MEABH Cuinnea’s brave bid to add the All-Ireland trophy to her stunning county U16 triumph came up just short at Eglish on Saturday afternoon.
Against a very good Ulster champion Megan O’Reilly, who had the experience of being finalist last year, Meabh more than held her own and led an absorbing contest for three-quarters of its duration.
Cheered by a sizable Ross contingent who travelled northward for the weekend in support, Meabh, with a 100-metre lead after ten shots, was looking good but a storming finish by her opponent saw her lose the ascendancy with two to go.
Those last crucial shots belonged to the Ulster champion, but Meabh lost no caste and, eligible for the grade until 2026, there is every chance the imposing Monsignor Raymond Horan Cup, on offer for the All-Ireland U16 girls’ championship will make its way to Castle Salem before that time elapses.
Carbery’s novice D championship concluded at Reenascreena on Thursday with a finale befitting a competition that had engaged a whole swathe of the region’s membership since its opening rounds in late March. Defeat had barely registered on the radar for Martin Collins or Cian Bowen over a summer of almost continuous action so there was a lot to play for when the Leap and Schull camps clashed on the Tullig road.
From the third shot Bowen held the lead and good play had him in front by 40 in six to the four-crosses. Collins was staying close but a small chance to extend fell the Schull man’s way in the next exchanges. The Leap man countered with a big tenth to ‘O’Sullivan’s bungalow’ and the lead changed at this juncture. Both were at their best as they fought tooth and nail for supremacy.
Still marginally in front, Martin Collins closed it out with a monstrous last shot from back on ‘Frankie’s hill’ that carried enough momentum to roll past the finish line by a mere three metres. For Bowen, it was an agonising defeat from a hugely entertaining contest, but he can take satisfaction from a sporting summer in which he has come out on the right side on most occasions and achieved success in several codes.
Martin Collins will carry Carbery’s hopes in the novice D county rounds and begins the next stage of his campaign with a preliminary round score with City’s champion Johnny Byrnes at Ballinacurra this week.
At Leap the women’s junior championship progressed. There were wins for Natalie Demspey, Shannon Ronan and defending champion, Triona Murphy.
RESULTS
County and All-Ireland Championships
Eglish, Co Tyrone: All-Ireland U16 girls; final, Megan O’Reilly (Ulster) defeated Meabh Cuinnea (Munster), last shot.
Rosscarbery: Vintage, Timmie Hennessy defeated Harry Russell.
Carbery Championships
Leap: junior ladies, Natalie Dempsey defeated Aisling Crowley; Shannon Ronan won from Emer Caverley; Triona Murphy won from Abbey Kelleher.
Reenascreena: Novice D final, Martin Collins defeated Cian Bowen, last shot, for €5,480.
Club:
Ahakista (festival bowling): Finbarr Coughlan/Joseph O’Mahony defeated Alan Brickley/Eoin Murray, one bowl, for €3,560; Noel O’Donovan defeated Johnny O’Driscoll, last shot, for €13,000; Kenneth Murphy defeated Ger Connolly, two bowls, for €22,000; Johnny O’Driscoll defeated Shane Shannon, last shot, for €8,000; David Minihane/Darren Whooley defeated Donal and Patrick Crowley, one bowl, for €2,000.
Derrinasafa: Daniel Hayes defeated Colm O’Regan, one bowl, for €2,080; Stephen Murphy defeated Barry O’Donovan, last shot, for €4,200.
Fisher’s Cross: Doubles, Timmie O’Sullivan/Darren Harrington defeated Colm O’Regan/Shane O’Mahony, one bowl, for €1,400.
Newcestown: Tommy Maloney defeated Mickey McAuliffe, last shot, for €1,400.
Reenascreena: Eoin Murray defeated Kieran O’Sullivan, (L), last shot, for €2,400.
Templemartin: Barry Coughlan/Paudie Keohane won two from two with Joshua Murphy/Thomas Maloney, both last shot, for €1,120 and €2,120.
The Pike: Brian Harrington defeated Ger Shanahan, last shot, for €1,400.
