Thomas Mackle sees off David Murphy in McVeigh final

Thomas Mackle beat David Murphy by almost a bowl in the Joe McVeigh Cup final at the Ból-Fada festival in Keady, Co Armagh yesterday.

There was little sparkle in the early exchanges, with Murphy taking the first and Mackle the second and third. Murphy got a nice brush with his fourth.

Mackle missed that tip and ran into more trouble when his bowl from Twynam’s was accidently blocked.

Murphy was injured delivering his next and it hampered him for the day.

Murphy got two poor throws to Gallogly’s height, but regained the momentum to the creamery lane. He was close to a bowl in front at McGeown’s height, but a short bowl there had them level.

Mackle followed with a big bowl to lead by 60m, but Murphy regained the lead with his next to McCann’s corner. Mackle got a massive bowl to the garage to go 40m clear. He then beat a big shot from Murphy.

Murphy missed sight at McKee’s wall and when Mackle made it, he had almost a bowl to spare. It was still almost a bowl after the bridge. Mackle got a big bowl up the hill towards the line and Murphy conceded.

Mackle was stronger than Conor McGuigan in his semi-final and beat a big last shot to win by a bowl. Murphy beat Gary Daly by almost a bowl. He raised a bowl between the creamery lane and McCann’s corner and they contested that to the finish.

Silke Tulk beat a big last shot from Kelly Mallon to win the Charlemont Cup.

Mallon had close to a bowl after three to McKee’s wall. She held that in the next four to McCann’s corner. It was just under a bowl after eight to the flax hole. Mallon lost most of her lead when she missed the creamery lane from McGeown’s height.

Tulk took her first lead at Twynam’s. She gained vital odds by opening O’Hanlon’s lane in three more. Mallon threw a brilliant last shot from poor sight, but Tulk beat it comfortably.

Michael Bohane dominated Paul O’Reilly in the Pete Grimley Cup. He was almost a bowl clear at O’Hanlon’s lane and held that to Twynam’s.

He had a full bowl at the creamery lane and increased his lead to almost two bowls at McCann’s corner, stretching that to almost three at McKee’s wall. Cork won both supporting scores on Saturday. Aidan Murphy got a much-needed win when he beat Cathal Toal by a bowl. A strong finish by Killian Kingston was instrumental in his win with Nicholas Carey over Eddie Carr and James Oliver.

Carr and Oliver took a bowl to the flax hole. Kingston and Carey led at the creamery lane and Kingston beat a big last shot from Carr.

Armagh won both scores on the viaduct road on Friday. Fergal McCreesh and Ryan Gamble beat Colm O’Donovan and Frank Kiely by over two bowls. Darren Donnelly and Shane O’Neill beat Mick Hurley and Tony Carey by almost a bowl in the second.