King and Queen of the Roads crowned by Irish double at Ballincurrig
Pictured at Ballincurrig on Sunday at the King of the Roads was eventual winner Arthur McDonagh. Pic: Denis Boyle
Arthur McDonagh and Kelly Mallon are King and Queen of the Roads after delivering an Irish double at Ballincurrig on Sunday.
McDonagh was at his best in the most emphatic win in the 40-year history of Hurley’s of Midleton King of the Roads. He led from the off, delivering much of the same magic he produced in the semi-final. What was anticipated to be a real battle with All-Ireland champion, Ethan Rafferty, never caught fire. McDonagh was at the very top of his game, while Rafferty was well below par.
Rafferty won a huge battle with James O’Donovan on Saturday, but he could not find that verve on Sunday.
Kelly Mallon dethroned Silke Tulk in the Kingston New Home Queen of the Roads. That reversed the result of last year’s final, closing their personal battle in finals to 4-5, and moving one ahead in their overall Ballincurrig head-to-head by 7-6.
Like every meeting of these titans it was a contest for the ages. Tulk dominated early, Mallon levelled and eventually gained what looked a safe lead. A massive push back with two extraordinary closing shots from Tulk almost spoilt the Armagh party.
McDonagh led from the off in the King of the Roads final. He went out light with his first, which Rafferty missed by 25m. He was up to the black sign with his second, a sensational start given the fresh road surface. Rafferty was already fighting a rearguard action, but he was still in touch after four towards the creamery. Rafferty’s next bowl hit a pillar, which was a serious setback. McDonagh beat that well with a great reply.
Rafferty then missed the no-play line. McDonagh hit back with a beautifully measured bowl past the line, which gave him a full shot advantage. Things began to unravel for Rafferty after that, while McDonagh kept hitting each note with perfect pitch. Three below-par shots in succession from Rafferty left him two bowls adrift at O’Riordan’s. McDonagh followed with three sensational bowls to light at the big corner and Rafferty conceded.
In the Queen of the Roads final Mallon missed light with her first shot. Tulk went out to establish an early lead. Mallon’s second bowl kept her in touch, but Tulk increased her lead to the sycamores. Mallon then levelled with a brilliant fifth bowl to the short straight.
The score took a dramatic turn when Tulk failed to follow Mallon’s great bowl to the big corner. Mallon began to impose herself on the contest from there, hitting a series of sublime bowls to increase her lead. She was almost a bowl in front after a great 11th bowl towards Heaphy’s. Tulk refused to surrender though and fought on to keep the lead under a bowl.
Mallon sent two unreal bowls from the pony’s gate to the end of the green to finally raise the bowl. The battle now looked won. Tulk hit back with a sensational bowl down the finishing straight. Mallon missed and then narrowly missed the line. Tulk then played another massive bowl past the line. Mallon needed all her speed, class and nerves of ice to beat that. She delivered with a perfect bowl.
Shane Crowley and Emma Hurley gave a top-class performance in winning the Proto-Mark Technologies International Triple Crown for Ireland. This turned into a tense duel between Ireland and the Netherlands, but the Irish pulled clear in the closing stages, Germany mounted a late challenge with the Dutch for the silver medal.
Max Oude Engberink set the tone when he gave the Dutch the first tip and Lotte Telgenhof oude Koehorst’s big second shot kept them in front. Crowley gave Ireland their first lead with a big third bowl to Din Tough’s. Hurley consolidated that lead with a good fourth shot. The Dutch regained the lead with a great ninth bowl onto the long straight.
Crowley put Ireland back in front with a huge 11th bowl past O’Riordan’s. The Dutch regained the lead immediately. Crowley got Ireland back in front with a big bowl to the creamery and Hurley’s next one put them a bowl in front. A brilliant late rally by Jannis Saathoff and Tomke Harms got the Germans in for a last shot for silver, but oude Engberink’s massive last shot settled that argument for the Netherlands.
Páidín Stokes reversed his All-Ireland intermediate final defeat to Gene McVeigh with an impressive win in the Jim O’Driscoll Cup final. He won his first lead with a brilliant second shot to Moore’s gate. He had almost a bowl after five to the pony’s gate and looked to be free-wheeling until McVeigh got two huge bowls to and away from the big corner. Stokes never conceded the lead and a big 16th bowl to the serpent sent him clear again.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
