Road bowling: Martin Coppinger betters King of the Roads David Murphy in Noel Phair Cup

Martin Coppinger. File photo: Des Barry

Martin Coppinger won the Noel Phair Cup at Shannonvale on Sunday, confirming the democratic nature of senior men’s bowling at the moment by beating recently crowned King of the Roads David Murphy.

Murphy showed well in the opening exchanges, he led by 60m after three past the bungalows. Coppinger missed the quarry with his next. Murphy’s reply was well played, but went right just 40m fore. They reached Buttimer’s pillars in two more, where Murphy led by the width of the gateway. They both missed Desmond’s lane in another one. After they lofted there Murphy had a 30m lead.

They matched each other again in the next two to Sam’s lane, where Murphy led by 40m. Murphy won the next exchange too. Coppinger was too tight left with his next one towards Tobin’s, but Murphy missed it by five metres to lose the lead for the first time.

Murphy lost significant ground when he misplayed his next and missed Tobin’s. Coppinger didn’t slam the door with his reply as he missed Campbell’s. But Murphy’s response was off target too and missed Coppinger’s tip to leave him a full bowl behind. Coppinger consolidated that lead by getting the better of the next exchange to Campbell’s lane.

Murphy lost more ground when he played his next bowl to the left and missed the novice line. Coppinger made light with his reply, which pushed his lead to almost two bowls and put the contest out of Murphy’s reach.

Séamus Sexton was impressive in his win over Éamon Bowen at Whitechurch. He led all the way after shading the opening shots to Brickley’s. He beat a big second bowl from Bowen past Kelly’s and had 60m after his third past the return line. Bowen then played a huge bowl over the brow, but Sexton increased his lead with a better bowl. Bowen misplayed his next two to the right to fall a full bowl behind facing Boula lane.

At Boula lane, there was an even bowl between them. Sexton increased his odds past Downey’s line and had stretched his lead to within 30m of a second bowl at the farmhouse. He missed the Devil’s Bend from there. Bowen went well around it to bring the lead back to a bowl.

Sexton picked up the pace again to the start of the straight. Bowen got a good bowl to the middle of the straight. Sexton hit back with a bigger one to light which guaranteed him victory by well over a bowl.

Michéal O’Sullivan played a huge last bowl to beat Shane Shannon in the Carbery Junior semi-final at Bauravilla. He was almost a bowl of odds clear after three to Robin’s cross and increased that to almost two bowls at Dekker’s. Shannon found his mojo from the rock and had the lead well under a bowl after a nice break off the bridge.

He followed with two more good bowls to O’Donoghue’s railing, where he won the lead. He was still 20m fore for the last shot, but was denied by O’Sullivan. Darragh Dempsey, who is showing well in the international under-18 trials, had his first adult championship win at Ballydehob, where he beat Brian Coughlan by a bowl.

Killian O’Sullivan beat Adrian Buttimer in the last shot at Lyre. He shaded the first three to the forestry. Buttimer led with his fourth and it was on a knife-edge to the last shots. Buttimer looked set for home after a good third last to the big tree. He lost ground with his second last and O’Sullivan won the day with a brilliant bowl to just short of the line.

At Portmor, Ulster under-16 champion Philip Conlon got a huge boost ahead of next weekend’s All-Ireland final. He teamed up with Ethan Hughes to win a place in the semi-final of the Barney Lavery Cup at the expense of Odhran Rafferty and Philip Hughes. They were level after six each to the orchard corner. Three big bowls to Dyne’s gave Conlon and Hughes a clear win.