McDonagh and Daly set up an all-Fermoy Munster senior final

FERMOY DERBY: Gary Daly in action. Pic: Gretta Cormican

It will be an all-Fermoy Munster senior final following impressive semi-final wins for Arthur McDonagh and Gary Daly.

Sensational fourth and fifth shots were instrumental in McDonagh taking control against Aidan Murphy at Ballinagree. Daly reversed the narrative of his battle with James O’Donovan at Whitechurch with three great bowls from Boula lane and a second spurt in the closing stages pushed him clear.

Murphy beat a big opening shot from McDonagh with a perfectly placed bowl, which set the scene for a frenetic first quarter. McDonagh followed with another massive bowl, which Murphy missed well. Murphy’s third bowl was measured perfection. It had speed and direction and got a beautiful hop that directed it to light and cut McDonagh’s lead to 20m.

Murphy delivered his fourth one perfectly too, but it instantly whipped right, revealing a spin that would cause him a lot of grief as the score progressed. McDonagh then played two exquisite bowls in succession. The first a brilliant bowl to Crowley’s lane, the next a sweetly lofted bowl that swung around to An Caipilín Bán cross.

Murphy responded with two good bowls too, but the gap was now a full shot. They matched each other in the next five shots to the pink cottage, with Murphy resolutely holding the lead under a bowl.

McDonagh then hit a blistering bowl to the start of the post office straight, which put him well over a bowl clear. He was in cruise mode up to the quay wall, allowing himself a little bit of flash there with a fine loft, with the lead now well over a bowl. Only a major error would allow Murphy back in from there and it was not a day where McDonagh was ever likely to nod.

There was less champagne in Daly’s performance in Whitechurch, but he had all the weapons to dig out a solid win. That will keep his end of the town calm, but it should not disguise his equal credentials for the Munster final on the last weekend in June.

He beat O’Donovan’s opening shot, but he was second best from there to Boula lane. O’Donovan had 50m odds after four to the top of the rise. Daly played a massive next shot to the end of the wall, but O’Donovan beat it comfortably. Daly’s next two were below par, which allowed O’Donovan edge close to a bowl in front approaching Boula.

Daly found his mojo with a brilliant bowl through Boula, which cut the lead to 40m. He followed with two more big ones, but O’Donovan managed to hold his odds. Daly then got a nice one around the green at the top of the straight, which won him a 25m lead.

They were in an arm-wrestle past Hegarty’s farm and onto the last bend, with Daly keeping a modest lead. O’Donovan wasn’t tight enough with his second last and Daly broke the deadlock with a big bowl, that was unlucky to miss the line. O’Donovan was not able to do enough with his last one to close that gap.

Julieanne Hayes will play Juliet Murphy in the Munster intermediate final at Castletownkenneigh on Thursday. Hayes pipped Ailbhie O’Shea in a sensational last shot finish to their semi-final at Templemartin.

O’Shea had a bowl after brilliant fifth and sixth shots to Slyne’s corner. Hayes followed with four super throws to O’Riordan’s to win the lead. They were locked together past the schoolhouse cross. O’Shea then played a monstrous bowl past the line and out light at the stone-field bend. Hayes showed remarkable focus to follow it and beat that tip.

All-Ireland veteran champion Andrew O’Leary’s bid to defend his title was derailed in the Munster semi-final by Jerry Murphy at Firmount. The lead was hotly contested in the early phases, but Murphy found a higher gear on the straight and raised a bowl. He held that lead to the finish. Murphy will play PJ Cooney in the junior section final.

Irish youth international, Cathal Creedon, overcame the first hurdle in the Munster U18 campaign when he beat London representative, Patrick O’Driscoll, at Kilcorney. He was on the offensive from the off, raising almost a bowl after two throws. He raised a full bowl at the bridge and added a second before the line.

Former champion, Triona Kidney, beat last year’s beaten Munster senior finalist Hannah Sexton at Béal na Bláth. Neither player delivered a five-star performance, but they contributed to a highly engaging contest with the verdict in doubt down to the last shot.