Coppinger claims Willie Whelton Cup in dramatic fashion

Bantry's Martin Coppinger in full flight.

Martin Coppinger is Willie Whelton Cup champion following a sensational last bowl that catapulted him out of James O’Donovan’s reach at Grange on Sunday.

The race to Fenor gained momentum with provincial finals in Munster, Ulster and Leinster. David Hegarty and John A Murphy are still in contention to lead the Munster team after wins in the Junior C and Novice A finals, respectively. They meet in an overall final at Terelton to see who will travel to East Waterford. Brendan Rafferty claimed top spot in Ulster at the expense of Shane O’Neill at Tassagh and at Drogheda Gary Shevlin beat Pat Callanan in the last shot of the Leinster Junior C final.

At Grange O’Donovan made the far better start. After two shots he was 80m fore. His third bowl came kindly off the stud-farm wall and followed a culvert to light, which put him almost a bowl clear. His next bowl veered right into Holland’s wall and was captured by the wicket entrance. Coppinger came back with a great bowl that cannoned off the wall and went towards Barry’s farm.

O’Donovan’s made the end of the farm, keeping him in a good lead. He looked set to go a bowl clear after Coppinger’s missed de Barra’s. The whole direction of the score turned in the next shot. O’Donovan’s approach was out of the shade into the full glare of the sun, which may have impacted him as he directed his bowl into the left bank and missed Coppinger’s tip by 40m.

From seemingly struggling to get a grip on the contest, Coppinger was suddenly in the lead. He didn’t need a second invitation. He went to the end of the school-cross in two to race almost a bowl clear. O’Donovan countered strongly up past Hodnett’s and beat a massive 11th bowl from Coppinger to the bungalow, keeping the lead under a bowl.

Coppinger misplayed his next bowl into the right, but a rub limited the damage. They both missed light at the last bend in 14, but Coppinger had a useful lead. O’Donovan played a great 15th bowl that reached the bend and brushed down towards the pub. Coppinger now had no room for error. He delivered a rocket into the wall and it cannoned perfectly and sped past the pub and on towards the line. The best O’Donovan could do was beat Coppinger’s tip to keep the winning margin under a bowl.

David Hegarty was a very impressive winner over Denis Murphy in the Munster Junior C final at the Marsh Road. He raised a bowl after two great opening shots and led to the line. Murphy brought the lead under a bowl with his eighth to the silvery gate and the lead back to 80m after his next. Hegarty powered clear again, making the steps in ten and raising the bowl again with his next. Murphy had it under a bowl at Ballyhilty bend, but Hegarty sealed it with a brilliant shot from there to the avenue. Murphy closed with a big one, but could not derail Hegarty.

John A. Murphy advanced to meet Hegarty by beating Michael Desmond by two metres in the Novice A final at Firmount. Desmond won the first eight shots. A big ninth to McCarthy’s gave Murphy his first lead. Desmond regained the lead with his next and stayed in front till narrowly missing Murphy’s last one.

At Tassagh Brendan Rafferty controlled the contest from the off against Shane O’Neill. He had a bowl after 11 to the capped bullet. O’Neill closed the gap from there. Rafferty went almost a bowl clear at the sand beds. O’Neill got a brilliant bowl to light at the last bend, but it was not enough to deflect Rafferty. In Drogheda Pat Callanan led till the closing stages. He had 80m odds on Gary Shevlin after four, but missed a chance to push clear to the steps. Shevlin stayed in touch and won his first lead with his 13th and pushed clear past the line.

Séamus Sexton beat Gary Daly in the last shot of the Noel Phair Cup at Shannonvale. Paul Buckley was an impressive winner over Michael O’Donoghue in the Jim O’Driscoll Cup at Ballincurrig.

ENDS