CARBERY’S registration night for the 2024 bowling season showed affiliation numbers more or less on a par with previous years.
All clubs submitted player lists and there was general satisfaction with the final figures allotted to underage and adult grades. Many from the 2023 U16 championship will enter adult grades, resulting in heightened competition in the novice sector for the coming year.
In keeping with the current trend in all divisions, it is the novice grades that will hold the vast majority of the region's membership with downgrading the preferred option of most of those entering. While all grading decisions on Monday night last will require ratification at Ból Chumann’s overall grading on November 29th, the region's premier championships, those at junior level, look like being further dismantled. There was also discussion at Carbery’s meeting on the viability of setting up a novice E competition with consensus on deferring a final decision to a later date.
On a busy mid-November weekend, there were scores at four venues. The last of the novice B tournament semi-finals went ahead at Rosscarbery and it was the proverbial score of two halves. Clon’s Shane Nugent got off to a flier against Castletownkenneigh’s Jack O’Callaghan, rising the bones of a bowl of odds with his opening six. The Mathúna’s marksman rallied to level by ‘DeBarra Lodge’ before unleashing a piledriver from this juncture that proved to be a score winner. O’Callaghan will contest for the tournament prize with Sidney Shannon and Conor Lucey.
In scores in the Schull tournament, Kieran O’Sullivan, Leap, defeated Jack Cahalane, by a bowl while Donal Harnedy had a last-shot win over David Minihane. The doubles tournament progressed at Caheragh, where the Gaeltacht duo of Adrian O’Driscoll and Brendan O’Callaghan got the better of the Dunmanway partnership of Jason Daly and Alan Crowley while at Ballydehob there was a Drimoleague double as Brian O’Driscoll won from Michael A Cronin and Alan Keane defeated James O’Driscoll (Aghakeera).
Carbery Bowling regrets the passing of Denny Ronan, Carhugariffe. Denny was a passionate follower of bowling and the life and soul of many an after-score get-together. He was a long-time member of Reenascreena Bowling Club and played in Carbery’s novice championships in the 1980s. Denny followed the fortunes of many from the locality, through thick and thin, Mick O’Driscoll and Jerry Connolly among them, always with good humour and, occasionally, with a wry comment when things hadn’t gone to plan. He will be missed.
CLUB RESULTS
Rosscarbery: Novice B tournament semi-final, Jack O’Callaghan defeated Shane Nugent, one bowl, for €1,200; Return, Sean O’Neill defeated James O’Sullivan, last shot, for €920.
Schull: Kieran O’Sullivan (L) defeated Jack Cahalane, one bowl, for €1,600; Donal Harnedy defeated David Minihane, last shot, for €1,900.
Ballydehob: Brian O’Driscoll defeated Michael A Cronin, two bowls, for €800; Alan Keane defeated James O’Driscoll (A), one bowl, for €3,400.
Caheragh: Doubles, Adrian O’Driscoll/Brendan O’Callaghan defeated Jason Daly/Alan Crowley, last shot, for €1,400.
Lyre: Wayne Parkes defeated Tim Young, last shot, for €10,800; return doubles, Anthony Gould/Deccie O’Mahony defeated Jim Coffey/Luke Connors, three bowls, for €7,000; Coffey/Connors defeated Gould/O’Mahony, two bowls, for €6,400.
Grange: Deccie O’Mahony defeated Conor Sheehy, last shot, for €600.
Ballygurteen: Ger Shanahan defeated Vincent Dullea, one bowl, for €640; Mike Casey defeated Ger Shanahan, last shot, for €2,100.
Derrinasafa: John O’Driscoll defeated Eugene Kiernan, last shot, for €3,400; Tom Maloney defeated Tom Reaney, last shot, for €1,800.
Phale Road: Ted Hegarty under-age tournaments, Boys’ U16, Ross O’Brien won from Daniel Wilmot; Boys’ U14, Culann Bourke won from Ciaran O’Sullivan; Boys U12, Charlie O’Leary won from Frankie Flynn; Boys’ U10, Lucas Cahalane won from Cillian Hurley; Boys U8, Colm Bohane won from Cillian Hurley; U18 Girls/Junior Ladies, Ellan Sexton won from Rebecca Wall; Elaine Connolly won from Niamh O’Callaghan; Girls’ U16, Laura Sexton won from Katie Broderick; Emily Long won from Eabhe Kehilly; Girls’ U12, Robyn O’Brien won from Ayesha Daly; Girls’ U10, Cara Keane won from Clodagh Wilmot; Ayesha Daly won from Sheila Bradley.
