Gen Z are making their presence felt in the bowling world

The Gen Z wave has been grabbing a lot of attention in the bowling world in the first month of 2025. Pic: ©INPHO/Tom Honan

The Gen Z wave has been grabbing a lot of attention in the bowling world in the first month of 2025.

Three big tests last weekend indicate that this generation may be hogging the headlines for the rest of the year.

Last year’s Munster U18 champion, Shane Crowley, beat 2024 European U18 champion Liam Murphy at Castletownkenneigh.

Crowley was revisiting the venue in which he won a sensation Munster final and also one where he lost the All-Ireland final. In the middle of this contest he was on the wrong side of things too, but a strong finish turned it around.

He got the better of big opening shots to Spillane’s by 20m. Murphy reduced that to just five metres with a brilliant second one to the end of the railing. Neither player clicked in the next two, but Crowley held the lead. Murphy then produced two big shots in succession up to and away from the round tower cross, to win his first lead.

Murphy held the lead in the next two to light at Nyhan’s. He gained a big advantage when he made clear light with his next one. Crowley had missed light and then missed Murphy’s tip with his following throw to fall a full bowl of odds behind.

Crowley immediately got back on the offensive. A big shot to the double gates brought the lead under a bowl. He went past Fehilly’s lane with his next one, which was critical to his revival. Murphy missed Forshin’s cross with his next one. Crowley replied with a massive bowl out to the cross, which levelled the contest.

Crowley won a big lead with a brilliant shot from the cross to light facing the finish line. Murphy was below par with his next two, while Crowley consolidated his lead.

Anthony Crowley added to the chatter when he soundly beat Jimmy O’Driscoll at Grange. Crowley was part of the elite U18 set too in 2024, winning an All-Ireland title and coming close to a European one. What made Crowley’s win even more notable is that it was at the expense of a player that won the Paddy Murray Cup the previous week.

Crowley opened with a serious shot that put him almost a bowl in front. He was down to Hodnett's concrete after his second, against three for O’Driscoll. He was at Hodnett’s farm in three, with O’Driscoll just past it in four. Crowley was at the middle of the school cross in five, where he had a clear bowl of odds.

He kept his foot on the pedal with a big bowl up past the schoolhouse. He scorched to Holland’s wall in another two, where he had over two bowls of odds. He went around the stud farm bend in another one, for an incredible record of just nine shots thrown.

Denis O’Sullivan beat Patrick Flood in another key Gen Z contest in the Denis McGarry Cup at Whitechurch. These two may have a big say in the Munster senior championship, the first rounds of which will be drawn next Wednesday. O’Sullivan has the potential to be the first Kerry native to win the Munster senior championship.

Flood set the early pace with two huge bowls to Kelly’s, which put him almost a bowl in front. He continued to dominate, making the middle of the wall in three more where he was a full bowl in front. O’Sullivan raised the ante with a big bowl towards Boula lane. He continued to press before taking his first lead at Downey’s.

He stayed just in front in the next three to the farm. Flood regained a narrow lead in the shots towards the Devil’s bend. O’Sullivan got back in front with a big bowl to the white wall. Flood levelled it again for the last shot with a good bowl to Hegarty’s. Flood’s last bowl was not his best though and O’Sullivan beat it well.

Gen Z magic could potentially ignite the 2025 Munster senior championship. O’Sullivan and Flood will be joined in next week’s draw by Tommy O’Sullivan and Wayne Parkes. If all four are drawn apart it could really shake up the championship.

The drum will contain six former senior champions Martin Coppinger, Arthur McDonagh, Michael Bohane, David and Aidan Murphy and Killian Kingston. Also in there are European gold medallists James O’Donovan and Séamus Sexton, not counting the Murphy brothers. So if a Gen Z wants to steal the crown, it will require some exceptional bowling.