ROAD BOWLING ROUND-UP: Murphy makes winning start in Mid Cork junior A championship

REGIONAL junior A championships are always high-profile scores and in Mid Cork, Sean Murphy made a winning start as he claimed the victory over Aidan Desmond at Templemartin. 

Lack of score practice probably militated against Desmond as a sluggish start saw Murphy race to a two-bowl lead at ‘Slynne’s Corner’. Despite a game effort, there was no comeback for Desmond as Murphy powered to a convincing win. Sean Murphy plays Denis Wilmot in the Mid junior A semi-final. 

In the City division, junior A round-robin, Patrick Stokes defeated Cian Boyle in the last shot of a hard-fought contest. They played for a total of €4,200. Also, in the City at Paddoes in novice Paul Kennedy defeated Vincent Moynihan by two and Garry Maguire defeated Fergus French. 

At Curraheen, Noel Gould defeated Pat O’Donovan by a bowl for €2,000 and, in a return double, David Walsh/Darragh O’Donovan defeated Stephen Bowen/Johnny Curtin, last shot, for €1,900.

 In Mid Cork novice D at Ballinacurra on Friday, Adrian Wilmot defeated Martin Cronin and, in a return, Colm O’Regan defeated Tommy Maloney, one bowl, for €700. In Mid novice D at Beal na mBlath, Ger O’Leary defeated Michael Desmond, last shot, for €700. In D too at Dunderrow, Donnacha O’Donovan won from Lee Collins. In North Cork, novice veteran at Ballinagree, Eugene O’Sullivan defeated Jim Martin for a €360 stake. Back the road, John McSullivan defeated Mickey McAuliffe, last shot for €300. 

In the Gaeltacht division a big clash at Baile Bhuirne on St Patrick’s Day saw Darren Kelly come out on top in his confrontation with Noel Murphy. They played for a €2,400 total. In novice veteran Paudie Murphy won from John Lucey. A girls U18 first rounder at Clondrohid saw Ailbhe O’Shea and Darcey O’Brien engage. A fiercely competitive shot for shot battle ensued with Macroom girl, Ailbhe, shading it in the final exchanges.

In West Cork, championship scores at different ends of the age scale were held. At Ardcahan in U16 Shane Hurley won from Luke McCarthy (Durrus) and Eoin Hurley (Kilronan) won from Stephen Hourihane. 

Togher Cross hosted a cracking U18 first round tie. Last year’s U14 county winner Daniel O’Sullivan successfully adapted to the ‘28’ staving off a terrific challenge from Finian Hurley in their U18 first rounder. O’Sullivan’s excellent start gave him a two-bowl cushion after ten but he needed it as Hurley fired a succession of lengthy drives to close the gap. Daniel from Knockduff held on for a bowl-of-odds win. At Drimoleague in novice veteran, Con McCarthy defeated Vincent Ellis. 

A big tournament clash in the Hancy Hubbard Cup at Beal na Morrive on Friday saw Andrew O’Callaghan, with a top-notch performance defeat Wayne Parkes by almost a bowl for €2,600. In a return score at Whitechurch, Paul Butler defeated Mark Long, last shot, for €2,400 and at Jagoe’s Mills, Gary O’Sullivan defeated Colm O’Regan by a bowl for €3,600.

Read Thursday's Southern Star for a round-up of action from the Dowtcha Boy’ weekend and Ból Chumann’s post-primary schools’ competitions