Ethan Rafferty eliminated by brother in Ulster Road Bowling semi-final

Colm Rafferty beats brother Ethan to reach the Ulster senior men’s Road Bowling final. Pic: Denis Boyle

Next Sunday’s Munster and Ulster senior men’s Road Bowling finalists were confirmed in the past week. Aidan Murphy plays Arthur McDonagh in Munster and cousins Thomas Mackle and Colm Rafferty meet in Ulster.

The major casualty was reigning champion, Ethan Rafferty, who was eliminated by his brother, Colm, in the Ulster semi-final at Keady-Tassagh. Mackle beat Tyrone’s Eugene McVeigh in the other semi-final. Aidan Murphy beat James O’Donovan in a cracking Munster semi-final at the Marsh Road. McDonagh had already qualified.

Murphy’s brilliant second bowl established his early dominance, but O’Donovan cut into the lead in the closing quarter. He won his only lead, by one metre, with his third last. A good second last put Murphy back in front and he got the little cannon he needed for victory with his last.

That massive second bowl past the distillery won Murphy a 200m lead. O’Donovan rallied in the next three to cut the odds to just 40m at the council yard. Murphy hit back with two big bowls past the silvery gate to push his lead close to a bowl. He went out the steps in two more, but O’Donovan matched him to keep the lead in check.

Murphy scorched out Ballyhilty corner in three more, for a total of 12 and a lead close to a bowl of odds. Most of his gains dissipated when he missed the avenue well with his next one. O’Donovan flashed back with a big bowl past the avenue. Murphy beat that by 60m with a great response.

O’Donovan’s next was another big one, benefitting from a nice rub to cut the lead to just ten metres. The margin shrunk in the next two past the bridge where the odds was just one metre. O’Donovan’s efforts were rewarded with the lead in the next exchange. Murphy nosed back in front for the last shots. O’Donovan then beat the line, but Murphy bowl edged past his tip.

In the clash of the Rafferty brothers, Ethan led at just one tip too, his second one. A nice rub with his third one catapulted Colm a bowl clear. A big bowl over Gallogly’s Height from Ethan clipped the lead to just 30m. He stayed in contention past McCann’s.

Colm gained odds down the straight and was a bowl up again at the carnival gates. A massive bowl to the bridge and another up towards the line sealed his win.

Gene McVeigh will have nightmares about his defeat to Thomas Mackle in the other semi-final. This one was closely contested to McCann’s. McVeigh then surged clear and led by almost a bowl at the carnival gates. A good bowl to McKee’s wall just about kept Mackle in it.

McVeigh looked to have ridden that out when he blasted a great bowl off the bridge to give him what looked like winning odds facing up towards the line. His next bowl caught the left bank though and he was suddenly just ten metres fore. Mackle closed with a brilliant bowl. McVeigh’s bowl looked to be beating it, but just missed the tip.

Ger Connolly won his place in the All-Ireland junior B men’s final when he beat Colm Crowley by a bowl in the Munster final at Drinagh. It was a close contest till Crowley’s fourth bowl veered left. He went from fore bowl to 100m hind. Connolly’s confident bowling quickly had him almost a bowl clear. Crowley kept the lead under a bowl till Connolly played a great shot past the barking dogs. That sealed victory and the winning margin.

Eoin O’Riordan and Jimmy Collins will meet in the Munster veteran final, with the winner playing Ulster champion, Johnny Kelly, in the All-Ireland final at Keady-Tassagh.

O’Riordan beat Trevor O’Meara and John Cahalane in the junior section final at Ballinacurra. O’Meara won the first three well, but O’Riordan levelled in the next two to Foley’s. He won a big lead with his sixth shot and was always in control to the end. O’Meara remained his closest challenger as Cahalane fell off the pace.

Jimmy Collins was in the zone from the off against Liam Linehan in the Novice section final at Inch. He opened with a sensational bowl to instantly go a bowl clear. He was two clear after his next and raised a third bowl after six. Although Linehan bowled strongly from there Collins gave him no opening.

In the Ulster final Kelly beat Brian Kinchin at Keady-Tassagh. They were locked together from the off. Kinchin gained good odds with a brilliant ninth to the creamery lane, but a mistake with his 13th opened the door for Kelly, who won the lead past McCann’s.