Road Bowling: Dennehy impresses on way to claim William Wolf Cup

Martin Coppinger’s recent good form continued with a last-shot win over Gene McVeigh in the Christy Teegan Cup at Castletownkinneigh. Pic: Cathal Noonan

Shane Dennehy is William Wolf Cup champion for 2026 following an impressive bowl of odds win over Declan O’Leary at Waterloo.

He led all the way after comfortably winning the opening exchange. He consolidated his lead with a big second shot and he was well over a bowl in front after his third one to O’Sullivan’s. 

He piled on more pressure in the following shots to go almost two in front at Twomey’s.

O’Leary got a great bowl to light past Twomey’s to bring the lead back to an even bowl. He continued to challenge strongly to the top of the hill to keep the lead at an even bowl. 

They both reached the no-play line in two more to leave exactly a bowl between them. Dennehy sealed his win with a great throw off the line, which gave him well over a bowl of odds, facing the finish line.

His semi-final win over Stephen Spillane and Seán O’Leary was almost a mirror-opposite. It was Spillane who made the explosive start in that one, forcing Dennehy to dig deep to win it in the last shot. 

Spillane accumulated almost two bowls on odds on both his opponents in the first five throws. His form dipped to Twomey’s where the lead was back to a bowl. O’Leary then showed well, before a big bowl from Dennehy to the top of the hill brought him level with the other two.

All three were in contention, till O’Leary missed the no-play line, which left him a bowl off the pace. Dennehy got the decisive throw when he made light for the line with his shot from the no-play line. Spillane’s reply fell back left and missed light. This meant he was unable to reach the line with his last shot, handing victory to Dennehy.

The other semi-final turned into a duel between Declan O’Leary and John Hickey as Seán Óg Lucey never recovered from a poor start. O’Leary had big odds on Hickey after three. Hickey closed the gap to Twomey’s and was level at the no-play line. Both O’Leary and Hickey got big next shots. Hickey beat the line with another great bowl, but O’Leary beat it.

David Hegarty beat Anthony Crowley in the last shot. Crowley opened that score with a record bowl. A big second shot got Hegarty back on track and they were in close contention to the end. Hegarty played a big last shot, from hind tip, which Crowley missed by 20m.

Lisa Hegarty was vital to completing a family double when she got a super second last shot to break the deadlock in the mixed-doubles. Her bowl left, her partner, Cellie Spillane in a place to beat the line to deny Emma Fitzpatrick and Mick Gould.

Noel Bowen bowled impressively in his bowl of odds win over Mark Bourke. Trevor O’Meara created enough odds with his second last to secure victory over Edmond Sexton. Jack O’Leary held his nerve against a strong late push from Ronan O’Doovan for a narrow last shot win.

Noel O’Donovan and Seán Murphy will contest the Dan-Joe Holland Cup final following their semi-final wins at Ballinacurra.

O’Donovan started well against Tom O’Donovan, edging the early shots before going a bowl clear after six. He scorched down to the bridge in eight where he was two bowls clear. He was just short of the junior C line in 13, where he was well over two in front.

Murphy beat his cousin, Kieran, in the other semi-final. He too put his mark on the contest early on, raising a bowl after two throws. After two more Kieran knocked the bowl and looked set to make a real battle of it. Seán lifted the siege with a huge ninth bowl to the GAA field. From there on he was in total control and won by two.

He was a bowl in front before the Round Tower cross and still had close to a bowl at Pyne’s corner. He held that lead past the netting. He raised the bowl again with a big shot past Fehily’s lane and held it to Forshin’s cross.

McVeigh knocked the bowl with a big shot from the cross. He continued to Martin Coppinger’s recent good form continued with a last-shot win over Gene McVeigh in the Christy Teegan Cup at Castletownkinneigh. 

press to the end, but he failed to hit a bowl big enough to derail Coppinger.

At Shannonvale, Seán-Paul McDonagh beat Jimmy O’Driscoll in the last shot. The Munster colleges finals will be hosted at Ballineen today.