Road Bowling: O’Rourke gets better of Young to claim Hancy Hubbard Cup glory

John O’Rourke is Hancy Hubbard Cup champion following a bowl of odds win over John Young at Béal na Marbh. Pic: Tom Honan/Inpho

John O’Rourke is Hancy Hubbard Cup champion following a bowl of odds win over John Young at Béal na Marbh.

Young got two good opening shots to peeping light, but O’Rourke did better to lead by 20m. He increased his lead to 80m with a big third shot past the pump. 

He beat a big fourth shot up the hill from Young to hold a 60m advantage. 

Young continued to press and closed the gap to just 20m after two more. Young lost momentum with a poor short from there. O’Rourke hit back with a brilliant bowl to the rock. Young’s reply hit the rock to leave him a full bowl behind.

Young rallied again and had the lead well under a bowl at the start of the straight. O’Rourke powered on with three more big shots to the end of the straight to go over a bowl clear again. He held that lead to the line.

Timmy Murphy gave a top-class performance in Rosscarbery to secure the first of the Tim White Cup semi-final spots at the expense of Johnny O’Driscoll. 

The first third was on a knife-edge, but a mistake at the start of Barry’s straight was very costly for O’Driscoll. Murphy was on point from there, scoring the line in 17 to win by over a bowl.

They both opened with big shots, with Murphy just edging it. O’Driscoll followed with a super shot to win the second tip and won a big lead when Murphy played a poor fourth bowl to the priest’s house. Murphy bounced back instantly with a brilliant fifth bowl onto Barry’s straight. 

O’Driscoll misplayed his next one, which gave Murphy seized that chance with another excellent bowl to light at the top of the straight, which put him a shot in front. O’Driscoll did everything right from there, but Murphy never dropped his defences.

Liam Hurley won the Jimmy McCarthy Cup when he beat Noel O’Regan in the last shot of the West Cork junior A final at Derrinasafa. He led by a metre after two, but O’Regan got the better of exchanges to the bridge. O’Regan was still fore, by just five metres at Ross’ corner. 

A huge bowl to Cotter’s cross put Hurley back in front by a metre. He opened the Darkwood turn in two more, while O’Regan missed in two. He increased his lead to a full bowl of odds in two more to Walsh’s lane.

O’Regan fought back strongly to O’Neill’s lane to bring the lead under a bowl, but he lost momentum with his next throw. Having weathered that challenge, Hurley beat the line in two more for a comfortable win.

Andrew O’Callaghan beat Conor Creedon by almost a bowl in the Paddy Murray Cup at Ballygurteen. 

He gained an early advantage by opening the first bend in three and raised a bowl with his fourth. Creedon played a brilliant sixth shot to knock the bowl. He had the lead down to 70m after two more to the women’s lane. He won the lead with his eighth shot to the avenue.

O’Callaghan regained the lead and looked set to pull clear. Creedon kept in touch though and went back in front after the shots to O’Donovan’s. He lost ground by missing Burke’s and O’Callaghan closed it out with a good finish.

Ger O’Driscoll beat Ger Connolly by a bowl in the Lyre tournament. He got the better start just missing the forestry entrance in two, while it took Connolly three to beat it. O’Driscoll followed with a big third shot to go a bowl clear. 

It was just under a bowl at the tunnel, but O’Driscoll raised it again with his next shot. He held that advantage out Crowley’s bend in eight and nine.

Connolly closed the gap with a big throw from there to peeping light. He kept the lead under a bowl to McCarthy’s bend. O’Driscoll restored it immediately, but Connolly made a great effort to turn the score with a massive bowl from the big tree. 

O’Driscoll missed that well, but steadied things when he followed with a great one towards the line. That was enough to put him on track to win by a bowl.

The postponed All-Ireland Novice II All-Ireland final between Ulster champion, Danny Carragher, and Leinster champion, Alan Long, will be played Saturday in Drogheda. Stay at home Munster fans will have plenty to occupy them too. 

The prestigious William Wolf Cup, over two days at Waterloo, and the semi-final of the Dan Riordan Cup in Bantry, between James O’Donovan and Gary Daly, are among the top attractions.