Andrew O'Leary is Munster Veteran champion after defeating Padraig O'Brien

It was a nostalgic win for O’Leary just weeks after his father, Paddy, who was a former All-Ireland champion, passed away.

Fri, 26 Jul, 2024 - 20:50

Seamus O’Tuama

Andrew O’Leary is Munster veteran (over-50) champion, but only after a determined and sustained challenge from Padraig O’Brien in a great final at Whitelchurch.

He opened with a good shot up the left, comfortably beating O’Brien’s first bowl. O’Brien pushed his second one left and O’Leary replied with a beautifully delivered bowl to take a 30m lead. O’Brien then won his only lead of the night with a brilliant third shot up the rising road, signalling his intent to take the challenge to the hot favourite.

O’Leary regained the lead with a big fourth throw to the top of the hill. O’Brien followed with a big shot down to the wall. O’Leary replied with a sensational bowl past the wall to the bottom of the hill. That pushed him almost a bowl clear. He raised a bowl of odds with his sixth shot towards Boula lane.

Things looked ominous now for O’Brien, but he dug himself out with a sensational bowl through the lane which brought the lead well under a bowl. He continued to press up the straight, but O’Leary always had vital odds. Big shots down to and away from the farm kept O’Brien just in the frame. O’Leary missed the line with his second last. O’Brien now needed an extraordinary bowl to turn the tide, but it was not to be. His last bowl was too tight left and missed O’Leary’s tip.

It was a nostalgic win for O’Leary just weeks after his father, Paddy, who was a former All-Ireland champion, passed away. He will contest the All-Ireland final in Eglish county Tyrone next weekend, his first time competing in Ulster since 1994. His All-Ireland opponent with be either Joe Donnelly or Mickey Rafferty who contest the Ulster final.