CATRIONA Kidney marked her return to senior championship action with a second Group B win, and it put a dent in Ciara Buckley’s aspirations when they met at Templemichael on Saturday. A bowl of odds separated them in favour of the former champion from Carrigtwohill and she shares top spot with Hannah Sexton.
In women’s senior Group A, Meghan Collins moved to a possible play-off spot with a two-bowl victory over Emma Fitzpatrick at Ballinacarriga. After an even start, Meghan rose commanding odds in the bowling to ‘Lynch’s’.
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The girls’ U18 county semi at The Marsh Road on Wednesday did not quite live up to its billing. Rosin Allen was coming on the back of some excellent performances at regional level and in the quarters but did not bring that form to the Carbery venue. West Cork’s Emma Hurley took advantage of a few misplays and came home a bowl-of-odds winner. In a quarter-final clash at Clondrohid mid-week, defending champion Ellen Sexton still looks the one to beat after overcoming the challenge presented by North Cork’s Rihanna Collins. Rihanna fought this one well in the early stages, but Ellen’s power told, and she moved to a semi-final meeting with Carbery’s Abbey Caverley.
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From underage to vintage (over 60s) and this ever-popular championship, again with over 100 entries has commenced with a score in section C (West). At Lyre, two of the game’s most enduring campaigners, Pat Joe Connolly and Gene O’Callaghan, had a wholesome battle for a €500 stake. Gene negotiated the ‘mason’s hill’ in excellent style and rose the bones of a bowl of odds in the process, but it wasn’t enough as Connolly fired five of the finest from ‘O’Donovan’s pillars’ to turn it around and win by almost the shot.
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In regional action Connie Connolly won the West Cork novice veteran play-off at The Clubhouse on Sunday morning defeating a game Jim Cronin by a bowl of odds for a €1,740 total stake. It was a hard-won victory for the Drinagh man who won the county title in the grade ten years ago. He will be a worthy contender going forward again. Also, at The Clubhouse on Sunday in novice B, Brian Horgan defeated Alan Keane, last shot, for €1,600. In the novice veteran section A final at Drimoleague, Connie took on long-time rival, Patsy O’Sullivan from Kealkil and started well with three big bowls to ‘Barry Deane’s’. O’Sullivan pegged back a sixty-metre deficit but an error or two proved costly and Connolly wasted no time in taking a shot lead to the ‘lines’. It was the difference between them at the end. The contest carried €1,400 total stake.
