THERE is a real championship fervour in the Gaeltacht novice veteran grade.
Among the likely contenders, Michéal O’Callaghan outright vintage winner in 2022, Kerry-based Noel Murphy, a stalwart junior A standard bearer of over a decade ago, Paudie Murphy novice veteran county winner 2019 and current All-Ireland overall veteran champion, Tim Kelleher.
The clash of O’Callaghan and Murphy at Ballyvourney on Thursday was a finely balanced shoot-out that went to the wire. The former vintage champion won that vital exchange and now has a match-up with Paudie Murphy who bowled excellently at Inchigeelagh on Sunday to dethrone Tim Kelleher. For a €700 total stake Murphy was up a bowl after five and doubled his lead at the grotto with his seventh shot. In the return U18 score, Cillian Kelleher, son of Tim, kept his defence of his regional title intact with a hard-earned win from his near relative, Evan.
On a busy day for the new club, two junior B contests filled the afternoon. In the first, Frank Kiely defeated Conor Creedon for a €3,500 total. In mixed bowling, Kiely rose his winning odds after seven. Back in, in a stakeless contest, Terry Mallon defeated Jim Coffey in the last shot.
An Armagh native but Kerry-based, Mallon – who won an All-Ireland representing Cork in the grade in 2017 – was behind by a bowl after Coffey’s opening shot piledriver. He recovered with some astute play and his big final effort over the line was enough for victory.
Elsewhere in the Gaeltacht, in novice C at Clondrohid Dara Mickey Lynch defeated Shane Buttimer and Denis Paul Bradly defeated Niall Murphy. In the novice B championship at Cill na Martra, Stephen Crowley defeated Patrick Moynahin. In girls U18 at Clondrohid, Lauren O’Brien won from Tara Twomey.
In the City junior veteran championship at The Bog Road, Maurice Connolly defeated Martin Connolly in the last shot of a good score that carried a total stake of €1,600. Here too in the same grade, Noel Gould defeated Dave Mackey.
A junior B contest at Curraheen had Thomas Boyle and Declan Murphy in opposition. For a €1,300 total it was the 2014 county champion in the grade, Boyle, who got the verdict by a bowl of odds. Murphy did have the satisfaction of winning the return score from Boyle, last shot, for €1,200.
In novice veteran at Templemichael, Tom Connolly defeated Joe Lotty. In a return double here, Trevor O’Meara and Michael O’Driscoll (Blarney) defeated Craig Moynahin and Dean Mooney. In the City novice veteran at Whitechurch, Declan O’Leary defeated Denis Connolly. In the same grade at The Bog Road, Birol Kat defeated Pat Gould. Dean Mooney won his novice C contest with Dave Sugrue at The Bog Road.
Edmund Sexton made a winning championship return to junior A when taking the spoils from his three-way North Cork junior A shoot-out at Beal na Morrive with David Hubbard and Mark Bourke. They played for a total of €2,250. In North Cork’s championship, novice D on Monday at Kilcorney, Damien McMahon defeated Bill Casey by a bowl for €940 and back the road, Jack Oldham defeated McMahon by a bowl. At Kilcorney on Friday, Paul Walsh defeated Joe Murphy. In novice veteran at Ballinagree on Wednesday, Ned Kelleher defeated Eugene O’Sullivan. In the U12 grade at Bweeng on Wednesday, Sean Thomas O’Donoghue won from Donagh Murphy.
A significant result in the North East junior A championship saw Michael Murphy defeated last year’s county runner-up, Timmy McDonagh at Grenagh. Murphy’s big performance means McDonagh exits the championship. In junior B at Carrignavar, Liam Walsh defeated Alan O’Leary. In East Cork on Thursday, PJ Cooney defeated Andrew O’Leary by a bowl for €1,200 and, in a return, Paul Butler defeated Seán O’Leary for €1,400. In a third score here, Timmy McDonagh defeated Willie O’Donnell by a bowl also for €1,400.
