Road bowling: Consistent Daly holds off Murphy at Grange

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

Gary Daly was tuned-in and sharp in his win over Aidan Murphy in the Willie Whelton Cup at Grange.

He exploited a few early slips by Murphy to gain a bowl of odds. They were contesting that lead to the line. Murphy raised his game in the latter stages, but Daly was just too consistent to be reeled in.

Murphy won the opening tips by a metre, for his only lead. Daly played a huge second bowl towards the junior line. Murphy’s reply whipped right and missed the tip by 100m. Murphy then missed light at the stud farm. Daly hit back with a perfect bowl that rounded the bend. Murphy missed that with his fourth to fall a bowl behind.

Daly consolidated his lead with his next shot to the end of Holland’s wall. Murphy was just past the wall in six. He rallied strongly from that low point, effectively winning the remainder of the score.

Daly played a perfect bowl towards de Barra’s, but it just missed light. Murphy replied with a great bowl too, which got a tail to the bend and cut the lead to an even bowl. They both made the old schoolhouse next and Murphy then brought the lead well under a bowl with a smashing purlicue past the cross.

Daly showed a lot of calm determination to hold his ground against Murphy’s purple patch from Hodnett’s farm. Murphy was back in the frame after a great 13th shot to Fiona’s. Daly was only at the white house, although he was throwing his odds he had a tricky bowl to open the last bend.

He delivered in style, driving a super bowl into Barry’s wall, which cannoned around the bend. Murphy missed that with his reply, but saved the bowl of odds with a fine last throw.

Martin Coppinger had an emphatic win over Patrick Flood in the Noel Phair Cup at Shannonvale. Flood contested strongly for two-thirds, but Coppinger was awesome in the final third.

Coppinger gained the first decent lead with a super shot from the quarry to Buttimer’s pillars. Flood levelled with an equally impressive next throw out Desmond’s. He ramped up his challenge with another big one from Desmond’s to the top of the hill to win a 50m lead.

Coppinger found a higher gear from there. He played a sensational bowl from Kingston’s wall to the palms, which catapulted him into a big lead. He quickly turned that into a bowl of odds at Hayes’ corner. He brought the curtain down with a mammoth bowl from Campbell’s.

Gavin Twohig beat Wayne Callanan in the last shot of the Ballinacurra tournament. Callanan was three metres fore for the last exchange. Twohig closed with a brilliant bowl past the line, which Callanan narrowly missed.

Twohig made the better start raising almost a bowl with his first two shots. He raised the bowl with his next one to Brinny cross. He looked to be heading for a second bowl in the throws to Foley’s. Callanan stemmed Twohig’s march with two big bowls to Brinny House. Twohig was unlucky to veer into Perrott’s with his seventh to leave him just over a bowl in front.

Callanan followed with a two massive bowls to the bridge, closing the gap to just 20m. After two more, Callanan was ahead by five metres. He edged each of the next three down to the decisive final shots.

John O’Donoghue won the East Cork-Waterford Junior A final at Clashmore, beating James Cooney in the last shot.

Cooney made an impressive start, reaching Butna Foley’s in five and raising 80m odds. O’Donoghue played two huge bowls to the pylon to win his first lead. He played a great bowl past Coolbagh cross to lead by 70m. Cooney fought on strongly and closed with a massive bowl, but O’Donoghue beat it by 50m.

Mol an óige is top of the agenda for Ból-Chuman Uladh. They appointed recently crowned U12 All-Ireland champions, Phelim Rock and Eva Mallon, to officially present the prizes to their provincial U10 and U8 winners at Grange.

Cliodhna Toal completed an Ulster three-in-row when she beat Erin Toal in the girls U10 final. Ellie Mackle finished strongly to beat her cousin Rosha Mallon in the girls U8 final. Daithí Coulter is Ulster U10 champion following a great tussle with Conor Connolly. Noah Carr captured the boys U8 title after a tight contest with Cohen Feighan.

Ted Hegarty continues to drive the youth agenda in Munster too, he launched his annual academy on the Phale Road last Sunday.