Arthur McDonagh overcomes Martin Coppinger to land Dan Riordan Cup

CHAMPION: Arthur McDonagh in action. Pic: David Keane.

Arthur McDonagh is Dan Riordan Cup champion after a strong showing against Martin Coppinger in the final at Bantry.

Coppinger had his only lead when he got the better of big opening shots towards McSweeney’s. McDonagh shaved the left with his second one, it settled well and put him into a big lead.

Neither player got a good third one, but Coppinger played a big fourth throw. Rather than closing the gap this prompted McDonagh’s purple patch.

He got an incredible fourth shot to push his lead out to 100m. Coppinger missed that with his fifth throw. McDonagh increased his lead with his next throw beating Coppinger’s bowl past Casey’s avenue by 70m.

Coppinger was almost two bowls adrift after he played his next one too tight right.

McDonagh kept the lead close to two bowls, when he lofted his seventh bowl away smartly to open Cronin’s bend. His odds tumbled back to less than a bowl when he was too tight left with his next three.

He steadied things with a good 11th bowl, but Coppinger was finding his form too and beat it well to keep the lead under a bowl.

McDonagh’s revival gained momentum when he played two good shots in succession, the latter taking a nice brush off Connolly’s wall to light at the last bend. Those throws put him almost a bowl clear. He raised the bowl in the next exchange towards the finish line.

Timmy McDonagh followed his brother’s example by comprehensively beating Jimmy O’Driscoll at Ballinacurra. He won the first three throws. O’Driscoll took his only lead with his fourth through Brinny cross.

McDonagh leaped almost a bowl clear when he played a sensational fifth bowl past Foley’s. He had over a bowl after three more past Perrott’s. He was almost two in front heading for the bridge and he raised it with his bowl to Innishannon cross. He increased his odds towards the line.

Michael Bohane was a clear winner over Brian Wilmot at Rosscarbery. Wilmot won each of the first five shots to the priest’s house. Bohane led with his sixth and stayed in front in the next two. Wilmot regained the lead briefly with a good ninth shot to Barry’s boreen.

Bohane won the following tip and pushed a bowl in front to Cahermore cross. Wilmot knocked the bowl with his good shot past the Quaker’s cross. That was as close as he got. Bohane did better in all the subsequent throws. He raised the bowl, increased his odds and sealed it with his big shot to light at the last bend.

Stephen Cahill and Stephen Bowen won the Celestine Spillane Cup final at the Bog Road. They had a titanic struggle with Denis Connolly and John Donnellan with the lead changing hands in almost every throw. The winners had a 20m advantage for the last shot, but succeeded by just over a metre.

Peter Nagle fended off a late challenge from Alan Kerins to secure his place in the Ballydehob final. They were locked together past The Eagles. Keane caught the left with his next one. Nagle capitalised with a big shot, which helped him carry a bowl of odds out the cottage.

Keane brought the lead under a bowl with two good shots to the bottom of the height. He lost ground again with his next one, which allowed Nagle restore his bowl of odds. Keane made a late bid with a big second last throw, but it was not enough to derail Nagle.

John Nagle beat John Murphy by over a bowl in the Munster vintage (over-60) B section final at Drimoleague. He had almost a bowl after seven, he raised it at the no-play line and held it to the finish.

Darren Shannon was in sensational form in the Dinny & Frankie Cup at Schull. He reached the priest’s cross in three and beat the Schull sign in four. He made light at McFarlane’s in nine and scorched past the bridge in 12. That performance gave his opponent, John O’Regan, no chance of mounting a sustained challenge.

Liam Walsh got the verdict against Paddy O’Donoghue at Whitechurch. He won the first two to Kelly’s. O’Donoghue edged the third and had almost a bowl after five to Quirke’s wall. Walsh raised a bowl after four big shots to Downey’s. O’Donoghue cut the lead to 40m after three big shots to the farm, but Walsh gained ground again to the line.

The annual Éamonn Bowen Memorial Cup will be played on the weekend of December 14 and 15 at Bottlehill. A selection of the top Munster seniors will contest three semi-finals on the Saturday, to secure places in Sunday’s three-hand final.