Road bowling: McDonagh opens Munster account with victory over Buckley

Cillian Kelleher achieved one the most significant wins of his adult career when he beat Shane Crowley by two bowls in their Munster premier junior pool tie at Castletownkinneigh. Pic: Chani Anderson

Timmy McDonagh scored the first victory of the 2026 Munster intermediate championship with a clear win over Paul Buckley at Béal na Marbh.

He established a tight grip on the contest by making light in two. Buckley’s was well left of the sop with his second one and missed light. McDonagh continued to dictate terms by making the top of the hill in two more to extend his lead to almost a bowl.

He was over a bowl in front at Hubbard’s. He continued to set the pace on the straight. After 10 to the end of the straight he was almost two bowls clear. He scorched past the novice line in three more to push his lead over two bowls and Buckley conceded.

Munster senior champion, Hannah Sexton, set down a marker for her rivals with a power-packed display against Hannah Cronin at Caheragh.

Cronin opened with a good bowl, but Sexton hit back with an absolute rocket past the farm entrance to take the tip by 70m. Cronin closed the gap with a good shot to Sheely’s. Sexton pushed her lead out again with a huge bowl to the tunnel. Cronin missed that with her fourth shot to fall a bowl behind.

Sexton had a bowl and 50m at Reenroe cross. Cronin bowled on defiantly with some great throws to the bridge, but Sexton beat each one. She had a bowl and 70m at the soccer pitch and held that lead to Lisangle cross. She beat the line in two massive bowls to edge her lead towards two bowls.

Denise Murphy is shaping up to be one her most likely challengers following her bowl of odds win over Veronica O’Mahony at Béal na Marbh.

She shaded the first two to the hedge and held a slender lead to light in three. She stretched her lead with two big shots to the start of the hill and was close to a bowl in front at the rock. She raised a bowl with two super shots to the end of the straight. She held that to the finish.

Cillian Kelleher achieved one the most significant wins of his adult career when he beat Shane Crowley by two bowls in their Munster premier junior pool tie at Castletownkinneigh.

He showed his mettle from the off by winning the first tip by 25m. He increased his lead with his second one and then held a 40m lead in all of the next three through the round tower cross. He had peeping light at Pyne’s corner in seven. Crowley was barely past the corner with his eighth shot, but Kelleher was too tight left with his reply and only beat the tip by 15m. Everything changed in the shots to light
before the netting. Crowley was left with his shot and missed light. Kelleher replied with the score defining bowl that went well past the bend and ran
towards the netting. Crowley missed that to fall a bowl behind. Kelleher held the bowl in the shots past the netting.

He comprehensively beat a big bowl from Crowley to Fehilly’s lane. Crowley’s shot to Forshin’s cross caught the left. This meant there was exactly two bowls between them at the cross, with little hope of a reprieve for Crowley.

David Hegarty and Gavin Twohig will meet in a very high profile Munster junior A Zone C semi-final at Shannonvale following their quarter-final wins. Donal Riordan and Johnny O’Driscoll contest the other semi-final at the Marsh Road.

Hegarty beat Noel O’Regan by a bowl at Bauravilla. The early exchanges were closely contested, with O’Regan leading each of the first seven. Hegarty played a brilliant eighth shot to win his first lead. They were still level after nine out the rock. Hegarty turned the score with a big tenth bowl to the end of the railing, which put him a bowl clear. They contested that lead in the shots past the bridge, but Hegarty increased his lead to the line.

Twohig had a closer run from David Shannon at Derrinasafa. From hind bowl at Ross’ he gained almost a bowl to the Darkwood turn. Shannon fought back to regain the lead, but Twohig was ahead for the last shots. Shannon missed the line with his last throw and Twohig beat it.

In Ulster Aaron Hughes broke the deadlock with Shaun Donnelly with a great seventh bowl to Farley’s in their junior A tie at Knappagh. He raised a bowl with his next one. He held that lead to the Minister’s. He then played a massive bowl to Daly’s to raise a second bowl and kill the contest.