Jimmy O’Driscoll claims the Paddy Murray Cup after overcoming Denis Wilmot

Elsewhere Edmund Sexton reached the Lyre Junior A final when he beat Noel O’Regan and Donal Harnedy in a three-way semi-final.

CHAMPION: Jimmy O’Driscoll’s name will be the first inscribed onto the Paddy Murray Cup after an impressive start and finish saw him beat Denis Wilmot by a bowl of odds at Ballygurteen. Pic: ©INPHO/Tom Honan

Jimmy O’Driscoll’s name will be the first inscribed onto the Paddy Murray Cup after an impressive start and finish saw him beat Denis Wilmot by a bowl of odds at Ballygurteen.

He opened with two massive bowls to light. Wilmot made light in three to keep the lead just under a bowl. Wilmot then hit his best form with three good bowls in succession to the women’s lane, exploiting a few slips by O’Driscoll, to take the lead. He powered on with three more big shots to the middle of the straight where he was a bowl clear.

O’Driscoll dug himself out of that with a sensational next shot towards the end of the straight, which brought him back into it. He quickly built momentum, taking a 20m lead to light past O’Donovan’s.

Wilmot’s next bowl was too tight right and O’Driscoll extended his lead. Wilmot followed with another short one and O’Driscoll hit back with a big bowl to increase his odds to 100m. Wilmot beat that by just a few metres with his following throw to leave him almost a bowl down with the line in sight.

John-Anthony Murphy finished powerfully at The Pike to secure his place in the Fearghal Beamish Cup semi-final at the expense of Liam Hurley. The opening sequence promised a close contest with Hurley winning the first and Murphy shading the second. Murphy quickly established his dominance though.

He made the end of the wall with a super third shot and scorched to White’s cross in two more to raise a bowl. His shot off the cross was too far left, giving Hurley a chance to close the gap. That was only a temporary reprieve as Murphy had almost a bowl again at the layby.

A massive bowl from the bridge to light at Drapers’ catapulted Murphy almost two bowls clear. He put the issue beyond doubt with two more big bowls from the bridge and raised a third bowl of odds with another big one past the novice line.

Edmund Sexton reached the Lyre Junior A final when he beat Noel O’Regan and Donal Harnedy in a three-way semi-final. He dictated terms from the off following a big opener. Harnedy was a bowl down after three and never got in the frame. This left O’Regan as Sexton’s main challenger.

Sexton bowled well to Crowley’s where he had a bowl on O’Regan and two on Harnedy. His perfect start hit a slight glitch when he played a short seventh shot. While he held a good lead with his next one past Crowley’s bend, O’Regan was back in contention. His challenge dissipated through a mistake at McCarthy’s. Sexton drove on from there to raise a winning bowl of odds with his second last.

Timmy Murphy was in control from the early stages in his win over David Hegarty at Jagoes Mills. He had almost a bowl at O’Brien’s corner. Hegarty cut that lead to 40m at Lawton’s and the same odds divided them at the railway line. Murphy pushed his odds out to almost a bowl at the power station. He had a full bowl at Ballinvard cross.

Craig Moynihan gave a five star second half display to wipe out Dave Fitzgerald’s early lead and forge a clear win at Templemichael. Fitzgerald made light at the start of the long straight with four great bowls. That had him almost a bowl in front, but Moynihan whittled that down to 20m to the bend before the novice line. He sealed it with a huge bowl towards the finish line.

Adrian Buttimer beat Ger Connolly in the last shot at Ballinacurra. They were level after three each to Brinny cross. Buttimer led by 30m at the gas line, but they were deadlocked again at the GAA field. It was on a knife-edge to the finish. Connolly closed with a big bowl, but Buttimer had its measure.

James Murphy beat Gavin Harrington in a see-saw battle in the Dinny and Frankie Cup at Schull. He was almost a bowl in front after four to the priest’s cross. Harrington won the lead with great bowl from there, but Murphy was back in front by 50m at Levis’. Two big shots past McFarlane’s put Harrington in front again. A good bowl to the bridge won Murphy the lead and he increased his odds by making the line in five more.

Trevor Tobin got the better of Seán Lehane in the Gaeltacht Novice E final at Clondrohid. He raised a bowl at the grotto and increased his lead to the line.