane where he was three bowls clear.
At Knappagh Sean Donnelly came from a bowl behind to beat Philip Corrigan by a bowl. Donnelly was a bowl down at the plum trees and still a bowl adrift come Farrelly’s corner. He managed a super shot through the cross to go a bowl in front. When Corrigan missed the planting corner the contest was over.
Jimmy O’Driscoll had a one-sided win over David O’Mahony at Shannonvale. He had a bowl after eight and nine to Desmond’s and he increased his lead to well over two bowls at Hayes’.
