28-05-2025
Armagh keeper Ethan Rafferty defeats brother Colm in first leg of Ulster senior bowling final
Armagh's Ethan Rafferty may be the busiest sportsman in Ireland.
Fresh from defying Derry with four vital saves in the All-Ireland football championship, he hopped on the Knappagh road to defeat his brother and All-Ireland champion, Colm, in the first leg of the Ulster senior bowling final.
A massive third throw to Knappagh angles gave him the edge and he led in seven to the planting corner. He upped the ante from there to Farley's where he was a bowl ahead. He was two clear at the plum trees.
He was soon almost three in front and had it wrapped up before the Condy corner. That win gives him a head-start in the best-of-three final.
The line-up for the Munster senior championship semi-finals will be resolved next weekend.
On Friday David Murphy plays James O'Donovan at Newcestown; Michael Bohane and Arthur McDonagh meet at Baile Bhuirne on Sunday and cousins Gary Daly and Patrick Flood are scheduled to play at Grenagh on Sunday. The winners join Aidan Murphy in the semi-finals.
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Juliet Murphy secured her place in the Munster intermediate final by virtue of a last show win over Ellen Sexton at Clondrohid. The lead changing hands several times to Tierbg cross.
They matched each other in the shots to light past the black house and onto the rough surface past the Bell Inn.
Murphy broke the deadlock with a massive bowl towards Goff's lane, which gave her a bowl of odds. What looked an unassailable lead was almost wiped out when she missed the line with her second last. Sexton was not able to do enough in her last throw to turn the tide.
Anthony Crowley produced a brilliant last shot to deny Dermot McCarthy in the Cork city junior B final at Whitechurch. Crowley led by five metres after two each to Kelly's.
McCarthy had his first fore bowl after three more to the wall. Crowley got a poor next bowl and McCarthy extended his lead to Boula lane. He held the lead in the next three to Downey's.
McCarthy then hit a purple patch with three huge bowls to the farm, which put him a bowl of odds clear. Crowley fought back with a big bowl towards the devil's bend, which significantly clipped McCarthy's lead.
He followed with two big shots to Hegarty's to regain the lead by ten metres for the last shot. McCarthy producing a super last shot past the line. Crowley showed maturity and equanimity by responding with a better one to take the title.
Brendan O'Neill raised a bowl on John Butler after four shots in the Mid-Cork junior B final at Castletownkenneigh. He held that past Pyne's corner. Butler wiped out most of the lead with a huge bowl to light at the netting. It went to dramatic last shot when O'Neill's last bowl stopped on the line. Butler closed with a great shot, which O'Neill beat by just five metres, thanks to a rub.
Michael Desmond and Cillian Kelleher will meet in the Gaeltacht junior B final. Desmond led Darren Oliver from the off at Clondrohid. He had almost a bowl at the Bell Inn and almost two at the novice line.
Kelleher beat Liam Murphy by almost a bowl at Macroom. Murphy won all the early shots, holding off strong play from Kelleher to Mulcahy's. Kelleher led from there, going a bowl up at Kelleher's lane.
Murphy had the lead under a bowl after two huge shots to the layby and after two more past the novice line the lead was back to 30m. Murphy erred with his next one and Kelleher took a decisive lead by opening the last bend.
Last year's All-Ireland junior A champion, Michael Murphy, is making a smooth transition to intermediate. He came out well on top over Wayne Callanan in their championship tie at Firmount.
He was just fore after three each to the start of the straight. Callanan then hit a bad patch which left him a bowl behind. Murphy powered on to consolidate his bowl of odds at the end of the straight. He was two bowls clear entering the final quarter and he put it to bed with two brilliant throws past the grotto.
Alex O'Donovan is the South-West champion, he beat Ger Connolly by a bowl in the final at Shannonvale.
In the Munster junior A championship, former champion, Andrew O'Callaghan beat Timmy Murphy in the last shot at Kilcorney in Zone B. Form player, David Hegarty, had the same margin over Noel O'Regan at the Marsh Road in Zone C.
