Geraldine Curtin did Cork challenge proud in Queen semi-final

FOR all the news from the finals at the 38th hosting of the King and Queen of the Roads, see this week’s Southern Star. Here is the rundown of the semi-finals: 

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Saturday’s King semi-finals were tension-filled. Thomas Mackle had to call on all his considerable reserves of determination and skill to see off the challenge of Arthur McDonagh while David Murphy stared down defeat to win, maybe a shade fortunately, by less than a metre from a gallant Gary Daly.

There is a real intensity to the rivalry between All-Ireland champion Mackle and Cork’s Arthur McDonagh. Mackle, who lost to the Fermoy man in the 2020 All-Ireland at Baile Bhúirne, has now triumphed in three big ones this year. German challenger, Ralf Look is a proven campaigner at Ballincurrig and presented a challenge. The stake was €19,000 (Mackle/McDonagh) and a further €450 three-way.

David Murphy was the hot favourite to defeat Gary Daly and Bas Senger as the rain descended on Ballincurrig in the afternoon. Still, the contest carried a €10,000 total alongside a three-way combined stake of €1,200. Daly benefitted from two uncharacteristic early errors by Murphy but the Upton man is made of stern stuff and he fought back in formidable fashion.

The support scores on Saturday saw Cork’s partnerships record a double. After the opening King semi, Michael Ahern (Carraig na bhFear), county novice 1 runner-up, and David O’Brien of Dunmanway, the novice B champion, came with a blistering late salvo to deny Ulster’s Anthony McVeigh and Frank Oliver in the Dairypower double. For a €4,600 total, O’Brien’s piledriver through the green three from home gave the Corkmen a lead they hadn’t enjoyed since the early stages.

In the last of the day, junior B county winner Noel O’Regan, Togher Cross, combined with junior C champion Shane Collins, Rathcoole, to deny Ulster’s Barry O’Reilly and Jake Cullen for a €5,200 total. This Charlie McCarthy Cup win hinged also on a strong finish by the Corkmen. All-Ireland junior B champion Cullen looked threatening as the Armagh men reeled in Cork’s early bowl advantage but were repelled by two exceptional efforts firstly by O’Regan to the ‘creamery point’ and then Collins with a powerful drive close to the finish line.

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Friday’s Queen semi-finals and Jim O’Driscoll Cup play-off set the tone for the weekend. That the continentals vanquished the Irish in the Queen semis does not tell the full story.

Silke Tulk, Veronica O’Mahony and Ciara Buckley faced off in the weekend’s opening score. Ciara started well but did not crucially make sight at the big turn in six, whereas Veronica did to keep pace with the hot favourite.

From this juncture, Veronica from Glashaboy in the North Cork division produced a string of exceptional shots to take the lead over the imposing Silke and a raging battle ensued in the bowling down to Heaphy’s as a huge upset seemed on the cards. With a great chance to consolidate her lead, Veronica played a shade too tightly with her tenth and lost the lead. O’Mahony regained the fore bowl with four to go but her thirteenth didn’t run and Silke was back in front from there to the end.

Geraldine Curtin did the Cork challenge proud as well. The Munster champion had Kelly Mallon and Anke Klopper in the opposing camp in her semi-final. Brilliant third and fourth shots, both fired with great ferocity, saw her a bowl ahead of Kelly Mallon, who was uncharacteristically off with some of her opening efforts. Anke Klopper was closer but also almost a shot behind. Had Geraldine made sight at the big turn with her fifth she would have doubled her margin on both, but that crucial effort unluckily drifted right.

Anke got in front with a huge cast at Leahy’s and Kelly gained ground with a terrific throw on the straight. The Cork challenger had no luck with a well-played tenth and now trailed her rivals. She regained parity with a tremendous shot to Heaphy’s and just five metres separated all three with four to go. Kelly Mallon took charge in the next exchanges and led by 40 metres facing the line. Again, luck deserted Curtin as her well-delivered last shot rode the entrance at Moore’s gate and did not get justice. Anke Klopper put down the proverbial miler and it won the day when Kelly Mallon’s reply drifted right too soon.

In between on Friday, Brian Wilmot won the Cork Jim O’Driscoll Cup final, defeating Tim McDonagh and Eamonn Bowen by a bowl for a combined €3,600. As he would on Sunday in the overall final, Brian Wilmot found his best form in the closing third. Four well-delivered efforts brought him sight at the last bend almost a host clear of both rivals and through to a place in Sunday’s decider.