GAELTACHT bowler Conor Creedon captured the Fearghal Beamish Cup after getting the better of John A Murphy from Templemartin.

A competition run by the Pike Club, the finalists played for a total stake of €6,600. Murphy took the first shot, but it was to be his only fore bowl. Creedon lined massive third and fourth shots that gave him a bowl of odds advantage at Whites Cross on tough terrain.

Two poor bowls off Whites Cross from Creedon left Murphy back into the score, but Murphy’s eighth shot from back of the layby broke badly right on him while Creedon got an extraordinary break off the bridge to sight for Draper’s Cross.

Murphy lofted out his tenth shot beautifully, but it broke left and missed the no-play line at Draper’s Cross. While Murphy got an incredible bowl from Drapers, Creedon lined his perfectly and beat the tip so well that Murphy missed it to go two bowls down.

Creedon had a minor blip with his next but recovered well with two huge bowls past the novice line, and after another Creedon became the third holder of the Fearghal Beamish Memorial Cup. Fearghal’s dad John thanked all the players who took part in the tournament, and thanked the Pike club and all who helped out in any way.

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Clement Deane won the Mid Cork novice E championship from Eoin Delaney at Castletown. Playing for a total stake of €6,500, they were level in three each at the first line. Delaney took his first lead with a good fourth shot but missed Peg’s corner with his fifth to go a bowl down.

Delaney got a good rub off the kerbing with his ninth to keep it under the bowl of odds. Deane raised the bowl again with a super bowl down the straight. Delaney got a few good bowls in a row down to the Hollies where he had the odds back to five metres. He took back the lead with a great 14th but didn’t capatalise on a blunder by Deane – only five metres separated them with two shots to go. After their next and with one shot to go Delaney had two metres of odds. Deane lined a good bowl to beat the line and Delaney just fell short to give Deane the title and the John Hennessy Memorial Cup.

John Beamish (right) presents the cup in memory of his son Fearghal to winner Conor Creedon.

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Two of the game’s premier junior A players togged off at Ballinacurra, as Brian O’Driscoll, Drimoleague, took on Anthony Crowley, The Glen, for a total stake of €4,200. They were level in three each to Brinny Cross, but O’Driscoll put daylight between them with a huge bowl past the Gasworks. He followed up with two more incredible bowls to almost sight at the bridge, where he had almost a bowl of odds. Another huge bowl from O’Driscoll to the Silver Gates followed that Crowley missed well. It took Crowley two more to make sight for the straight and at the Junior C line O’Driscoll had two bowls of odds where Crowley conceded.

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Lyre held another junior A tournament score, and here Cathal Creedon from Ballyvourney played Noel O’Donovan from Crossbarry; they played for €2,000 a-side. Victory went to Creedon, whose strong finish included a massive 13th shot. In the return score that was played for €1,200 a-side, and Creedon took victory again by the last shot.

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Caheragh drew the crowds on Sunday with the meeting of two of our premier junior A players – Michael John O’Brien made the long trip from Knocknaheeny in the city to play local man Shane Crowley from Caheragh. This one carried a stake of €10,000. O’Brien got off to the dream start, leading by 40 metres in two great bowls to Lisangle Cross. Crowley lined a super third to take his first lead and increased this to a bowl in two more over the bridge. Crowley got another huge bowl to Madore Cross and another to the tunnel that raised a second bowl for him. He made Shelies Farm in eight incredible bowls where he had big odds with the two bowls – this is super bowling for the road, marking him out as a player to be watched going forward. O’Brien took on another big player in Brian O’Driscoll in a return score but again came out second by one bowl; they played for €5,600.

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Lyre held a novice C tournament semi-final between local man PJ O’Driscoll and John Hickey from Templemartin, playing for a total stake of €4,800. There were great opening shots from both players, O’Driscoll taking the first, while Hickey got a massive second that O’Driscoll missed by 20 metres.

O’Driscoll made the steps with his third but Hickey got a nice touch off the right dyke to take him sight for the hill down. O’Driscoll missed down the hill and at the layby it was just under the bowl. Hickey raised the bowl at O’Donovan’s pillars. O’Driscoll lined the perfect eighth shot that covered the whole straight to the school – Hickey beat this by 80 metres in two, but a blunder from O’Driscoll with his next gave him a bowl in arrears again at the postbox. Hickey held this bowl advantage past the Creamery. O’Driscoll produced another huge bowl to Ballinascarthy Cross that Hickey missed well. Hickey's next bowl looked like going in left but a pothole straightened it and it beat the finish line.