Arthur McDonagh makes winning start to 2022 season

Arthur McDonagh from Fermoy, in action during the King of the Roads road bowling tournament 

Arthur McDonagh launched his 2022 season with a two bowls of odds win over Martin Coppinger on the Corrin Road near Fermoy on Saturday.

While it was a good win for the All-Ireland champion, the atmosphere was light years away from the All-Ireland final cauldron in which he defeated Thomas Mackle, in what was his last competitive outing. It failed to ignite in the early stages and lost its spark when Coppinger lofted a dead bowl. This was a more prosaic challenge than his famous loft over the Dripsey river a weak earlier, but the consequences were even more score defining.