Road bowling: Rafferty upsets the odds to beat All-Ireland senior champion Mackle

SHOCK LOSS: Thomas Mackle (Armagh) in action. Pic: Dan Linehan

Colm Rafferty is Ulster senior champion beating his first-cousin and All-Ireland senior champion, Thomas Mackle, at Eglish in an upset of historic proportions.

Although they entered the tie-breaker on two wins each, few expected Mackle to fall at the final hurdle. 

It is a result that will give Brian Wilmot an extra bounce in his step when he faces hot favourite, Martin Coppinger, in tomorrow morning’s Munster senior final in Skibbereen.

Rafferty was on the offensive from the off, beating a big opening shot from Mackle with a massive bowl to the white wall. 

He needed a rub with his second one to beat Mackle’s big bowl to light at McGrath’s by 30m. He held the lead in the next three to the big tree.

Mackle won his first fore bowl with a brilliant sixth throw. 

He went a full shot in front after his following one through the cross, Rafferty only made the old school in eight. Mackle held the bowl of odds in the next three to light at Hunter’s.

Rafferty launched his comeback with a sensational bowl from Hunter’s to bring the lead well under a bowl. He followed with another miler to Lisgobin Road to cut the odds to just 40m. 

Mackle looked to have weathered the storm when he got the better of the next exchange to light at Reid’s, to push his lead close to a bowl again.

After two more past the last bend, Rafferty had pulled it back to just 60m again. 

Neither player got a good second last ones, but the lead was now whittled down to just a metre. 

Rafferty lived dangerously with his last one, which shaved the left, but it got a vital rub to beat the line by 5m. Mackle missed it by 15m with his reply.

Coppinger will be the firmest of favourites at the Marsh Road, but should Wilmot come through it would throw up a final pairing that no one could have predicted at the start of the season.