Skibbereen set to host Gold Cup of a different kind this weekend 

Skibbereen will host an alternative to Cheltenham for bowling fans with the two-day West Cork Distillers festival this weekend.

The Gold Cup is the feature involving Martin Coppinger and Claire O’Sullivan against Killian Kingston and Silke Tulk on Sunday. Coppinger comes into the score off a nice win over All-Ireland champion Arthur McDonagh at Corrin last weekend. He should be razor-sharp as he has been out virtually every weekend this spring.

Claire O’Sullivan has not been on public view as often. Though as a member of the Irish team for the European Championships in May, she has put in plenty of hours of practice over the past few months.

Silke Tulk will have one eye on Europe too, but a winning performance would frank too forms for her. She would put down a maker for Irish opponents and add another line to an illustrious list of wins. Killian Kingston’s form is unknown as he didn’t compete in the 2020 senior championship. That kept him out of serious action for two years, so this will be his first day on the big stage for a long time.

Seán Murphy gave a five star performance in his win over Denis Wilmot in the Mid-Cork Junior A championship at Templemartin. Wilmot won the first three and looked likely to raise a bowl by making Slyne’s corner in four. Instead Murphy opened the bend with a sensational bowl and Wilmot missed it by 50m. Murphy pushed his lead to almost a bowl with a brilliant seventh towards O’Riordan’s. He raised the bowl at Collins’ and held it towards the schoolhouse cross.

Wilmot knocked the bowl with a super shot towards the novice line. Any hopes of a full-scale rally were dashed when Murphy opened the stone-field bend to go a bowl clear again. He raised a second bowl with his next two past Buttimer’s. He was past the monument in 15 to take his lead well over two bowls.

John Shorten beat Stephen Desmond in the same championship at Jagoes Mills. He had close to a bowl of odds after four to O’Brien’s corner. He raised a full bowl after another two to the footpath. He had close to a second bowl at Lawton’s. He raised the second bowl at the railway line and they contested that lead to the power station. Desmond fell further behind in the next two and conceded. The next key battle in that championship is the meeting of Aidan Desmond and Dan O’Halloran on St Patrick’s Day at Ballinacurra.

Paddy O’Donoghue easily beat Craig Moynihan at Corrin. He shaded the first shot, but Moynihan took the next two. O’Donoghue got a short fourth and Moynihan increased his lead. O’Donoghue cut Moynihan’s lead to ten metres with a super shot from there and won the lead with his next. He increased his odds with a fine effort through the cross. Moynihan got a huge bowl from the cross, but O’Donoghue beat it by 60m. After two more O’Donoghue was a bowl clear and he went almost two up with a great one around the left-hand bend.

Pa Flood beat Andrew O’Callaghan in the last shot at Doneraile while Tommy O’Sullivan defeated Flood by two bowls in the return score. A big shot to Creagh castle proved vital in that win. Anthony Gould finished strongly to beat Thomas Boyle at Whitechurch. The score looked to be getting away from him till he played a super shot to the farm. He won the lead with a great bowl around the devil’s bend and won each of the last three shots well.