CHAMPIONSHIP DRAWS: Martin Coppinger and Aidan Murphy to clash in heavyweight score

THE draws for bowling’s premier grades have thrown up a selection of fascinating confrontations to be played out at venues across the county over the spring and summer months. 

The game’s premier championships, senior men and women, have 12 and nine contesting respectively. They will be played in different formats with the men playing a straight knock-out championship while the women’s competition adopts a two-group round-robin league format that will have five and four contenders in each. 

Senior men’s champion David Murphy, currently recovering from injury, will have an extra week to recover having received a bye when the first-round fixtures were unveiled on Wednesday night. The four first-round fixtures will generate plenty of interest in their own right with the clash at Timoleague between Martin Coppinger and Aidan Murphy, with seven county titles between them, probably the pick. 2022 champion Michael Bohane faces 2016 winner Killian Kingston in what should be a riveting encounter at Templemartin. Seamus Sexton will renew acquaintance with Gary Daly at Inchigeelagh while Patrick Flood and James O’Donovan will look to secure quarter-final slots when they meet at Beal na Morrive. 

The full senior championship first-round draw reads: Killian Kingston v Michael Bohane at Templemartin; Martin Coppinger v Aidan Murphy at Timoleague; Seamus Sexton v Gary Daly at Inchigeelagh; Patrick Flood v James O’Donovan at Beal na Morrive. Bye to David Murphy, Michael Harrington, Brian Wilmot and Arthur McDonagh. 

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The men’s intermediate has 16 starters and an early stand-out clash sees last year's All-Ireland veteran and former senior champion Phillip O’Donovan taking on the grade’s newest incumbent, the 2023 junior A All-Ireland winner Denis O’Sullivan. North East venue Grenagh are hosts. The eight first-round fixtures for the 2024 county intermediate championship read: Raymond Ryan v Donal O’Riordan at Caheragh; Phillip O’Donovan v Denis O’Sullivan at Grenagh; Billy McAuliffe v Paul Buckley at Firmount; Wayen Callanan v Tom O’Donovan at Bweeng; Tommy O’Sullivan v Eamonn Bowen at Newcestown; John O’Rourke v Patrick Stokes at Bottlehill; Wayne Parkes v Andrew O’Callaghan at Baile Bhuirne; Tim Young v John Creedon at Bauravilla. 

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In ladies senior, defending champion Geraldine Curtin along with last year's runner-up Denise Murphy are accompanied by Veronica O’Mahony, Emma Fitzpatrick and Meghan Collins in a tough Group A. Last year's finalists meet at Beál na mBláth while the meeting of Emma Fitzpatrick and Meghan Collins at Ballinacarriga is another big clash. Hannah Sexton, fully recovered from injury, Maria Nagle, last year’s intermediate winner Ciara Buckley and former three-time county winner, the returning Catriona O’Farrell-Kidney make for a competitive Group B. 

Fixtures are as follows: Group A – Veronica O’Mahony v Emma Fitzpatrick at Baile Bhuirne; Veronica O’Mahony v Meghan Collins at Clondrohid; Veronica O’Mahony v Geraldine Curtin at Templemartin; Veronica O’Mahony v Denise Murphy at Beál na Morrive; Emma Fitzpatrick v Meghan Collins at Ballinacarriga; Emma Fitzpatrick v Geraldine Curtin at Lyre; Emma Fitzpatrick v Denise Murphy at Ballinacurra; Meghan Collins v Geraldine Curtin at The Clubhouse; Meghan Collins v Denise Murphy at Baile Bhuirne; Geraldine Curtin v Denise Murphy at Beál na mBláth: Group B – Catriona Kidney v Maria Nagle at Jagoe’s Mills; Catriona Kidney v Ciara Buckley at Templemichael; Catriona Kidney at Dunderrow; Maria Nagle v Ciara Buckley at Macroom; Maria Nagle v Hannah Sexton at Derrinasafa; Ciara Buckley v Hannah Sexton at Baile Bhuirne. 

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Likewise, women’s intermediate is divided into two groups, giving each of the seven contenders multiple scores. Group A has plenty of enticing shoot-outs, with internationally selected Hannah Cronin, last year's junior champion Ailbhe O’Shea, former champion Juliette Murphy and former underage champion Lisa Hegarty all in the mix. Group B has U18 and European champion Rachel Kingston, Emma Hickey also on the team for Germany and last year's U18 All-Ireland winner all vying for a semi-final spot. 

The fixtures read: Group A – Hannah Cronin v Juliette Murphy at Baile Bhuirne; Hannah Cronin v Lisa Hegarty at Bauravilla; Hannah Cronin v Ailbhe O’Shea at Newcestown; Juliette Murphy v Lisa Hegarty at Dunderrow; Juliette Murphy v Ailbhe O’Shea at Templemichael; Lisa Hegarty v Ailbhe O’Shea at Ardcahan: Group B – Rachel Kingston v Emma Hickey at Bantry; Rachel Kingston v Ellen Sexton at Caheragh; Emma Hickey v Ellen Sexton at The Marsh Road.