Gerald McDonagh and Méabh Cuinnea land All-Ireland U18 bowling titles

The Munster duo produced impressive performances in their respective finals in Ballinagree on Saturday

Gerald McDonagh in action.

Gerald McDonagh won the first All-Ireland title of 2026 for Munster when he beat Ulster champion, Johnny Campbell, by a bowl of odds in Ballinagree.

He totally dominated the early exchanges and looked set for a runaway win. Campbell hit his best form in the second half, while McDonagh’s form briefly dipped. Campbell brought the lead back to a bowl of odds, but McDonagh found his mojo again in the run in.

McDonagh’s first bowl was perfect it ran past Coakley’s lane, but hopped the bridge into the stream. Campbell was left with his and missed the tip by 30m. Campbell’s second bowl just made An Capaillín Bán. McDonagh replied with another big one, which pushed him almost a bowl clear.

McDonagh raised the bowl with his third throw and was pushing towards two bowls after his fifth shot towards the double gates. Campbell began to find his feet in the following shots towards the pink cottage, but it was still close to two bowls there after eight and ten throws.

He followed with a big shot facing up towards the post office. McDonagh beat that by 150m, but Campbell’s challenge was sparking into life. After a super 13th shot from Campbell past the post office the lead was just 40m over a bowl. He continued to press strongly past the quay wall, but McDonagh was digging in too and he had 24m with a bowl at light there.

They matched each other in the following shots. It shifted definitively back McDonagh’s way after a nice rub on his 17th bowl towards the village. He won the next exchange comfortably to Robin’s Lock. He then sealed his win with a brilliant bowl from there that beat the line well.

Local sporting legend, eighteen time All-Ireland camogie and ladies gaelic football winner, Briege Corkery, played the first bowl to launch the series.

Meanwhile Méabh Cuinnea made an explosive start to take a firm lead on Megan O’Reilly that proved critical to the Munster girl winning the All-Ireland U18 final at Ballinagree.

This was a repeat of the 2024 U16 final in Eglish, where O’Reilly overcame Cuinnea in the closing shots. This one followed a similar pattern as O’Reilly finished powerfully and Cuinnea made two errors in succession. This time though Cuinnea dug deep to produce a scintillating last bowl to win it.

Cuinnea led all the way, beating a big opening bowl from O’Reilly to Robin’s Lock. She increased her lead with a great second bowl. She followed with another massive bowl to the end of the houses to go 100m clear.

O’Reilly was struggling to hit her stride and Cunnea was punishing her. She had almost a bowl of odds after a brilliant fourth one to the quay wall. She raised the bowl with her next throw. She consolidated that lead with a huge bowl past the falling pole.

O’Reilly showed her credentials with a brilliant bowl to the pink cottage. This pinned Cuinnea back to just over a bowl of odds. From there on the Ulster champion gained confidence. She played another big bowl to the double gates. Cuinnea played her reply into the right and just beat the tip by two metres to leave an even bowl between them.

O’Reilly followed with another massive bowl to just short of the line. Cunnea was right again and now she was in last shot territory. Out of adversity comes true heroism. With all the chips on the table she delivered a perfect bowl, straight over the sop, which easily beat the line to win her the title.