European champion Séamus Sexton storms to win with a massive 12th bowl

Martin Coppinger in action during the Munster Men's Senior road bowling final against David Murphy at Ballincurrig, Co. Cork. Picture Dan Linehan

European champion, Séamus Sexton, broke the deadlock in his Dan O’Riordan Cup tie at Bantry with a big 12th shot to light at Connolly’s to gain a bowl of odds on Patrick Flood.

Up to that point it was anyone’s score. Flood had chance to take a firmer grip on things early on. He was just fore after three. He was still level with Sexton after seven to light at Casey’s cross, but he could have banked a cushion to there that would have proved vital later. They each played four massive bowls to the novice line, where Flood led by four metres.

Sexton then turned the tables with a super 12th bowl past the junior line to light at Connolly’s. Flood failed to follow him, which left him a shot behind. There was no holding Sexton now as he stormed home to convincingly win by a bowl.

Emma Hickey beat Rachel Kingston by a bowl in the Munster intermediate championship also at Bantry. Kingston’s fourth bowl unluckily broke left, which put her in trouble. Hickey was over a bowl in front after six. Kingston fought back and cut the lead to 60m, but Hickey increased her odds to almost a bowl at Casey’s. She had a full bowl at Cronin’s and held that past the line.

Trevor O’Meara beat Craig Moynihan by a bowl in the Cork City Junior A championship at Templemichael. This was a cracking score till Moynihan was off target in three throws towards the line. He won the opener, but O’Meara was in front after two more. They went past Sarsfield’s Court cross in three great shots from the bend, where O’Meara had 40m odds.

Moynihan upped his game with four super shots in succession to lead at the novice line. O’Meara kept up the pressure with a good shot from there. Things unravelled for Moynihan, when he played his next bowl into the right. He did the same with his following one and O’Meara extended his lead. A third error on the trot had Moynihan a bowl down. He still managed to win the last exchange to save the bowl of odds.

Eoin O’Riordan gave a five star performance in the Gaeltacht Junior A championship at Macroom, where he scored the line in 15 shots to beat Terry Mallon by a bowl of odds.

Denis Wilmot beat Michael Murphy by a bowl at Jagoes Mills. Murphy had close to a bowl of odds at O’Brien’s cross. He made a mistake with his next one though and Wilmot hit back with a great shot to win a 20m lead. Wilmot was 50m in front at the kerbs, but Murphy was back in front at Lawton’s.

Murphy got the better of super exchange to the railway and they were dead level at the power-station after two more top throws. Wilmot followed with another huge bowl and this gave him a 50m lead. He increased his lead to almost a bowl at Ballinvard cross. He went on to raise and win by a bowl.

All-Ireland Junior A champion, Denis O’Sullivan, put down a marker for his intermediate ambitions through a polished bowl of odds win over Éamon Bowen at Whitechurch. Bowen led by 20m after two to Kelly’s. O’Sullivan won the next exchange and led to the line. He had 70m odds after three more to the end of the wall.

Bowen cut the odds to 20m with a great bowl onto the flat. Those gains were immediately cancelled when O’Sullivan played a huge bowl to Boula lane to take his lead to almost a bowl. He raised the bowl at Downey’s line. They covered the straight in two more, with O’Sullivan edging further in front to the farm. Bowen brought it back to an even bowl at the Devil’s bend, but O’Sullivan powered on past the line to consolidate his lead.

John O’Donoghue had a dramatic last shot win over Willie O’Donovan also at Whitechurch. He was well over a bowl clear at Boula lane. His form dipped from there and O’Donovan led at the Devil’s bend. They were locked together to the line. They both missed the line with their second last ones. O’Donoghue then played a massive shot towards the end of the straight. O’Donovan’s reply looked a winner but missed it by five metres.

Road bowling will feature in an exhibition at Centre Culturel Irlandais in Paris in the lead up the Olympic Games. James L. Hayes’ art instillation, ‘The Score’, which was launched in 2023, is one of the Irish sporting exhibits. It will open tomorrow and run until May.