No Irish participant in Queen of the Roads final for first time
File pic: Cathal Noonan
In a historic first, there will be no Irish participant in the Kingston Homes Queen of the Roads final at Ballincurrig on Sunday. Reigning champion Silke Tulk (Netherlands) will defend her title against Martina Goldenstein of Germany.
Donal O’Riordan beat Tim Young in an all-Bantry Jim O’Driscoll Cup Munster final. He will play Ethan Rafferty in the overall final on Sunday morning. Dutch youth champion Sophie Koebrugge was in sensational form in her win over Hannah Cronin in the BH Trees international.
Tulk grew in dominance as her semi-final progressed with Maria Nagle and Denise Murphy. She came within a shot of the line in 13 shots. A sensational second half from Goldenstein turned her semi-final around. She cruised home well ahead of European champion Lindsay Leussink and Munster champion Hannah Sexton.
Denise Murphy made an impressive start to lead Tulk and Nagle well after three big shots to the muddy gap. She was unlucky to miss light with her next, this allowed Tulk to close the gap to 25m on the short straight. Tulk pushed on with a perfect bowl around the big corner. When Murphy missed light the Dutch woman had almost a bowl of odds and she was in control to the finish.
Nagle got ahead of Murphy with her tenth bowl onto the long straight. From there Tulk pressed on relentlessly as the two Irish women battled for second place. Nagle bowled with greater fluidity into the closing stages, while Murphy was increasingly hampered by an injury.
The second semi-final saw Goldenstein, Leussink and Sexton locked together in the first three. Leussink then played a sensational fourth bowl onto the short straight which gave her a shot of odds on both her opponents. It all unravelled for Leussink though when she missed light at the big corner with her next shot. Both Goldenstein and Sexton made light to level the contest.
Goldenstein then played two monster bowls in succession. The first from bare light out onto the long straight and the next almost to O’Riordan’s. Those shots gave her good odds on Sexton and almost a bowl on Leussink. Sexton took the challenge to her till she made a mistake with her shot at Hegarty’s. Goldenstein was two bowls clear after 11 towards the creamery. From there it was a battle for second, which Leussink won with two huge closing shots.
In the Jim O’Driscoll Cup, Tim Young beat the no-play line in five, while Donal O’Riordan went through it in six. Young had almost a bowl after two more to the long straight. He lost ground in his next two. Two smashing lofts from O’Riordan had him level at the big corner. He won his first lead with a big shot to Din Tough’s. Young rallied again to lead for the last shot. O’Riordan got a brilliant last shot, which Young narrowly missed.
Sophie Koebrugge made the no-play line in five. She bowled on brilliantly, holding off a late challenge from Cronin to win by a bowl.
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