Mackle edges Murphy in feature score at Knappagh Road

Thomas Mackle beat Aidan Murphy by a bowl in the feature score of the “Aaron's mission to Walk” benefit on the Knappagh Road, Armagh on Saturday.

Murphy got the better start to lead by 70m after three to Knappagh angles. Mackle then got a poor shot, which left him almost a bowl down. Murphy lost most of his odds in his next two, but a good sixth one pushed him 80m clear again. That was instantly wiped out by a brilliant seventh bowl from Mackle to the planting corner, which cut the lead to five metres.

Mackle followed with another big one towards Sarah’s cross, which gave him his first lead by 50m. He put Murphy on the back foot when he got another great shot from there to go almost a bowl in front. He played another brilliant one to Farley’s corner to take his lead over a bowl. He increased his lead in the next two past the plum trees.

Murphy brought the lead under a bowl past the Minister’s. Mackle then missed the Condy corner. Had Murphy made the bend, he would have levelled, but it was a bridge too far. They went out the bend with just less than a bowl between them and Mackle sealed it by beating the line from there.

Also at Knappagh, Gary Daly and Pa Flood beat Paul and Bryan O’Reilly in the last shot. Daly’s first shot was not brilliant, but Flood compensated with a massive bowl from the bungalow, which helped them raise a bowl. Two big shots from the Minister’s brought the O’Reilly’s level at the Condy corner. In the final exchange Flood beat a big shot from Paul O’Reilly. It was one each in the other two North-South scores. Wayne Parkes finished strongly to beat Aaron Hughes by two bowls. Séamus Conlon held off a strong finish from Stephen Bowen to win in the last shot.

Christy Mullins beat Gavin Twohig by a bowl in the Champy Deasy Cup at Grange. Twohig won the first shot and Mullins the second. Twohig then gained a good lead with a big third one to the stud farm. Mullins levelled to Holland’s wall and regained the lead with his next. He gained a big advantage when his bowl to de Barra’s took a nice rub. Although Twohig reached the old school with his next shot, Mullins went through the schoolhouse cross to go almost a bowl clear.

Mullins hit a pillar with his following bowl and they were level to light facing O’Sullivan’s. Twohig regained the lead with a good bowl up the rise to the big tree. He increased his lead in the next one past Hodnett’s farm. Mullins hit back with a sensational bowl into the lag, which put him back in front. He made Barry’s wall in two more, against three for Twohig, which gave him an unassailable bowl of odds lead.

Joe O’Mahony opened with four sensational bowls to the Schull sign on his way to defeating Jack Cahalane and Donal O’Sullivan in the Schull final. At that point Cahalane was in close contention, with O’Sullivan almost a shot behind. O’Mahony followed with five more great shots to McFarlane’s. Cahalane countered strongly and kept the lead under a bowl to the line. Martin Murphy beat Diarmuid Murphy by two bowls in the Lyre final. He raised a bowl after five great shots past O’Donovan’s pillars. He went close to the school cross with his next to raise a second bowl.

Timmy McDonagh beat Alex O’Donovan by a bowl at Corrin. O’Donovan raised almost a bowl with is first shot and led to the cross. McDonagh turned the score with four great bowls from there. He led after two to light and gained control with his next two. James Nagle beat David Hubbard by a bowl at Bauravilla. He led by 20m at Dekkers’ and extended that to almost a bowl at the bridge. He raised a bowl with a big shot to Madore Station and held it to the line. At the Marsh Road Brian Kiernan beat Denis O’Sullivan by a bowl. He raised a bowl at the steps and held it to the line.