McDonagh powers way to Dan Riordan final after win in Bantry

Arthur McDonagh. Pic: Denis Boyle

Arthur McDonagh secured his place in the Dan Riordan Cup final at Bantry through a convincing win over Aidan Murphy.

Murphy started strongly, winning the first two exchanges well. McDonagh then played a huge third shot to the start of the farm to win his first lead. He followed with another massive bowl to push his odds to almost a bowl. 

Murphy reduced the odds with a good bowl past Harrington’s.

McDonagh was back on track after a massive sixth bowl towards Casey’s cross. That gave him a clear bowl of odds and he consolidated his lead with his next to Cronin’s cross. He raised a second bowl with another strong throw to the crush. 

After the next exchange, Murphy was facing impossible odds.

Meanwhile, Colm Crowley is 2025 Carbery Junior A champion following a last-shot win over Darragh Dempsey at the Marsh Road. Dempsey won the first five, but he was not getting clear. Crowley edged the sixth shots to the quarry gate. He was still just fore after 11 to the steps.

Dempsey was back out in front after four more to Ballyhilty and was still in front at the avenue. 

Crowley gained a critical advantage with a big throw to Crowley’s boreen. He increased his lead with his next one towards the line. Dempsey closed with a great bowl, but Crowley beat it well.

A strong finish by Kenneth Murphy saw him beat David O’Mahony by a bowl in the Mid-Cork junior B championship at Ballinacurra. They reached Brinny cross, level on four shots each. O’Mahony won his first and only lead with a good fifth shot to peeping light at Foley’s.

Murphy shaded the throws to the waterworks and was just in front of all the shots to the GAA field. He played a massive bowl past Innishannon cross towards the silver gate. That gave him almost a bowl of odds after a poor 12th from O’Mahony. 

He followed with another huge bowl onto the straight and raised the bowl in full with his next one.

Cian Boyle beat Willie O’Donovan in Zone A of the Munster junior A championship at Grenagh. The draws for Zone B sees Seán Murphy play Noel O’Donovan at Ballinacurra, Tom O’Donovan plays Bryan O’Halloran at Templemartin, Conor Creedon meets Michéal Desmond at Clondrohid, Brendan O’Neill faces John Creedon at Béal na Marbh and Aidan Murray and Andrew O’Callaghan play at Baile Bhuirne.

Jimmy O’Driscoll is through to the Paddy Murray Cup semi-final after finishing strongly to oust Andrew O’Callaghan at Ballygurteen. O’Callaghan opened with a super shot, but got a poor second one, which cost him the lead. O’Driscoll gained almost a bowl in the next three. O’Callaghan hit a purple patch starting with a great bowl towards the avenue. He followed with three more super throws past the coffee dock where he led by 40m.

O’Driscoll rallied with a big bowl to O’Donovan’s, which put him back in front by three metres. He then increased his odds by beating a big shot from O’Callaghan. His next one went past the cross and he then beat the line.

Michael Cussen won the Shannonvale final, beating Mark Courtney and Eoin Hayes. Courtney led after three, but there was little between them to the quarry in six. Hayes and Courtney opened Desmond in nine, with Cussen a shot behind. Cussen levelled with Courtney to Kingston’s, with Hayes falling a shot behind. At Hayes’ Cussen was a bowl clear of Courtney and two on Hayes.

Darcy O’Brien put down a maker for 2026 when she beat 2025 Munster U16 champion, Órla Ní Mhurchú, in the Gaeltacht U18 championship at Clondrohid. She raised a bowl early and held it to Goff’s lane. Ní Mhurchú knocked the bowl with a great bowl to Kelly’s, but O’Brien raised it again at the Bell Inn.

Ní Mhurchú raised the ante with a sensational bowl from there to bring the lead to 50m under a bowl. She kept the odds under a bowl to light past the black house. There was no holding O’Brien though. She went up the gears to the mulch yard to go two clear and she closed it off with a massive bowl from there.

There was high tension and drama at the Ted Hegarty academy on the Phale Road. Last year’s All-Ireland U12 champion, Tommy Coppinger, pipped Tadgh O’Farrell with a sensational last bowl to reach the U14 final. Bobby Cooney and Kieran Hickey had a titanic struggle in the U10 section, with Cooney winning by less than a metre.