DARRAGH Dempsey produced a stunning comeback in the premier junior A grade at the Marsh Road where he defeated Shane Crowley.

Playing for no stake, Crowley looked to be cruising in this score, raising odds with every shot out to the steps. He opened with two massive bowls past the upper distillery entrance. After his third to the start of the council yard wall, his odds were 40 metres.

Dempsey got a good next shot to the veterinary entrance but his fifth was very right and Crowley made the top of the hill. Dempsey just beat this tip.

A massive bowl from Crowley for the Silvery gate had him in control, but Dempsey was not letting the bowl go up as he beat the Silvery gate. It was three more each out to the steps where it was still under the bowl of odds in Crowley's favour.

From here, Crowley’s score started to unravel. He had two poor bowls in succession to gift Dempsey his first lead in the score. After their next, the width of Thornhill cross separated them with Dempsey now ahead. When Crowley only made sight at Ballyhilty with his next, Dempsey took full advantage.

Dempsey threw a great bowl to the Avenue that Crowley missed in two to fall a bowl in arrears. Crowley knocked the bowl by 30 metres with his next to the back of Hurley’s lane but Dempsey recovered with a well-played bowl around the bend past Hurley's lane that restored his bowl advantage and gave him victory.

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A junior C championship score was played at Shannonvale between Ivan Buchannan and Eoin McCarthy, playing for a stake of €170 a-side. This was a trap-to-line win for McCarthy.

After three shots each past the rock, McCarthy had 40 metres of odds. McCarthy extended his lead in three more around the quarry bend. Even though he was extremely tight with his sixth shot, he got away with it. Buchannan missed full sight at Desmond’s in nine and McCarthy was full sight in eight where he held a lead of a bowl and 30 metres.

McCarthy went past Kingston’s wall in three more, holding his advantage. Buchannan got a massive bowl to the palms at Tobin’s that knocked the bowl of odds. McCarthy’s next was very right and got caught at Tobin’s gate – this gave Buchannan a huge chance of levelling the score but his next bowl turned in right at Hayes cottage.

McCarthy’s 16th got caught up on the right, but was still a valuable 20 metres ahead. Buchannan got a super bowl to the cross and McCarthy beat this by 12 metres. With a blunder from Buchannan with his next, McCarthy punished him and had big odds for the last shot. Buchannan’s last turned in left and McCarthy beat the line to book his place in the junior C final, playing Gearoid McCarthy.

Tom McCarthy (winner), Denis Murphy and Conor Crowley (runner-up) after the Carbery U18 final at the Marsh Road.

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Timoleague hosted the first senior championship score of the season where Páidín Stokes beat Michael Bohane convincingly. They played for a stake of €1,000 a-side.

This was a trap-to-line win for Stokes. He meant business from the off. After three good opening bowls from Stokes where he had big odds. Bohane’s fourth was very right and Stokes went sight for Batemans. Bohane was facing an early bowl of odds after his next shot. Stokes got a huge fifth up past Batemans that raised the bowl of odds.

Stokes extended his odds to almost two bowls after two more well-played bowls up a tough rising road. Bohane replied with a super tenth shot past Batemans Cottage, Stokes misplaced his ninth left and dropped big odds to a bare bowl.

Bohane got another super bowl to O’Brien’s bungalow that Stokes missed and now it was under the bowl of odds. But this was as close as Bohane was going to get, as Stokes went past the novice line with his next and Bohane buried his 12th in right bowl up again and his 13th went left. There was no let-up from Stokes from here to Deasys Cross where he raised a second bowl and progressed on. In a return score, Thomas Malony beat Shane Healy by the last shot for €1,050 a-side.

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Lyre held a premier junior A quarter-final score between Brian O’Driscoll and Liam Murphy. There was no stake in this one. O’Driscoll well up past the Forest entrance in three shots, to lead by 80 metres. Murphy had a smart fourth and O’Driscoll let a lot of odds drop when he was too tight left.

Murphy took his second lead with a perfect fifth to Tadhg Crowley's house. After three more, neither had sight at Crowleys bend. O’Driscoll got a huge eighth, inch-perfect on the left bend and made Crowley's concrete. Murphy replied with an equally good effort. O’Driscoll made the double gates and Murphy made a monumental blunder when he buried his ninth in right just fore bowl.

O’Driscoll went full sight at McCarthy's that put him back in front and would be led no more. After three more shots each O’Driscoll extended his odds to 70 metres and after his next had a full bowl. Murphy knocked the bowl briefly before the finish line but O’Driscoll beat the line comfortably. In a return score at Lyre, Gearoid Lucey beat Danny Horgan; they played for €3,000 a-side.

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Jack Allen was kept under pressure in his Mid Cork U18 win over Darragh Kelleher at Beal na mBláth. Also, Emily Long took the honours over Sian O’Sullivan in the preliminary round of the U18 county championship at Carrignavar. Also, Tom McCarthy from Carbery progressed to the semi-final of the boys’ U18 when he beat Tommy O’Donoghue, East Cork, by the last shot at Castletown. Clashmore held the East Cork overall novice veteran final where Padraigh O’Brien beat Johnny McCarthy by one bowl of odds.