ROAD BOWLING: Russell gets the better of O’Neill in pulsating West Cork novice C tie

THERE was a cracker at Drimoleague on Saturday evening in the West Cork novice C championship.

James Russell and Adrian O’Neill engaged for a €2,000 total and, after Russell recovered ground with big second and third shots, they went level to the no-play lines. O’Neill took a handy lead in the next exchanges but once again, Russell’s rebounded and a huge second-last gave him cushion enough for victory.

On Sunday here, Morgan Hickey defeated Colman Murray in the D championship. No less exciting was the novice veteran meeting of Barry O’Donovan and Jim Cronin at Ballinacarriga. Cronin kept this one level with a great bowl to Hehir’s and led the score approaching McSweeney’s. O’Donovan recovered brilliantly to lead for the last shots and won the day beating the line with his final effort.

Three championship scores went ahead at Togher Cross on Sunday. In novice C, Danny Horgan, brother of last week’s winner, Brian, defeated Keith Jagoe and Con O’Sullivan, Kilmichael, got through against Kevin Hurley, Dunmanway. In the D championship at Togher Cross, Ian O’Sullivan defeated Richard Kingston, last shot, for €320.

In the Gaeltacht championships, novice veteran Micheál O’Callaghan defeated Patrick Moynihan at Macroom. In the novice A three-way shoot-out at Clondrohid on Saturday, Darren Kelly defeated Freddie Scannell and Amhlaoidh Lynch. Back here in novice C, Patrick Browne defeated Tim O’Riordan.

Two novice D championship scores in Cill na Martra resulted in a double for the Luceys. Diarmuid defeated Ben Herlihy and Paudie got the better of Andrew Kelleher. In city junior veteran at Templemichael, Anthony Gould defeated Thomas Boyle by just short of a bowl of odds and in novice veteran here, Stephen Bowen defeated John Donnellan.

North Cork’s championships are progressing apace. At Ballinagree on Saturday in novice D, Michael O’Regan defeated James Roche for an €800 total and Martin McSweeney defeated Alex Roche.

On a busy weekend for regional championships, Dunderrow hosted a Mid Cork novice veteran clash between likely contenders, Christy Butler, a former junior standard-bearer and last year’s winner, Dan O’Donovan. Butler took the laurels in this one for a stake of €700. In the same grade at Newcestown, John Murphy defeated Pat O’Mahony. Also, in Mid-Cork championships in novice D at Newcestown, Graham Geasley won from Thomas O’Brien and Thomas Maloney defeated Cian Healy by two bowls for €400. In D at Beal na mBlath, John Madden defeated Gus Kelleher, last shot, for €200 and Dermot Desmond won from John Cohalan.