Road Bowling: Aidan Murphy takes win over battling Wayne Parkes

ROAD BOWLING: Aidan Murphy had too much dash and consistency for Wayne Parkes in their Munster senior championship clash at The Marsh Road on Monday. Pic: ©INPHO/Tom Honan

Aidan Murphy had too much dash and consistency for Wayne Parkes in their Munster senior championship clash at The Marsh Road on Monday.

Parkes made a promising start, he was well in it for the first six towards the quarry gate. Murphy’s opening shot got a lot of hardship on the left and hopped left. Parkes beat that by 25m, when maybe he could have gained a little more odds. Murphy won the next one to the distillery, but Parkes edged back in front with his third. The lead changed hands too in each of the next two throws, but by winning the fifth one Parkes gave a sense that he was well up to the challenge. A bit more finesse with his sixth throw towards the quarry gate might have given him the foothold to resist once Murphy raised his game.

Everything changed in a flash after Murphy delivered the score defining bowl, an absolute jet up and over the quarry hill to just short of the silvery gate. Parkes beat that by just three metres in two throws. Murphy applied more pressure with his next one to light facing down to the steps. Parkes missed that. To his credit he followed with a great bowl past the bend. Murphy hit back with another monster shot to just short of the steps. Parkes kept focused and went out the steps next to keep the lead to an even bowl.

Parkes needed to prevent the lead swelling much past a single bowl. He succeeded up to Thornhill cross. Murphy then played another huge bowl towards Ballyhilty bend to edge closer to two in front. Parkes rallied with two good bowls to the avenue to keep the lead well under two bowls. Murphy raised the second bowl with his next one to Crowley’s. To turn the tide now, Parkes would need to produce a higher order of bowling. He challenged well past the bridge, but a big 19th bowl from Murphy put it to bed.

David Hegarty closed with a two brilliant bowls to get the verdict over Jimmy O’Driscoll and Noel O’Regan in a final at Grange. It was an especially sweet win as he trailed by a bowl at the mid-way point.

O’Regan gained a big advantage when he got a great brush at Holland’s wall and followed with a brilliant bowl past de Barra’s. That put him a shot ahead of Hegarty and he was a bowl up on both his opponents after eight past Hegarty’s. Hegarty and O’Driscoll got back into it to Hodnett’s farm. Hegarty won his first lead with a great 12th bowl past the bungalow.

All three were in the frame after the next exchange. Hegarty gained what looked winning odds with his brilliant second last to light past Barry’s. O’Driscoll challenged that perception when his reply rubbed the wall and ran to full light facing the line. Hegarty produced another big one past the line to seal it.

It was the icing on a big week for the Hegarty clan. David’s sister, Lisa, had an impressive win over Marie Russell in the Munster intermediate championship at the Marsh Road. Their father, Ted’s, academy at the Phale Road, featured seven finals.

Gerald McDonagh wiped out a two bowls of odds deficit to beat Ross O’Brien by a bowl in the U16 final. Tadgh Hickey gave a very classy performance in beating Jack Allen and Tadhg O’Farrell in the U14 final. Fionán Twohig had too much speed for Brian Murphy and Kevin Hickey in the U12 final. Tommy Coppinger was brilliant in the U10 final where he beat Bobby Cooney and Conor O’Sullivan. In the U8 final, Timmy McDonagh held on for a, close call, last shot win over Mattie McDonagh with Frankie Flynn third.

Layla Fleming pipped Grace O’Sullivan and Robyn O’Brien in a very exciting girls U12 final. Aoife McCarthy gave a sensational performance in her win over Cáit Young in the U10 final.

Ger Connolly got the better of Donie Harnedy in the last shot, with Conor Creedon a bowl back in third, in another final at Grange. Shane Lotty secured his place in the Joe Bowen Cup final at Whitechurch when he beat Jimmy Quilligan in the last shot, with James O’Sullivan third.

Brian O’Driscoll’s win over Kieran Hourihane in the West Cork junior B final puts three of Munster top young stars on a collision path. He plays 2024 Munster U18 champion, Shane Crowley, in the first round of the Munster championship and the winner will play 2023 All-Ireland U16 winner John O’Donoghue in round two. O’Driscoll was also an All-Ireland winner in 2023.