Road bowling: Mackle and Klopper sprinkle magic at King and Queen of Roads

Thomas Mackle was totally unruffled by all this show, he did what was necessary..

MAGIC MAN: Thomas Mackle (Armagh) in action. Pic: Dan Linehan

The weather was a real spoiler at Ballincurrig, but the bowling at King and Queen of the Roads was exceptional, with so many talking points to keep the aficionados chattering through the winter.

It’s hard to pick out a best opening line. Maybe the impossible last bowl from Arthur McDonagh that might have derailed Thomas Mackle. It is one of those shots that comes along once in a generation. It’s a modern day version of Mick Barry lofting Mary-Ann’s pub in Dublin Hill. The physics seemed totally impossible. He was a bowl of odds behind at the serpent. The expectation was that both he and Mackle would make light at the last bend and then it would be a matter of calculating the odds with the last shots.