BOWLING ROUND-UP: O'Donovan crowned Mid Cork U18 champion

CONOR O’Donovan, Belgooly, is Mid Cork U18 champion for 2023.
Conor, an All-Ireland U12 winner in 2017 won by a bowl from Ronan O’Donovan at Jagoe’s Mills, on Wednesday. At Newcestown on Saturday morning, in the novice D quarter-final, Donnacha O’Driscoll defeated Ger O’Leary in a good contest that carried a €3,000 total.
Also in Mid Cork, with an eye to the future, Coppeen National School fifth and sixth classes enjoyed a morning’s bowling under the tutelage of Jimmy Hennessy, Association chair, Michael Brennan and Finbarr McCarthy. Upwards of thirty pupils showed their paces in brilliant sunshine.
The Mid Cork girls’ U12 final was contested by Eva and Orla O’Sullivan with Eva shading the verdict by a few metres. In scores at Ballinacurra, Upton, on Saturday, Mark Coleman defeated Paudie Keohane; Bernard O’Callaghan defeated Chris Hayes; Tommy Maloney defeated Tim Allen and Paul Twomey won from Joe Lynch. In a big novice C shoot-out at Beal na mBlath on Sunday evening, David Desmond defeated Sean Nyhan for a €4,400 total.

The South-West U18 championship is heading for a re-match of Eoin McCarthy and Tommy O’Sullivan. Eoin eclipsed Cillian Twohig in their play-off at The Pike on Thursday and will now again meet the intermediate graded O’Sullivan whom he so sensationally beat in last year’s championship. McCarthy’s bowling at The Pike venue gives a very good chance of upsetting the odds again. In South-West novice D at Ballygurteen on Friday, Matthew O’Driscoll defeated Mike Kiely.
South-West bowling mourned the passing of Con O’Sullivan, Knockfeen at the weekend. Con had an abiding interest in the sport and followed the family fortunes on countless roads around the county. A competitor too in the vintage and novice grades, Con was a popular and knowledgeable presence whose passing leaves a void. Sympathies are expressed to the O’Sullivan family.
At Togher Cross in a cracking West Cork U18 championship contest Jonathan Deane got the better of James Russell and, in the decider, will play his brother, Mark, who won the second semi-final from Con O’Sullivan at Kealkil on Saturday evening. Also, at Togher Cross on Thursday, in a junior C regional semi-final, Neil Crowley defeated James Lordan, last shot, for €1,500. At The Clubhouse on Monday one of the best of the week unfolded when Bantry’s Amy O’Donovan and Drimoleague’s Shauna O’Driscoll engaged in a gripping U14 first rounder. Shot for shot it went with no more than a few metres separating as the lead changed on numerous occasions. That was the way it finished too with Amy narrowly shading the final tips from an unlucky Shauna. Here too, another of Drinagh’s rising stars, Kate Coakley won her score with Anna O’Sullivan. In the corresponding boys grade Aaron Hurley of Castledonovan won his contest with Bantry’s Timmie Gibbons.