Sexton emulates late father as he becomes men’s champion of Europe

Picture: Cathal Noonan

Yesterday, the Ireland team really sprung to life at the European Bowling Championship in Germany winning three of the four individual gold medals on offer and two bronze.

Séamus Sexton is the new men’s champion of Europe, taking the gold medal held by David Murphy in each of the last three championships. Darren Dempsey and Rachel Kingston both bowled brilliantly to win the two under-18 medals, while James O’Donovan and Kelly Mallon won bronze in the senior championships.

Sexton’s win on the challenging Süderhastedt Road in Schleswig-Holstein was the one that really resonated with the Irish. Firstly, as his massive score held out against a determined late challenge and also it seemed fitting that he should take a title twice held by his late father and namesake who died during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Sexton did absolutely everything right on a road that did not forgive the slightest mistake. Getting out the last bend in six was the critical target for anyone with ambitions of winning gold. Sexton was well out, but he then had to produce four perfect shots from there to gain enough metres to stay clear of Europe’s elite players. Three super shots in succession followed by a sensational 349m last shot, secured his 2,323.9m total.

His mark had him close to 200m ahead of Germany FKV’s Simon Quathammer. Ireland’s James O’Donovan put in a surging finish, but he just fell short of Quathammer’s score. One by one challengers failed to get close to Sexton’s score, till the very last group of the day, containing David Murphy and Germany FKV’s Ralf Look.

Look played four incredible first shots and consolidated his challenge with a massive fifth one. He was slightly right with his sixth one, but he was out the famous last bend. The entire gallery was now focused on Look, encouraging handclaps echoed out in support of his every effort. After a sensational seventh he was very much in the frame, but he lost ground in his next two. He reached 1,935m with his ninth. He needed a massive shot now to bridge the gap.

He was slightly right with his bowl and it fell well short of the target. A wave of Irish tricolours and a surge of Irish supporters swept onto the road for an emotional celebration. For all of Look’s heroics he ended outside the medals which meant James O’Donovan held his bronze. Thomas Mackle was next best of the Irish in seventh and former champion David Murphy, who was injured on Friday, finished 14th. The combined efforts of the Irish men also secured the team gold medal.

Darragh Dempsey gave a polished and mature performance on his way to winning the Youth gold medal. He carded an astonishing 2.143m. This would have been sufficient to secure him a bronze medal in the senior men’s. He was so dominant that he had secured gold before he threw his last shot. He was followed home by Germany FKV pair, Marian Jahnke on 1,868 m and Hauke Roofls on 1,807.25m Rachel Kingston finished with four exceptional bowls to win the Girls under-18 gold medal, with a huge tally of 1,407m. She had 59m to spare on Britt Rotling, who beat her Dutch compatriot, Sophie Koebrugge, by just 30 cm for silver. Good performances from Caoimhe Rafferty and Margaret Sexton were enough to secure the team gold medal too for the Irish.

Lindsay Leussink broke the stranglehold of Silke Tulk on Dutch bowling when she put in a five star performance to win the senior women’s gold medal with a stunning 1,898.9m. Like Ireland’s Séamus Sexton she had to wait for the final contest between Europe’s big three: Silke Tulk, Kelly Mallon and Germany FKV’s Anke Klöpper.

This time the German woman turned the tables on her two famous rivals to win the silver medal. Ireland’s Kelly Mallon won bronze, with Tulk in fourth place. Hannah Sexton, in her first senior outing, was next best of the Irish in fifth place.

On Saturday Michael Plähn, Germany VSHB, created history when he won the German Lofting senior men’s gold medal at Meldorf. For the first time in the 16th playing of the European Championships a Germany FKV player was not in top position. Given that his victory was achieved on home soil, the entire stadium was rocking after his performance.

Also on Saturday the international jury agreed to confirm the placings in Friday’s disputed senior men’s Dutch Moors competition. This confirmed Germany FKV’s Daniel Heiken in gold, Robert Scholten of the Netherlands in silver and Ireland’s Martin Coppinger in bronze