ROAD BOWLING: O’Halloran sets up semi-final joust with Murphy in Mid Cork junior B

CHAMPIONSHIP action continues apace in the regions with week evening scores now adding to the mix.

In Mid Cork junior B at Castletownkennigh on Saturday, Bryan O’Halloran showed his paces in a two-bowl win over John Shorten for a €900 total. In the semi-final he will play Denis Murphy at Béal na Bláth.

That doughty campaigner, Mick Murphy of Innishannon, is on the trail again and began his novice veteran tilt with a hard-earned first round win over Kinsale’s John O’Mahony in the first of Mid Cork’s week evening scores at Jagoe’s Mills last Monday week. It was a last-shot win for Murphy for a €1,400 stake.

In novice D at Ballinacurra on Tuesday, Paul O’Donoghue defeated Bernard O’Callaghan for €1,600 aside. Eoin McCarthy defeated Ronan O’Donovan in a return score here, coming form arrears for a last-shot victory. Their contest carried a €1,600 total stake.

In Mid novice D at Templemartin, Damien Healy defeated Paul Twomey for €700 and Mark Cahalane defeated Cian Collins. In Mid novice D scores at Newcestown mid-week, William Allen defeated Kevin O’Sullivan and Barry Murphy won from James O’Sullivan. In novice D at Castletownkenneigh, Finbarr O’Sullivan defeated Sean Galvin, one bowl, for €600.

Béal na Bláth hosted the Mid novice C first rounder between Dermot Crowley and Denis O’Driscoll. Crowley won this one in the last shot.

In West Cork, Brian O’Sullivan of Johnstown hit form at Ballinacarriga in his U16 win from Jonathan Deane. A blistering drive from Manch to sight at Hehir’s was the catalyst for this victory. Deane, a brother of U18 champion Mark, showed plenty too in his first year at competitive level but could not reel in his consistent rival.

Also in West Cork U16, at Durrus Daniel O’Sullivan, last year’s county U14 winner, won from David Russell and Oisín Murray won from Eamonn Crowley. At Drinagh in U16, Ethan Hurley won from Cian O’Callaghan. There was success to for the Johnstown O’Sullivan brothers when Con advanced in U18 with a win at Drinagh from Oisin Murphy-Hurley. Defending champion, Mark Deane won his opening round U18 contest with Luke McCarthy at Kealkil.

On a busy weekend at Drinagh, a high-quality novice C contest saw Brian Murray and Kieran O’Brien go head-to-head. The bowling was top-class from both protagonists before Murray, a member of Ardcahan’s Sliabh Bán-winning team of the previous week, scored the line in twelve and took the verdict by a bowl of odds. The stake at issue was €1,540.

Also at Drinagh in a novice veteran score of swaying fortunes, Jan Tessyman defeated John Tringle. At Bantry in U16 girls, Niamh O’Connell won from Eabha Kehilly and Kimi Bosna won from Ciara Lennon. In novice D at Ballinacarriga, Finian Hurley defeated Connie O’Driscoll in a good score for a €500 stake. At Togher Cross novice veteran, John Murphy defeated Sean Sheehan and, in the same grade at Derrinasafa, Seamus O’Sullivan defeated Anthony O’Connell.

In the South-West novice C at Lyre, Kilbrittain’s Conor Sheehy won from Leap native Denis Whooley, last shot, for €600 and in novice veteran at Fisher’s Cross, Denis O’Donovan defeated Donal O’Sullivan. In Gaeltacht championships U18 at Ballyvourney, Ian O’Donoghue defeated Darragh Murphy and Liam Twomey defeated Luke Lyons. In novice C at Terelton, Joseph Creedon defeated Tomás Murphy.

In the City division at Paddoes, novice veteran Michael Twohig defeated Pat Cunningham, last shot, and back here, Birol Kat defeated Jerh Forde by two bowls. At Curraheen in the junior B championship, Peter Nagle defeated Thomas Boyle in the last shot for €2,200 and Boyle was also on the receiving end in the return, going down to Garret Bourke by a bowl of odds for €1,400.

At Templemichael, Maurice Connolly held off Dave Mackey’s spirited fightback to claim a last-shot win from their junior C championship contest that carried a stake of €2,000. In novice C at Templemichael on Sunday, Paul Murphy defeated Darragh O’Donovan and Con O’Donovan defeated Dylan Hayes.

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North Cork who, admirably, give defeated first-round protagonists a second chance in a backdoor competition, had a busy mid-week schedule, starting with a three-way boys’ U10 semi-final at Ballinagree on Tuesday.

After a score of plenty skill and enthusiasm, Donagh Murphy emerged the winner from Jack Ronan and AJ Mackey. At the same venue on Wednesday, in novice D, Paul Burke won from Oisin Fogarty. Back the road, Will Harrington defeated Gary Murphy for €200.

Kilcorney was rained off on Thursday while Bealnamorrive had a cracker on Friday when Stephen Spillane and Ruairí O’Connell took issue win the novice C championship. For a €1,000 total, Spillane withstood a ferocious fightback from last year’s county novice D winner O’Connell, to take the verdict by a bowl of odds. O’Connell does have that second chance to reignite his challenge. Back Bealnamorrive, Jack Oldham defeated Colin McCarthy by a bowl for €1,300.

At Ballinagree on Saturday, in novice veteran quarter-finals, Conor Roche defeated John Welsh and Ned Kelleher won from Mick Casey by a bowl of odds. Two cracking novice C scores at Bealnamorrive on Saturday resulted in wins for Darren Burns and Billy Healy. Burns won a thrilling contest with Tom Dennehy, last shot, for €1,900 while Healy edged Patrick Sexton by a bowl of €2,100. In novice D at Ballinagree on Sunday, Paul Twomey defeated James Roche for €1,040 and Adrian O’Connor defeated Conor Casey.

Down East Cork/West Waterford way, Phillip O’Donovan gave a hint of possible championship success later when he delivered a power-packed performance at Clashmore in his junior veterans win over Michael Wall.

Delivering shots reminiscent of his senior days, O’Donovan won by almost two. There is still a bit to go for regional success with Mick Hurley also in the frame. Back the road at the Waterford venue, a doubles contest saw Wall team up with Séamus Ó Tuama to defeat Willie Quirke and Donie O’Sullivan, last shot, for €500.