McGuigan defies the odds to stun Munster champ Stokes at Keady-Tassagh
STEADY HANDS: The action was fast and frenetic at Keady-Tassagh. Pic: INPHO/Tom Honan
Conor McGuigan added another famous, against-the-odds, win to his collection when he beat Munster champion, Paddy Stokes, in the All-Ireland men’s junior A final at Keady-Tassagh on Saturday.
The early exchanges offered no hint of how McGuigan would control the middle part of the score. At one point he looked set to romp home with over two bowls to spare. He underestimated a relatively simple shot at McCann’s, which offered hope to Stokes. The Munster champion seized his opening and managed to make a real contest of the closing stages.
Munster closed the day with a third win from four, when Eoghan Kelly bowled with a lot of speed and class to beat Emmet O’Rourke by almost a bowl in the U14 final. The two opening throws to the creamery lane will rank as one of the most spectacular starts to any All-Ireland final. O’Rourke’s heroic late rally was a big test, which Kelly managed superbly.
Stokes shaded the first exchange against McGuigan in the junior A final. McGuigan nudged in front with his second one to the bus-shelter and won the third one too. Stokes then played a brilliant fourth shot to light at Twynam’s corner to edge back in front. It looked set to remain on a knife-edge, but Stokes form took a dramatic dip.
McGuigan’s fifth was not his best, but Stokes responded with two poor shots, both spun in right to concede almost a bowl of odds. McGuigan raised the bowl with his next one over Gillogly’s height. He then really tightened the screw when he was razor tight right with his next bowl to the creamery lane. That catapulted him two bowls clear.
There was still two bowls between then after nine and 11 to McCann’s corner. Stokes played a good bowl onto the carnival straight, McGuigan was too soft with his reply and missed the tip. He only made the garage with his next one and suddenly the gap was back to just over a bowl of odds Stokes played a great bowl to the carnival gates to bring it to an even bowl.
He then made the creamery stand and McGuigan was lucky that his bowl came off the left bank and just missed that tip. So from cruising with a two bowl cushion, McGuigan was now under pressure They matched each other in the next two to the bridge. McGuigan lifted the siege with a great bowl from there towards the line. Stokes missed that to concede a bowl of odds again, which ended any hope of a dramatic win.
In the U14 final Kelly and O’Rourke were deadlocked after their two extraordinary opening throws. Kelly’s lightening-fast third bowl brushed kindly and it ran into the hollow before Gillogly’s height, that gave him control of the score.
They both continued to excel, but O’Rourke could not bridge the divide. Kelly raised a bowl at Twynam’s corner and a second bowl after two more big shots towards the bus-shelter.
O’Rourke then played a sublime purlicue around the last bend. Kelly’s reply was on the right bank. He beat the tip with his next one to leave just a bowl between them.
O’Rourke raised the ante with another massive bowl past the finish line to the foot of the hill. Kelly only needed the line for victory, which he beat comfortably, but he missed O’Rourke’s tip.
Earlier on Saturday, wins for Shane Crowley and Emma Hurley gave Munster the perfect start to the All-Ireland series.
Crowley’s power gave him the edge over Tyrone’s Eogan McVeigh in the boys U18 final. Twice he led by close to two bowls, but McVeigh rallied strongly in the final third. It was not enough to derail Crowley who is really maturing in his score management.
Emma Hurley was tested too by Ellie-May Carr in the girls U18 final. She took a while to stamp her authority on the score, but once she did, she looked awesome at times.
Carr kept pressing down to a brilliant purlicue around the last bend, which put Hurley in a sticky spot. She dealt with that with total calm, with two calculated perfect bowls.
Crowley’s temperament was put under the microscope from the off as his first bowl was called. He didn’t flinch, he responded with an equally good effort. McVeigh beat that by three metres, in what would be his only lead.
He was too wide with his next two and found himself a bowl down to Crowley’s third. Crowley was close to two ahead after his fifth past Twyman’s corner. McVeigh brought the lead under a bowl with a brilliant bowl up Gallogly’s height.
This became the narrative for much of the score, McVeigh knocking the bowl, Crowley raising it again and threatening to push clear. Crowley was almost two in front again after ten over McGeown’s height.
McVeigh closed the gap and saw it extend, till he finally got serious traction with a great 16th bowl past McKee’s wall. He followed with another good bowl to the bridge. Crowley now had just 58m odds facing up the hill towards the line.
McVeigh’s gains were squandered when he got a poor shot up the hill. Crowley hit back with a monster bowl that beat the line and gave him victory by a bowl of odds.
In the girls U18 final, Carr took the battle to Hurley winning the first three shots. Hurley won her first lead with a great fourth shot over McGeown’s height. She pushed her lead out to 50m with her next one, but she could not break clear of a very tenacious Carr.
She finally gained a big lead with her ninth past Twynam’s cottage. Carr was back in it after her bowl past Twynam’s corner. Hurley moved up the gears and raised a bowl at the bus stop.
Carr made a valiant effort to turn the tide with a beautifully measured purlicue around the last bend. Hurley closed with two perfectly measured bowls, the first out under the hedge to full light, which kept her lead close to a bowl. She then sent a sizzling bowl down the hill past the line to seal it.
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