Road bowling: Declan O’Donovan finds extra gear to win at Caheragh

Elsewhere, Conor O’Sullivan led all the way to beat Ger Connolly in the South-West B final at Grange

Elsewhere, Conor O’Sullivan led all the way to beat Ger Connolly in the South-West B final at Grange

Declan O’Donovan finished strongly to beat Donie Harnedy by almost two bowls in the Carbery Junior championship at Caheragh.

Harnedy started well, winning the first two to the lawn by 20m. Harnedy held the lead in the next two past Lisangle cross. O’Donovan followed with a brilliant bowl to the soccer pitch, which won him his first lead by 40m. Immediately, Harnedy hit back with an equally good one to the top of the bridge to regain the lead by 10m. Nothing separated them after the next exchange to the new house.

O’Donovan made Reenroe cross with a good eighth bowl. Harnedy looked likely to match it, but his bowl went left and missed it by 40m. His shot past the cross was better, but O’Donovan beat it by 30m. They reached the tunnel in the next shots, where Harnedy shaved the lead back to 10m.

The score changed dramatically from there. Harnedy was right with his next. O’Donovan made Sheily’s to push his lead out to 100m. Harnedy was too tight right with his next one and only beat that tip by 10m. O’Donovan drove home his advantage with another good throw towards the novice line. Harnedy missed that by 50m to leave well over a bowl between them. O’Donovan increased his lead with his next and had close to two bowls of odds with two to go.

David Hubbard reached the North Cork Junior final against a below-par Derry Cooney at Gortroe. He made light with his first bowl. Cooney missed light, putting him a shot behind. Hubbard took his lead well over a bowl with his second to the white piers. Cooney missed this too to concede a second bowl. Hubbard comfortably held that lead in the following shots and pushed his odds close to three with his shot over the bridge. Cooney brought the lead back to two bowls to the end of the wood. But nothing went right for him on the day and his challenge faded from there.

Conor O’Sullivan led all the way to beat Ger Connolly in the South-West B final at Grange. He scorched over a bowl clear with three big shots to Hodnett’s. Connolly closed the gap to the farm and cut the lead down to 35m to the school cross. He cut this to just 5m in the next three to de Barra’s. O’Sullivan kept his nose in front past Holland’s wall. He lifted the siege by opening the stud farm bend after Connolly missed. He closed with a brilliant bowl past the line.

In the Mid-Cork Junior championship John Shorten beat Dan O’Halloran at Templemartin. O’Halloran had 10m odds after five to Slyne’s corner. Shorten led after three more to O’Riordan’s and increased his lead in the following shots. O’Halloran was back in front at Buttimer’s, but Shorten rallied again and took it in the last throw.

Chris O’Donovan finished with three extraordinary bowls from O’Mahony’s cross to beat Mick Young in the West Cork Veteran (over-50) final at Kealkill. They were locked together in the early exchanges. O’Donovan then got a nice brush off the bridge. Young’s bowl didn’t cannon, which handed a big lead to O’Donovan. Young’s challenge gathered momentum in this following shots. He swooped for what looked like a critical lead with brilliant bowl to light at O’Mahony’s cross.

O’Donovan played a huge bowl from poor light well onto the straight. He followed with another huge bowl to take a decisive lead. Young’s hopes rested on a big last shot, but his bowl pulled left and missed the line. O’Donovan was within easy reach of the line and didn’t have to throw again.

Aidan Desmond rallied late to beat Wayne Parkes at Ballinacurra. They were level after three to Brinny cross. Desmond was 15m fore at the GAA field. Parkes led by 100m at the novice line and had close to a bowl on the straight. He missed light at the last bend. Desmond replied with a huge bowl towards the line to lead by 40m. Parkes wasn’t able to do enough with his last one to save the day.