THE main topic of discussion at October’s executive meeting of Ból Chumann was grading, mainly for junior A players.

It’s felt that there is a nice cohort of juniors coming through and that they should be nurtured together. These players are all of the age bracket between 18 and 25 years of age, and they are players who will be playing each other for the next 20-plus years.

Suggestions were made that they would be put in a junior A premier grade and may be joined by some of the lower intermediate players. With grading of senior and intermediates due to take place at the next executive meeting on November 5th, the junior A will also be done on this night.

AGMs will be the order of business for the next six weeks. The ladies committee are first up on Tuesday, October 14th, at 8.30pm at Cookies Bar in Castletown. Then it’s the South West on October 20th, at 8.30pm at Phair’s Bar, followed by City on October 28th at 7.30pm at St Vincent’s GAA Club. After that, we have the North East AGM on October 29th, at 8pm at Carrignavar Community Hall. Next up is the Mid AGM on November 3rd, at 8.30pm at Knockavilla, and on the same night Carbery will hold its AGM in The Corner Bar in Skibbereen. Then we have the Gaeltacht AGM on November 4th in The Abbey Hotel, at 8.30pm, and the night after, 5th, it’s the turn of East Cork at The Imokilly Tavern (8pm). Onto November 11th and the West AGM at 9pm at the Drimoleague Inn, followed on November 13th by the North AGM at Stauke Hall (8pm).

The presentation night of Ból Chumann will be held at the Parkway Hotel in Dunmanway on Saturday, November 8th. It’s a night to honour all the sport’s All-Ireland and county finalists. Tickets are priced at €35 each and are available from Christy O’Donovan (086-8784759) and Gretta Cormican (087-2143388), with music by The Music Makers.

After the West Cork Novice E (B) final; from left, John Kilbane (runner-up), Donal O'Mahony (West Cork PRO) and Paddy McCarthy (winner).

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Andrew O’Callaghan got the new Paddy Murray Memorial Cup off to a winning start when he defeated Conor Creedon by a bowl of odds at Ballygurteen.

O’Callaghan opened the first bend in three, where he held big odds, and he raised the bowl with a huge fourth past Dullea’s new house. Creedon responded well, knocking the bowl with a big sixth, and after another, nothing separated them. Creedon then took his second lead of the score with a fine eighth back of O’Mahony’s Avenue.

O’Callaghan’s form dipped when he played three poor bowls in succession, but Creedon failed to make full use of the opportunity. Back of O’Mahony’s Coffee Dock, O’Callaghan had almost a bowl in hand and was expected to reach O’Donovan’s Bend in two, but it took him three shots instead – allowing Creedon to edge back in front by 15 metres.

O’Callaghan made Granure Cross in two excellent bowls, putting Creedon under pressure once again. When Creedon missed Burke’s entrance in two and then failed to find the line, O’Callaghan seized the chance and went on to claim victory.

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A pre-Covid tournament at Beal na Marbh also came to its conclusion, as John O’Rourke (Rylane) met John Young (Drinagh) for a stake of €500 a-side.

O’Rourke took control from the outset. After four shots apiece to the top of the hill, he held sixty metres of odds. Three more each to the rock saw O’Rourke extend that advantage to eighty metres, and when Young clipped the rock with his eighth, he suddenly found himself a full bowl of odds down.

Young rallied, clawing the margin back to forty metres at the start of the straight. At the Novice D line, however, O’Rourke had re-established almost a bowl of odds, and by the end of the straight he raised that bowl again. He held his lead in sight at the last bend and stayed well in front to the finish to claim the Hancy Hubbard Memorial Cup.

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There was a busy day’s bowling at Lyre on Sunday, where several high-quality contests took place.

In a Junior B tournament score, Ger O’Driscoll (Newcestown) defeated Ger Connolly (Shannonvale) by a bowl of odds for a stake of €2,200 a-side. O’Driscoll opened strongly, playing two fine bowls just back of the forest entrance and raising the bowl with his third. After two more each back of the tunnel, the margin remained just under a bowl.

O’Driscoll increased his advantage with a strong fifth as Connolly’s effort veered right. At Crowley’s Bend, after eight and nine shots apiece, O’Driscoll held a valuable twenty-five metres of odds. Connolly replied with a superb effort at the crossover, peeping sight for McCarthy’s Bend, while O’Driscoll got caught back at Crowley’s concrete entrance and only beat the tip again by 30 metres.

It was a big opportunity for Connolly to draw level, but he went right and just beat O’Driscoll’s tip. Both went sight for McCarthy’s, Connolly keeping it under the bowl, but O’Driscoll raised the bowl again at the big tree. Connolly lined an excellent 14th that O’Driscoll missed by 50 metres, but the Newcestown man recovered superbly with his next, and when Connolly missed the finish line, O’Driscoll went on to win by a bowl of odds.

In supporting scores at Lyre, Sean O’Neill beat Tim Allen by a bowl for €400 a-side; Seamus Hayes defeated Kevin Walsh last shot for €400 a-side; Anthony Gould and Maurice Connolly beat Jim Coffey and Eoin McCarthy by two bowls for €2,200 a-side; Eoin McCarthy defeated Jim Coffey last shot for €1,000 a-side; and Johnny O’Driscoll and Tom Connolly overcame Jim Coffey and Thomas Maloney by two bowls for €1,200 a-side.

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The West Cork region held the finals of their novice E championships. In the A section Padraigh McCarthy beat Jamie Kearney by the last shot for €1,600 a-side. In the B section Paddy McCarthy beat John Kilbane.

Also, Rosscarbery held a Tim White Memorial Cup junior A score that Timmy Murphy from Ballyclough won from Johnny O’Driscoll, Clonakilty, by one bowl for €1,700 a-side.