BY KIERAN McCARTHY
GERALDINE Curtin is intent on finishing another memorable year on a high note.
In July she defended her Munster crown with victory over Hannah Sexton at Castletownkenneigh, and Geraldine has now won FIVE Munster titles spanning 16 years (2008, ’09, ’16, ’23 and ’24), highlighting her longevity and consistency.
Her wait for a first All-Ireland senior title goes on, as the Caheragh woman who now calls Timoleague home was subsequently defeated by Armagh bowler Dervla Toal-Mallon in the biggest women’s score of the year.
Geraldine Curtin won her fifth Munster women's senior title in July.
Geraldine and Toal-Mallon will be in opposition again this Friday in a semi-final at the King and Queen of the Roads festival at Ballincurrig. Add in Dutch bowling Silke Tulk superstar, who is targeting four Queens titles in a row, and Geraldine’s semi-final is stacked.
The West Cork woman won’t take a step backwards, however, with her bring-it-on attitude.
‘I’ve had a great year in bowling and I will enjoy my score against Dervla and Silke no matter what the outcome,’ Geraldine says.
‘Dervla beat me in the All-Ireland this year and twice previously. Silke and myself have had many battles in the Queen of the Roads and European Championships over the years. I have yet to beat them both.
‘I will have to give a performance of a lifetime to overcome this challenge. Will Friday’s Queen of the Roads semi-final be my time to redress this? Time will tell!’
This will be Geraldine’s fifth time competing in the King and Queen of the Roads, and she qualified for the 2008 final but lost to Maria Noonan. With Toal-Mallon and Tulk standing in her way of a second Queen final appearance, it highlights the quality of bowlers who will light up this popular festival; it’s the best of the best. The other women’s semi-final sees 11-time All-Ireland senior winner Kelly Mallon up against Anke Klöpper (Germany) and Cork bowler Veronica O’Mahony from Bweeng just outside Mallow.
‘This is the biggest annual road bowling event for all players outside of the regular championship,’ says.
‘I have yet to meet a player that doesn’t want to be part of the King and Queen of the Roads weekend. Albeit, a large number of scores have to be thrown prior to anyone being able to compete in the event. Luckily, I automatically qualified for the semi-final of the Queen of the Roads by winning my Munster title in July, however, the remainder of the Irish senior players have to compete in the Gretta Cormican Cup to decide who else will complete the line-up for the semi-finals.
‘Every year the Dutch and German champions take part in the competition and last year it was Silke Tulk and Anke Klopper that contested the final where Silke emerged on top. Anke’s accuracy is exceptional and Silke has immense power.
‘Hopefully this year the Irish contenders will prove that they possess these attributes also and go a step further than last year.’
The two Queen of the Roads semi-finals will be held on Friday, the first at 10.30am and Geraldine’s semi-final at 1pm, and the winner will advance to the final on Sunday afternoon (3pm), the last score of the weekend. Also, the first semi-final involving Klopper, Mallon and O’Mahony will double up as the Gretta Cormican Cup final between Mallon and O’Mahony.
There will be West Cork interest, too, in the King of the Roads as Bantry bowler Martin Coppinger, the reigning Munster champion, will be in semi-final action this Saturday, up against the powerful Thomas Mackle (Ulster) and William Hobblelink (The Netherlands); this match starts at 9.30am. The second King semi-final, at 1.30pm, has Colm Rafferty (Ulster), Stefan Runge (Germany) and Arthur McDonagh (Munster) in opposition.
