Five-star McDonagh sets up Fermoy derby against Daly

Arthur McDonagh. Pic: Darragh Kane

Defending champion Arthur McDonagh gave a five-star performance at Conna to secure his place in next Sunday’s Munster senior semi-final at Grenagh.

He beat last year’s Munster intermediate champion Páidín Stokes by a bowl. This sets up a Fermoy derby, against Gary Daly. 

Aidan Murphy advanced to the semi-final too when he beat Brian Wilmot at Castletownkinneigh. He plays James O’Donovan, but the date and venue are yet to be determined.

If McDonagh’s second half was as good as he has ever produced, he handed plenty of openings to Stokes in the early stages. He pulled each of his first three bowls into the right and missed light. 

Stokes was down to the silver gate in two and should have opened the first bend in three, which would have given him a shot advantage.

He failed to take his opening though. McDonagh made the green with his fourth and then delivered a massive loft to Coleman’s to cut the odds to just a metre. He briefly led at Cullinane’s, but Stokes took the next two to the bridge, where he led by 20m.

From here, McDonagh gave a lesson in bowling. He never flinched on any of the big challenges and ultimately wore Stokes down. He got the better of two huge bowls up to the railings. He then beat a super bowl from Stokes to Mullins’. He showed all his class by extending his lead with a massive bowl through the double bends.

His next was even better and took him to Walsh’s. He followed with a splendid bowl that went almost to the junior line. His next went zipping up the testing road past the junior finish. Five magic bowls in a row.

Stokes now needed a miracle and he went for broke. His bowl was too tight right though and missed McDonagh’s tip — the bowl was up and so was Stokes’ challenge.

Aidan Murphy had to reverse close to a bowl of odds deficit to defeat Brian Wilmot by almost a bowl at Castletownkinneigh. There was little between them to Nyhan’s.

Wilmot then got two big bowls to the end of the netting to raise almost a bowl. He continued to hold a good lead out to Forshin’s cross. Murphy fought back to take a clear 90m lead at the junior finish. Wilmot followed with a short bowl. Murphy then killed the contest with a brilliant bowl to the finish line.

Recently crowned Munster champion Darragh Dempsey will face either Darragh Gribben or Jake Cullen in next month’s All-Ireland junior A final at Ballinagree. Cullen secured his place in next Sunday’s Ulster final when he beat Paul O’Reilly in the last shot of the semi-final at Knappagh.

Cullen raised a bowl with two huge opening shots. O’Reilly knocked the bowl with fifth towards the bridge. 

He kept the lead just under a bowl in the next four. He then played a massive 10th bowl away from the fence to cut the lead to just 20m. 

He followed with another big shot to the top of the hill to win his first lead by 20m. He consolidated his odds in the next two to Daly’s. Cullen regained the lead by 15m with a super shot out the Condy corner and beat O’Reilly’s good last bowl.

The line-up for the Munster junior B semi-finals was also decided in the past week. Colm Crowley will play Ger O’Driscoll at Derrinasafa. In the quarter-final, Crowley raised a bowl on Shane Collins after seven in Ballygurteen. 

He extended his lead to two at the coffee dock.

O’Driscoll was in the ascendency from the off against Eoin O’Riordan at Béal na Marbh. He had almost a bowl after five. He raised the bowl with his seventh. He gradually pushed his lead towards two bowls.

Ger Connolly meets Denis O’Driscoll at the Marsh Road in the other semi-final. Connolly beat Shane Lotty by a bowl at Ballinacurra. 

Lotty made an impressive start and was almost a bowl in front after five to Foley’s. He lost the lead after three poor shots to the GAA. Connolly had good odds at the bridge and raised a bowl in two more.

O’Driscoll finished well to beat Dave Fitzgerald at Baile Bhuirne. The lead changed hands several times, Fitzgerald looked to be gaining the upper hand at the council yard. O’Driscoll closed the gap and a massive 17th bowl secured his win.

The first Swedish road bowling championships were completed by the Uppsala Road Association in a park in the city last Saturday. The event was covered by the national radio broadcaster.