Ballyvourney teen wins U16 final to advance to All-Ireland series
THERE was the hope of a West Cork brother and sister taking part in the first series of All-Irelands this weekend at Castletownkenneigh – but Orla Murphy, from Ballyvourney, had other ideas.
Drimoleague bowler Shauna O’Driscoll, sister of county junior B champion Brian, had her hopes dashed by Murphy in the U16 final played at Castletown.
After two shots to the junior finish, O’Driscoll held a 12-metre advantage. Murphy missed the netting in two more and O’Driscoll made the black gates with nice odds. Murphy got a big rub with her fifth throw and O’Driscoll missed this to give Murphy her first lead. After three more back of Pynes corner, O’Driscoll was five metres ahead. A bad blunder here from Murphy, as she caught the right dyke, saw O’Driscoll extend her lead to 60 metres. Murphy only beat this tip again by 15 metres.
O’Driscoll lined a massive tenth shot half-way to Round Tower cross, but Murphy replied with a huge bowl past the cross. O’Driscoll’s poor next effort handed Murphy back the advantage. While O’Driscoll got a good 12th shot to the lollipops, here Murphy was very lucky to get a huge rub off the left dyke to gain a 70 metres of odds advantage.
O’Driscoll was not giving up and got a super bowl to Rory’s house that Murphy only beat by six metres. O’Driscoll lined two super bowls to Spillane’s entrance that Murphy followed and beat by 30 meters. O’Driscoll missed the finish line in two more and Murphy won out by big odds in the end.
Also, the overall veteran’s final at Castletown completed the line-up for the first series of All-Irelands. Here, two East Cork men battled it out, as PJ Cooney played Paul O’Brien for a stake of €1,700 a-side. Glory went to Cooney in an exciting score that went down to the wire.
Drimoleague bowler Brian O'Driscoll will be in All-Ireland junior B final action this weekend.
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Both intermediate semi-finals were held the past weekend. At Kilcorney on Saturday, Patrick Stokes, from the City, played Paul Buckley, from Crossbarry. Buckley, a beaten semi-finalist in this grade in 2016 and in 2019, was again to be a runner-up on this occasion. Stokes was almost a bowl up after the bridge, Buckley knocked the odds but Stokes restored his odds again at the underpass. Stokes held the bowl advantage at the novice line and extended his odds through the cross; he held this advantage to the junior line and won, in the end, by a bowl.
The second semi-final was played at Newcestown, as Timmy McDonagh – brother of Arthur from Fermoy – played John O’Rourke, Rylane. There was no stake in this one. McDonagh came out on top, as he won by two bowls. He now plays his cousin Patrick Stokes in the final.
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The second series of county scores for the second series of All-Irelands are up and running. In girls’ U18. Laura Sexton (South West) beat Meabh Cuinnea (Carbery) at Newcestown, while Emma Hurley (West) beat Julieann O’Sullivan (East) at Dunderrow. Also, Jena Healy (North) beat Emily Long (City) at Carrignavar. In the junior ladies, Laura Sexton (South West) beat Niamh O’Sullivan (Carbery) at Inch. Darcy O’Brien (Gaeltacht) beat Denise O’Donovan (North East) at Beál na Marbh. Emma Hurley (West) beat Anna Hurley (East) at Dunderrow, and Jenny Connolly (City) beat Kay Kelly (North) at Carrignavar. In the boys’ U14, Myles Connors (City) beat Jayden Crowley (North) at Carrignavar. In boys’ U18. Jonathon Deane (West) beat John O’Donoghue (East) at Ballinacurra.
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The Carbery-South West-West junior A final, played at Rosscarbery, saw Jimmy O’Driscoll, Clonakilty, in action against David Hegarty, Lyre, for a total stake of €18,500. Hegarty opened with two great bowls, and when O’Driscoll’s third was not great, Hegarty had an opportunity to raise big odds but was too tight left. O’Driscoll got everything out of his fourth shot – it hopped a pillar, landed on the wall and made the end of the Priests house. Hegarty led after a good fifth, with the aid of a rub. O’Driscoll was back in front again with his huge sixth, extending his lead with massive seventh, eight and ninth shots past Barry’s Boreen where he had a bowl of odds. Hegarty knocked the bowl briefly at the B&B, but O’Driscoll replied with two incredible bowls to Cahermore Cross that raised two bowls on Hegarty. There was no way back from this, as O’Driscoll held the odds past Madore cross, and Hegarty shook hands.
