Armagh keeper Ethan Rafferty still in the hunt for All-Ireland medal after lifting Ulster senior bowling title

Ethan defeated his brother Colm in the Ulster senior bowling final on Sunday.

Armagh goalkeeper Ethan Rafferty’s aspiration of getting his hands on an All-Ireland senior medal this year remains a live prospect. Pic: Ray McManus/Sportsfile

Armagh goalkeeper Ethan Rafferty’s aspiration of getting his hands on an All-Ireland senior medal this year remains a live prospect after he defeated his brother Colm in the Ulster senior bowling final on Sunday.

Rafferty, who was denied All-Ireland football glory by injury in 2024 and by Kerry in 2025, won the All-Ireland intermediate title in a storming finish against Tommy O’Sullivan in Castletownkenneigh last July.

He now has a chance to return to that venue next Sunday where he faces 2020 champion Arthur McDonagh in the senior final.

Colm Rafferty had a dream year in 2024, winning his first Ulster and All-Ireland senior titles and King of the Roads. He brought that form into 2025 with a comprehensive win over David Murphy in the Joe McVeigh Cup. But his hopes of cementing his place at the top of the bowling tree were smashed by his younger brother on Armagh’s famed Knappagh Road.

Colm won the first three tips towards Knappagh Angles, but his bowl to there took an unlucky hop to leave him just fore. After two more to the gate-lodge Ethan won his first lead. He went out the planting corner in two more to get a firm grip on the contest. Colm missed that to fall a bowl behind and he faced an uphill battle from there.

Ethan added to his bowl of odds lead in two more to the start of Farley’s hill. Colm hit back with two great bowls in succession to Farley’s to reduce the lead to an even bowl. He kept the pressure up in the next two. He finally got the lead under a bowl with his 16th throw.

Ethan missed that well and looked to have two big shots to open the Condy corner, giving Colm what looked like a real prospect of levelling it. Ethan made Daly’s next and when Colm was well short of the Condy the contest was effectively over. That was reality once Ethan opened the bend with his next one.

He has shown enough form to suggest he will give McDonagh a real test on Sunday. McDonagh beat his first-cousin, Thomas Mackle, in the covid-19 delayed 2020 All-Ireland final in 2021 at Baile Bhuirne.