Brilliant Colin O’Donovan wins in style

Colin O’Donovan scorched to within three metres of the line in 12 brilliant shots to beat David Cotter by a bowl of odds in the Dinny McCarthy Cup final at Derrinasafa.

He beat Collins’ in two great opening throws to go almost a bowl clear. He went over the bridge with his third to push his lead to two bowls. Cotter hit back with a two great bowls to Ross’ to bring the lead under two bowls. After two more to Cotter’s cross the lead was still under two bowls.

O’Donovan’s eighth towards the Darkwood turn drifted right and missed sight. Cotter snatched the opening with a brilliant reply to sight, which cut the lead to a bowl. O’Donovan fended off Cotter’s challenge with a great bowl up the rise towards Walsh’s Lane. Cotter rallied again with a great bowl, while O’Donovan played his reply left to leave an even bowl between them.

Cotter followed with another good throw towards the line. It was too late to affect the outcome as O’Donovan hit back with a great bowl that missed the finish by just three metres.

Denis Murphy will contest the Josie Crean Cup final after a last shot win over David O’Mahony at Whitechurch. O’Mahony looked to have all the heavy lifting done, but spilled his last bowl left and missed Murphy’s tip by a metre.

O’Mahony raised a bowl after two to the cottage. Murphy got a very short opening shot and was only at the concrete in two. O’Mahony made the top of the hill in two more to consolidate his lead and after his fifth down the hill he had 100m with a bowl.

His dominance unravelled when he played his next two bowls to the right and had just 40m odds facing Boula lane. He held the lead to Downey’s line where he had 50m odds. Murphy cut the odds with his next and followed with a great bowl to Eily’s to snatch his first lead by 20m. O’Mahony hit back immediately with a great bowl to sight facing the farm. Murphy missed that by 100m. O’Mahony pushed clear in the next three past the Devil’s bend where he led by 150m. Murphy rallied with a super shot to the start of the wall, but O’Mahony beat it well.

Murphy closed with a good bowl, but it looked well within O’Mahony’s reach, He delivered his bowl to the left and it stopped dead one metre shy of the tip. He had the consolation of beating Murphy by a bowl in the return score.

Derry Cooney beat Liam Hurley by a bowl in the Béal na mBláth tourney. He was a bowl clear after four good bowls to the water. Hurley knocked the bowl with his sixth throw and whittled it down to 70m facing Long’s Lane. He lost his gains by missing sight at Long’s Lane. Cooney made sight and followed with a big bowl to Twohig’s to go almost a bowl clear again. Hurley closed the gap to the garage. He took three more to open the big turn and Cooney was almost a bowl in front again. Hurley followed with a poor shot and Cooney went close to the line with his reply.

Alex O’Donovan scored a double over Timmy Murphy at Donoughmore. He started well, but a poor third cost him the chance of taking a bowl to the Bounds. Murphy led at Ring’s corner, where O’Donovan needed a rub to stay in touch. Murphy held the lead after three more to the start of the straight.

O’Donovan then played a mammoth bowl that covered three-quarters of the straight and put him firmly in control. He made sight with his next, but it was called. It took him two throws to cover the same road, but he was still 30m fore.

Murphy missed the nook with his next and O’Donovan killed the score. He was just short of the line in four throws. That left him almost a bowl clear despite a great last throw from Murphy. A big rub with his second last gave him the edge on Murphy in the return score.

Anthony Gould was a bowl of odds winner over Thomas Boyle on the Bog Road. Boyle made sight with his first. Gould immediately hit back with a great second. He was in front at the Majors. He went almost a bowl in front at the bog gate and finished strongly.

Ger Connolly beat Andrew O’Callaghan by a bowl at Shannonvale. He had a bowl after seven to Desmond’s. O’Callaghan closed the gap from Sam’s gate, but lost his gains with a poor last shot.

Tam McKeever overcame a two shot handicap to beat Paul Conway in the Gerry Feighan Memorial Shield final at Tassagh.

He bowled strongly to wipe out the handicap and won by a bowl.

The Ireland road teams’ first full training session for the European Championships were at Castletownkenneigh on Sunday morning. Aidan Murphy was the top senior man, Emma Hickey was best senior woman and Seán Kiely and Marie Nagle led their respective under-18 teams.