Donal Riordan turns on the style to defeat Michael Bohane
He got good first and second shots to the railing to open a 100m gap on Bohane. He held his odds with his next, but he needed two more to make the quarry gate where his lead was back to 30m. Bohane missed sight at the silvery gate with his next and Riordan pushed clear again.
He raised a bowl with his seventh and he reached the steps in two more where he had almost two bowls of odds.
He followed with a great bowl towards Thornhill cross that raised the second bowl.
He was too tight with his next, but it ran well towards Ballyhilty bend. After the next Bohane conceded.
Martin Coppinger finished strongly to beat Killian Kingston by almost two bowls at Whitechurch. He won the first two shots well, but Kingston clipped the lead to five metres with a great third to the top of the hill.
Kingston only made sight with his next, but Coppinger played his reply onto the bank and missed the tip. He just made the start of the wall with his fifth.
Kingston played a good bowl down the hill, but it caught the wall and left him just 40m fore. Coppinger regained the lead with a great bowl along the flat. Kingston got two poor shots in succession.
Coppinger’s bowl at Boula was unlucky and he misplayed his next to leave the score level again facing up the straight.
They got three good shots each to the top of the straight where Coppinger had 40m odds. Kingston was too far right with his next and Coppinger hit back with a super shot past the farm.
That put him almost a bowl in front. He followed with a brilliant bowl past the Devil’s bend that left him well over a bowl clear and effectively ended the contest.
David Hubbard was in top form in his two shot win over Darren Oliver at Macroom.
He got a brilliant first shot over the height and followed with three more big bowls to the waterfall where he led by a bowl. He had over a bowl after six to the gap.
Oliver rallied to knock the bowl at Poundy’s lane. Hubbard hit back with a sensational bowl past Kelleher’s which put him two shots clear.
Mick Hurley was brilliant at Grenagh where he beat Billy McAuliffe by almost a bowl.
He won the lead with his second and was almost a bowl in front at the farm. He raised the bowl past the halfway line and was almost two clear at Boula lane. He was still a bowl clear after three more facing the line. McAuliffe saved the bowl in the last shot.
Tom O’Donovan beat Conor Creedon in the last shot of a great contest at Ballinacurra.
He reached Foley’s with four brilliant bowls and was at Perrott’s in six where he was two bowls clear.
Creedon increased the intensity with seven great bowls from Foley’s to give him a small chance, but O’Donovan denied him with a great last shot.
Creedon beat Kevin Ruby at Donoughmore. He raised a bowl at the bounds and held it to the start of the straight.
He covered the straight in three throws to go a bowl clear. Ruby finished well and had a slight chance to force a last shot, but he narrowly missed the line.
Maria Nagle was very impressive at Kildee where she teamed up with Emma Fitzpatrick to beat Geraldine Daly and Katie Sexton by a bowl.
Michael O’Leary bowled well too to beat John Cahalane by a bowl. Cahalane made a mistake before Ballygurteen cross and O’Leary raised a bowl.
At the Clubhouse Aidan Hurley beat Declan O’Donovan by a bowl in the feature score.
Eugene Kiernan and Cathal Toal will contest the Bill Hillock Cup final at Knappagh. Kiernan started strongly to go a bowl clear of Darren Donnelly at the planting corner and raised a second bowl before the line.
Toal had a poor start and trailed Kevin McQuaid by a bowl at Farley’s in the second semi-final. He opened the Condy corner in four huge shots from there to score a big win.
James Russell beat Steve Dennis in the Munster U10 final at the Phale Road on Sunday.
It was a super contest between representatives of two bowling dynasties — Russell is a son of former All-Ireland champion Sharon Russell and Dennis has roots in the Walsh and Dennis families two of Cobh’s most famous bowling clans.
Russell was just ahead at the first bend and led past Maybury’s. Dennis fought back and went in front after a brilliant bowl around the green bank and he was still in front at Baggot’s. Russell closed with two huge bowls though and snatched it.
The Ból-Fada festival opens on the Viaduct Road at Tassagh, Co Armagh on Friday before continuing at the Newtownhamilton Road on Saturday and Sunday.
The Carbery-South West festival starts at the Pike, Lisavaird tomorrow and will run for five consecutive days.
