Road bowling: Gary Daly sees off Séamus Sexton to seal Bold Thady Quill final spot

Daly will play Aidan Murphy and James O’Donovan in the final. Pic: INPHO/Tom Honan

Gary Daly secured his place in the Bold Thady Quill final at Ballinagree through a comfortable last-shot win over Séamus Sexton.

He shaded the early shots, without breaking any records. Sexton won his only lead with a sensational third bowl. Daly immediately wrested it back with a brilliant shot to the junior line. He continued to lead in the shots past Healy’s lane. He increased his tempo and led past the pink house.

Sexton gained traction towards the post-office and looked set to mount a serious challenge. He lost momentum though by missing light at the top of the straight. Daly went up to go almost a bowl in front. He held that lead till he made a mistake before the last bend. Sexton was close, but could not get in front. Daly won comfortable in the last shot.

Daly will play Aidan Murphy and James O’Donovan in the final. That will be a good dress-rehearsal for Ballinagree, which has been confirmed as the venue for the first All-Ireland series in 2026 and 2027. The All-Irelands will be hosted in the Carbery region for the following two years.

Daly’s next major assignment is defending his title as winner of the premier event at the Dowtcha Boy Festival at the Marsh Road on Sunday 23. He will face Martin Coppinger, who he beat in last year’s final, and James O’Donovan. Sexton will compete in the festival too, where he takes on Michael Bohane in a repeat of the 2022 Munster senior final. The two-day programme breaks-off on Saturday 22.

Cian Boyle gained the first victory in the new Munster Junior A championship format with a last shot win over Willie O’Donovan at Carraig na bhFear. This contest was effectively decided by one fluffed shot by O’Donovan, which relegated him level to a shot behind at the creamery cross. He won the second half, but failed to catch Boyle.

Boyle got the better of great first shots to light. He was still fore after another two ot the doctor’s. They made Daunt’s in five and were still locked together after the shots to Fitzgerald’s corner. O’Donovan opted for unorthodox play from there, which proved costly as it left him too far back to make the cross. Boyle seized the opening to score the cross line in eight for a full shot of odds.

O’Donovan got a sensational bowl from the second line, which had him back in contention. Boyle countered strongly and his big bowl to light facing the novice line, gave him the buffer to fend off a storming finish from O’Donovan.

Anthony Crowley’s burgeoning talent secured him a two bowls of odds win over James O’Sullivan in the Junior B championship at Curraheen. His first bowl beat Hammond’s by 30m to give him an instant bowl of odds. This was the second-longest first-shot ever played at Curraheen, beaten only by the record mark set by current European champion, James O’Donovan.

O’Sullivan, who is a brilliant young prospect too, kept the lead to a bowl of odds into the closing stages. He held the lead to an even bowl in the shots to light at the start of the big hill. He pushed back against Crowley’s greater speed up the rise and the lead was still well under two bowls at the tarmac.

The dam finally burst when Crowley played two monster shots towards Richard’s lane and then to light which put him two clear.

Mark Bourke beat David Hegarty by a bowl at Lyre. Hegarty won the first two, Bourke won the third to the forestry. This tug-of-war continued to Crowley’s with the lead constantly changing hands. Bourke gained a good lead to Crowley’s bend and raised a bowl at McCarthy’s. He held that lead to the end.

Eoin McCarthy beat Conor Lucey in the last shot of the curtain-raiser at Ballinagree. He shaded the first three. Lucey levelled with a big fourth to the quay wall, yet McCarthy stayed just fore to the post office straight. Lucey got his first fore bowl at the post office and raised big odds with his next one.

McCarthy levelled with his bowl to the pink house and led with his following throw. A huge rub before An Caipilín Bán cross, put him a bowl clear and he held most of those odds to the finish.

Huge numbers continue to participate in the Ted Hegarty academy on the Phale Road. This week’s rising stars included Sophie Murphy in the U16 section, while Jason Deane and Robyn O’Brien were top of the U12 class.