McDonagh overcomes first hurdle in chase for King of the Road title

THE Mick Barry Cup King of the Road qualifiers at Ballincurrig at the weekend threw some interesting results. Arthur McDonagh and Martin Coppinger – with David Murphy absent – carried the first contest out on Sunday morning and it was the Fermoy man, not part of the panel for Germany, who prevailed with a dominant performance. For a €3,400 to- tal, McDonagh was away to a commanding lead with five excellent deliveries to the ‘no-play lines’. In a relentless display, McDonagh covered the road in 14 shots, a three-bowl winner.

The second Barry Cup qualifier was a 17-shot belter involving James O’Donovan and Gary Daly, two vital cogs on Bol Chumann’s men’s team and Aidan Murphy, also selected but unable to travel. They traded it shot for shot throughout, all three holding marginal leads at different junctures. Daly was hind facing the line having come back into a great score, but his last drifted right. Murphy beat that mark, but it was O’Donovan who had the last say with a ripping final effort. Their contest carried a total €950 x 3 and €11,200 (Murphy-Daly).

Thomas Mackle is the reigning King, and the All-Ireland champion gained the headlines for his actions at Lyre on the previous week, when the Armagh man used a Cork overarm swing in his match with Arthur McDonagh. The impact they will have on team morale for the European Championships in Germany in May is questionable and there was not universal approval for his actions. Certainly, Lyre bowling club were denied a stand-out fixture in their hugely popular Mother Hegarty Cup tournament.

Saturday’s Jim O’Driscoll Cup qualifiers had four from bowling’s second tier who will have big roles to play in Germany as well as Ulster’s Colm Rafferty who operates in senior ranks in the north. The Grange clubman who has enjoyed re- cent successes against southern opposition took on Fermoy’s Patrick Flood in Saturday’s final score and duly turned in a polished performance in a comprehensive win. He was aided by an indifferent start by Flood whose opener was of the short variety. After Rafferty lined a fine fourth, another misplay by Flood with his fourth cost him a bowl of odds and two shots separated then when Rafferty hit the no-play lines in five. Flood stemmed the tide but was never in the hunt. Rafferty could have made the ‘big bend’ in nine and scored the line in 17 impressive shots. They played for a €3,200 total.

The day’s proceedings began when the well-bonded Tim Young and Billy McAuliffe played off for an €800 total stake. Both men have invested much in bowling’s international expeditions over the past decade, but friendships formed have not dulled a strong rivalry. Young took a handy lead to the ‘no-play lines’ only for McAuliffe’s super shot to ‘half- way’ to level it. Level again at the ‘big turn’ it looked to be going McAuliffe’s way until he cut his second last a shade too tightly and lost ground. Young snatched it in the last shot.

Next up were Michael Murphy from junior ranks, a replacement in Germany for Aidan Murphy, and Mallow’s Andrew O’Callaghan. In a stake- less contest Murphy was sub- lime in this one hitting the ‘big turn’ in 10, his ninth and 10th exceptional. O’Callaghan put in a big finish, but Murphy won by almost a bowl. Three tournament finals were down for decision in the South West division. Two at Grange saw wins for Association Hon Sec, Micheal O’Céallachain and Denis Wilmot. The novice 2 decider had O’Ceallachain in control after three against the redoubtable, Deccie O’Mahony. There was not much O’Mahony could do against an opponent who was on top of his game and a three-bowl margin came between them by the halfway point. They played for a total of €500.

Darren Harrington overcame the tournament winner in a further score for a €1,700 total. The Champy Deasy Cup final again showed Denis Wilmot’s penchant for taking the winners prize against the odds. Having won the Bill Barrett Cup in March at Caheragh as the underdog, he was very much he outsider again against top Intermediate, Wayne Parkes, in the Deasy Cup final on Sunday. For a €1.400 total, consistency was Wilmot’s hallmark as he took advantage of Parkes early inaccuracy to rise a bowl of odds after three to the ‘stud farm’. He doubled his odds subsequently and, although Parkes steadied the ship and reduced the margin with good bowling in the middle third, here was no deny- ing Wilmot the Deasy Cup as he finished strongly again.

Club scores at Ballinacurra, Upton, and Lyre resulted in wins for Noel O’Regan and Conor Creedon. West Cork junior A finalist, O’Regan put in a blinding finish to deny, David O’Mahony at the Mid Cork venue. For a €4,000 total, O’Regan needed to beat a massive 10th of O’Mahony’s at the ‘GAA pitch’ to hold a slender lead and he then fired the score winning shot past ‘Cronin’s avenue’. Conor Creedon, Ballyvourney won the third competition decider of the weekend at Lyre from Brendan O’Neill and James O’Sullivan, for a combined €4,200 total. O’Neill’s super 14th threatened a late rally here, but Creedon held on. At Grenagh, Eamonn Bowen defeated Phillip O’Donovan.