Road Bowling: Arthur McDonagh in pole position to be crowned King of the Roads

The Munster champions credentials will be road tested against current King, Gary Daly, and German champion Ralf Look.

Arthur McDonagh: A big contender for King of the Roads. Picture: David Keane.

International bowling begins its emergence from the long Covid-19 hiatus, when the King and Queen of the Roads resumes at Ballincurrig this weekend. If momentum is the X ingredient, then Arthur McDonagh is the hot candidate for the King of the Roads. In last Sunday’s Munster final he was a sharp, strong, and focused and is very much at home in Ballincurrig.

His credentials will be road tested against current King, Gary Daly, and German champion Ralf Look. Daly won the title in the mists of the pre-Covid era in 2019, beating All-Ireland champion Aidan Murphy in the final. Ralf Look is the guy who led Thomas Mackle for the first 16 shots of the 2016 final and only lost in the last shot, having defeated Killian Kingston and Cathal Toal the previous day.

Jochem Wennink has good history in Ballincurrig, being part of the Dutch team to win the first Youth International Triple Crown in 2013, a win he followed by victory at the international event in Skibbereen the following year. In this, his first senior outing, he will need his A-game to beat David Murphy and Thomas Mackle, each the holder of four titles.

Mackle also comes to Ballincurrig with momentum, having won last Sunday’s Ulster final. He set a blistering early pace and had the contest out of Cathal Toal’s reach after just three throws. David Murphy may have benefitted from low levels of activity during Covid to get rid of niggling injuries, but will he have the sharpness needed?

The short-odds bet, McDonagh and Mackle to make the final, with McDonagh reversing his defeat of 2018.

Orange colours the Kingston New Homes Queen of the Roads final too. The undisputed champions of Europe, Kelly Mallon wearer of the orange of Armagh and Dutch uber star Silke Tulk face the aptly named Martina Goldenstein from Germany. When Mallon and Tulk meet, you are guaranteed a classic. Mallon won the duel in 2019, relieving Tulk of the crown she won in 2018. An each-way bet is the safest option, with Goldenstein unlikely to strike gold.

Sunday morning sees Mark Toal and John O’Rourke contest the Jim O’Driscoll Cup. O’Rourke won last month’s All-Ireland intermediate final, reversing that result is well within Toal’s reach.

Irish U18 champions, Wayne Parkes and Hannah Sexton, could become the first team to successfully defend the Proto-Mark Technologies Youth International Triple Crown. German youth Marian Jahnke, making a record third appearance, teams up with Imke Hiljegerdes. The Dutch team is Olivier Scholten and Karlijn Greven.

Saturday’s BH Tree Services Trophy showcases emerging talent with Aaron Hughes and Darragh Gribben playing James O’Sullivan and Michael O’Donoghue. The Charlie McCarthy Cup features recent All-Ireland Novice II finalists Paddy O’Neill and Darren Kelly. O’Neill teams up with Tyrone’s Eugene McVeigh against Kelly and Mick Hurley.