SEVEN years after he last held this title, Martin Coppinger is county men’s senior champion again.
The senior final at the Marsh Road on Sunday had a slightly different perspective, as the finalists were aware that whoever came through would not be meeting Thomas Mackle in their bid for All-Ireland glory. Colm Rafferty will present a different challenge at Eglish.
As it transpired Bantry bowler Coppinger prevailed in his duel with Brian Wilmot and returned to the pinnacle of Cork bowling seven years after his last county and All-Ireland success. He is a worthy champion who kept his composure to wear down his Bandon rival who was at his best over the opening segment.
Pictured after the final, from left, Martin Coppinger, Ból Chumann chairman Willie Murphy, and Brian Wilmot.
The overwhelming favourite, Coppinger was behind after the opening exchange but then fired one of his specials, a thundering drive along the centre that yielded a 100-metre lead. Wilmot’s response was admirable as excellent third and fourth shots left Coppinger with shots to beat. He did so but only by small margins and Wilmot kept pressing aided by a big touch with his fifth.
Wilmot led with a fine sixth to the ‘silvery gate’ but a couple of poor ones, particularly his tenth, marked a dip in form and Coppinger was back in the ascendancy as he hit sight at ‘the steps’ in ten. It was a score that sparkled only intermittently but it certainly did when Coppinger, from a long way back, lined a magnificent 12th shot that raced past ‘Thornhill cross’ almost to sight at ‘Ballyhilty’.
Wilmot was getting no run in his bowling at this point and suddenly found himself a bowl of odds and 30 metres down. With the advanced finish line at ‘Coombes’ there was time for the Bandon man to close the gap. The odd opportunity did present itself as Coppinger did not drive home his advantage in the subsequent exchanges. Both lofted well at ‘Jim Hurley’s bend’ but when Coppinger’s effort past ‘Bohane’s cross’ ran the proverbial mile, the contest was effectively over.
The Bantry man will be the favourite again at Eglish and should bring the Hugie Trainor Cup back to Cork but caution is advisable against the Rafferty clan for whom All-Ireland success is no stranger these weeks. The Marsh Road stake amounted to €4,460. Colm Rafferty, brother of intermediate champion Ethan, shocked All-Ireland champion Thomas Mackle in the final score of their best of five play-offs at Eglish on Saturday. A shot down beyond half-way, Rafferty came good in the last quarter to deny the titleholder his bid for three-in-row.
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The two ladies’ finals at Bauravilla on Sunday evening ensured another packed road witnessed thrilling hard-fought encounters. Hannah Cronin inflicted a rare defeat on two-time U18 champion Ellen Sexton to capture the John Harrington Cup on offer for the women's intermediate championship.
There was confidence in the Togher camp as evidenced in the €2,200 total stake the contest went for and it was justified from the off as Hannah lined a huge opener. Ellen showed why she has enjoyed a long winning run by beating that formidable mark and did so again as they played to ‘Robin’s cross’.
The subsequent exchanges brought the best out of the Togher Cross challenger as she lined a succession of quality shots that rose a bowl of odds as they played to ‘Dekker’s’. She recovered from a blip to fire a super tenth to the ‘rock’ just as Ellen looked like levelling. Ellen came again with a great cast to ‘O’Sullivan’s’ but once again Hannah matched it to hold her lead. The closing exchanges saw Hannah Cronin double her lead and she deservedly claimed her first adult championship.
The U16 final brought the curtain down on a hectic day in Carbery. Emma Hurley has been a splendid U16 champion and an outstanding ambassador for youths bowling, but was upended on this occasion by rising Carbery star Meabh Cuinnea from Rosscarbery; read report in Carbery bowling on page 23. Meabh will travel with confidence to Tyrone where she will vie with Megan O’Reilly for All-Ireland honours.
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Gaeltacht have claimed another county from the current season after Conor Creedon crowned a superb campaign with the 2024 junior B championship at Firmount on Saturday afternoon.
Son of former senior and 2022 All-Ireland junior A winner John, Conor’s star has been on the rise since winning U18 in 2017 and he has shown consistency and an excellent temperament in seeing off a host of worthy challengers at regional and county level on his way to the title.
North East’s Willie O’Donnell put it up to Creedon at several junctures. The support both men carried was evidenced in the €23,000 total stake the contest went for and it was O’Donnell who took the opening shot. He was desperately unlucky with his second as Creedon took the lead, but it was O’Donnell again who looked more likely, firing a magnificent fifth along the centre to regain a 40-metre lead. Creedon’s response here was crucial to the outcome. Two of the finest to ‘Buckley’s cross’ put him back in pole position. These were the turning points as the Baile Bhuirne man now powered on to rise a bowl of odds.
Buoyed by these exchanges, Creedon never relented and a smashing 13th through ‘Gurrane cross’ consolidated his lead. O’Donnell was not doing a lot wrong but could not stay with Creedon’s bowling and its another Gaeltacht title for the famed Creedon clan.
