Road bowling: Daly on a winning streak as he ends McDonagh’s prefect record

Road bowling: Gary Daly in action. Pic: Gretta Cormican

Gary Daly won the Dan Riordan Cup final at Bantry ending Arthur McDonagh’s prefect record at the venue by a bowl of odds.

This is his second big success of March, having won the Doucha Boy feature at the Marsh Rd two weeks ago.

He led all the way, gaining an early grip on the contest by raising a bowl after two big shots towards the farm.

He held that lead to Harrington’s, beating a big bowl there from McDonagh. He had light facing Cronin’s in five where he was edging towards a second bowl. McDonagh found his mojo to the cattle crush, but Daly kept his focus to stay a shot in front to the junior line.

McDonagh upped the pressure to the finish, but he could not derail Daly.

Darragh Dempsey had the historic first win of the new Munster Premier Junior Championship when he beat Liam Murphy at Derrinasafa. He won the first shot by 30m and improved his position in the next two. He then played a brilliant fourth one to the bridge to raise a bowl.

He was out Ross’s in six, where he was almost two in front. Murphy had a small chance to cut the lead to a bowl facing the Darkwood turn. He missed light, though, and Dempsey went out to go two in front. He held that lead for the rest of the score.

All-Ireland veteran (over-50) champion PJ Cooney is out of the 2026 title race after being eliminated by 2024 champion, Andrew O’Leary, at Curraheen. O’Leary was on the top of his game and led all the way.

He won the opening shots to the top of the rise and gained a big advantage with his second to just short of light for the hall cross. He followed with a huge bowl down to Ryan’s to go a bowl clear.

Cooney’s next bowl unluckily veered off the play, and lodged behind a pole, to leave him almost two bowls behind.

O’Leary scorched down to the mill cross in six to edge closer to raising the second bowl. He beat the riding school well in three more. He was facing the last corner in another two, closing off any opening for Cooney.

Shane Lotty advanced to the Cork City Junior B final through a polished performance against Shane Stokes at Templemichael. Stokes won the first shot well, but it was all Lotty after he won the lead with a great second shot.

He followed that with a brilliant third bowl to the point of the first bend to stretch his lead to a bowl.

He played a massive fourth shot onto to the straight to extend his lead. He was still a bowl in front at Sarsfield’s Court cross. Stokes fought back and had a chance to bring the lead back to a bowl facing the big corner. He didn’t take it, and Lotty followed with three good throws to extend his lead to two bowls.

Noel O’Regan rescued what looked a lost cause with three extraordinary bowls to beat Johnny O’Driscoll in the last shot at Ballinacurra.

O’Driscoll made a sensational start going through Brinny cross in three. He made light at Foley’s next to raise a bowl.

He was past Brinny House in two more to push his lead well over two bowls. O’Regan gained traction with two good shots to the GAA gates, but O’Driscoll kept the lead close to two to the novice line.

O’Regan then produced his three sensational bowls. The first brought the lead under a bowl at the junior C line. His next past the avenue, cut the odds to 40m, and his third won him his first lead facing the line. He won the last exchange comfortably.

Culann Bourke gave a sensational performance in winning the Boys U16 final against Ethan Hurley in the Ted Hegarty academy at the Phale Rd.

Nicole Hurley was equally impressive in her Girls U14 semi-final win over Alison McCarthy and Grace O’Sullivan.

Michael Murphy had a double against Anthony Crowley and Micheal-John O’Brien in Ballyclough, without conceding a lead in either score.

He raised a bowl by opening the first bend in two, against three for Crowley. Murphy made the second bend in two more to go two bowls clear.

He scorched to Ballyhass lake in four more to push his lead to almost three bowls.

He was given a more exacting test by O’Brien in the return trip. He won the first two tips by 40m, but doubled his lead with a brilliant third one to the lake. O’Brien stayed in contention till he missed the second last bend.