Road bowling: Creedon crowned champion with two bowls of odds over Murphy at the Pike

Brian O’Driscoll and Shane Crowley were vying for top billing ahead of the new premier junior championship.

Conor Creedon is Fearghal Beamish Cup champion after an impressive two bowls of odds win over John-Anthony Murphy at the Pike.

The early exchanges were closely contested. Both made the end of the kerbing in two, where Creedon led by 15m. He had a 20m advantage after his third one to the end of the wall. He then played a sensational fourth bowl, which gave him a bowl of odds. He reached White’s Cross with his fifth one to hold his lead.

Murphy played a good bowl off the cross. By contrast, Creedon played two poor bowls in succession, both too tight left, which saw his lead tumble to just 25m. Murphy’s next broke right. Creedon’s reply clipped the end of the bridge and cannoned to light. Murphy missed that with his following throw to fall a full bowl behind. Murphy lofted his next bowl in a bid to make Draper’s, but it met the surface badly and turned in left. Creedon made light to push his lead well over a bowl. Murphy rallied again with a brilliant bowl past the cross. Creedon hit back with another super throw, which Murphy missed to leave him two bowls adrift. There was no way back from there.

Elsewhere, Brian O’Driscoll and Shane Crowley were vying for top billing ahead of the new premier junior championship. On current form it’s hard to imagine that this pair won’t be operating a few notches up from their current ranking before the end of 2026.

O’Driscoll opened his account with a highly impressive win over Anthony Crowley at Ballinacurra. They reached Brinny cross in three each, where O’Driscoll led by 20m. They were past Foley’s in two more, with O’Driscoll making the big tree to increase his lead to 30m and gain a perfect stand for his next shot. Crowley played a great bowl from there to the gas line, but O’Driscoll beat it well. They both got great bowls past Perrott’s, with O’Driscoll holding his lead.

Crowley then played what looked a score levelling bowl towards the GAA field. O’Driscoll dismissed it with a monstrous bowl past the pitch to push his lead out to 100m. Crowley just beat that with his following shot to leave him almost a bowl down. O’Driscoll turned the screw with another huge shot past the silver gate, taking his lead well over a bowl.

O’Driscoll was now on a different plane. He was two bowls clear at the junior C line. He pressed on with a vengeance to make Cronin’s lane in 12 throws, killing off any hope of a comeback by Crowley and putting down a marker for all challengers.

One challenger that won’t be cowed by O’Driscoll’s brilliance is Shane Crowley. He gave a master class in his win over Michael-John O’Brien in the Bill Barrett Cup in Caheragh.

His opening bowl gave no indication of what was to follow. He was too tight left and only reached the novice line. O’Brien replied with a massive bowl to the church lawn to gain a 150m start. Crowley then sent off an absolute jet that turned out onto the road and just missed Lisangle cross. O’Brien did well to beat that by 40m.

Crowley played two barely credible bowls to Reenroe Cross. The first one went away past the bridge to put him a bowl of odds clear. He increased his odds with his next one and was two bowls in front at the tunnel. He went past Sheily’s farm in another one to bring the contest to a premature end.

O’Driscoll, who was keeping an eye on his main rival, then challenged O’Brien. Despite carrying some residue from his win the previous day, he handed a second defeat to O’Brien.

Cathal Creedon, another of the premier junior youth brigade, beat Noel O’Donovan by almost two bowls at Lyre. O’Donovan won the first two exchanges to the forestry. Creedon won the lead with his third, but O’Donovan stayed with him in the next three. Creedon then played two super shots up to and away from Crowley’s to go a shot clear at Crowley’s bend.

They contested that lead past McCarthy’s and onto the rose bed. Creedon raised the bowl with his shot from there and had close to two bowls after his following shot.

Eight seniors will contest next weekend’s Éamonn Bowen Cup at Bottlehill. Ulster and All-Ireland intermediate champion, Gene McVeigh, plays Gary Daly and Brian Wilmot at 9am Saturday in the first semi-final. Arthur McDonagh and Aidan Murphy contest the second one.

The third semi sees former All-Ireland champ Thomas Mackle return from injury against Aidan Murphy.