McDonagh digs deep to hold off O’Donoghue

Road Bowling Final, Brinny, Co. Cork 28/1/2017

Timmy McDonagh won a highly competitive North-East Junior A final at Grenagh, beating Paddy O’Donoghue by a bowl, on a weekend dominated by the Junior A championship.

O’Donoghue got the better of two great opening shots. McDonagh followed with a brilliant bowl to win the second tip by 20m. O’Donoghue reached the middle of the double bends with his third one, but McDonagh made light to extend his lead. O’Donoghue hit back with a brilliant fifth to regain the lead by 30m. He then beat a big shot from McDonagh to the bungalow. He punished a mistake by McDonagh to extend his lead to 70m with a big bowl to the farm.

O’Donoghue held that lead in the next three to the triple-gates. McDonagh looked unlikely to reach Boula lane from there, while it seemed well within O’Donoghue’s range. McDonagh didn’t improve his chances with his next shot, but O’Donoghue failed to push clear. McDonagh then released the score defining bowl that took him to just short of the lane. O’Donoghue misplayed twice in succession to miss that tip and concede a bowl of odds.

They both lofted next, with McDonagh holding his lead. O’Donoghue beat the novice line with his next and McDonagh went past the cross to increase his lead. O’Donoghue then made bare light at the last bend. McDonagh drove his bowl to clear light to put the contest to bed. That win adds to the family hoard of cups, most accumulated by his brother Arthur, who opens the defence of his Munster and All-Ireland titles on Saturday at Whitechurch.

Gavin Twohig led all the way in his semi-final win over Jimmy O’Driscoll in the South-West semi-final at Ballygurteen. He raised a bowl with his third and increased his lead to the women’s lane. It was back to an even bowl at the avenue. O’Driscoll knocked the bowl with his next one. Twohig beat that by just 70m, but O’Driscoll lost momentum when he misplayed his reply to concede a bowl again. O’Driscoll knocked the bowl towards O’Donovan’s bend, but misplayed his bowl at the bend to concede it again. Twohig pushed his lead to almost two with a great 14th bowl to Burke’s wicket.

Mick Hurley closed with two massive bowls to catch Denis Cooney in the last shot of the East Cork-Waterford semi-final at Ballincurrig. He opened with a great bowl to win the first tip, but Cooney won the second and led to the last. Cooney had a big lead after five, but Hurley levelled with a brilliant sixth to the no-play line. Cooney had almost a bowl after a brilliant shot to Leahy’s. Hurley closed the gap again with a great one to the big corner.

Cooney got two brilliant bowls to Din Tough’s where he had almost a bowl and he raised it with his next one past the sycamores. Hurley then played a sensational bowl to the last bend, but Cooney got a nice rub with his second last to keep a 30m lead. Hurley closed with another big one, which Cooney missed by 10m.

Christy Mullins beat Muiris Buttimer in the West Cork championship at Bantry. He led by 100m after four. Buttimer halved the odds in the next two to Casey’s cross and won his first lead, by 50m, after two more to sight. Mullins regained the lead with his next one and led to the line. He had 40m for the last shot. Buttimer's last was not enough to test him.

David Shannon beat Michéal O’Sullivan by a bowl in the Carbery championship at the Marsh Road. He won the opening shot by 60m. He raised a bowl in the next passage of play and pushed that to two bowls at Thornhill cross. O’Sullivan brought it back to a bowl in the run-in.

Michael O’Donoghue, kept Tipperary hopes of a major Munster title alive when he beat James Nagle by two bowls at Whitechurch. David Hubbard will represent North Cork in the Munster campaign and Patrick O’Driscoll is London champion.

In the Munster intermediate championship Donal O’Riordan reversed a bowl of odds deficit to beat Willie O’Donovan by a bowl at Carraig na bhFear. He closed with four sensational bowls.