MARTIN Coppinger’s battling performance could not deprive Colm Rafferty of first-time All-Ireland senior glory as the rain descended on the weekend’s signature event at Eglish late on Sunday evening.
Proving that his dethroning of Thomas Mackle was no one-off, the Ulster champion showed his credentials in a testing encounter that engaged the big attendance right to the end.
The Ulster camp had confidence in their man to the tune of matching a total stake of 8,200 (Euro-sterling) and it was immediately justified as he followed and beat by 60 metres a huge opener of Coppinger’s to ‘Moy point’. The Bantry bowler came again with a big second that cut Rafferty’s lead to a metre.
Conditions were far from ideal and, after both hit ‘McNally’s corner’ in three excellent shots, misfortune befell the Munster champion when a slip with his fourth cost him sight at the next bend. Rafferty raced ahead, rose a bowl of odds with his fifth and in the subsequent exchanges looked like doubling his advantage.
With admirable tenacity, Coppinger dug himself out thanks to a searing seventh and when he followed up with an astonishing ninth on the rise the margin was down to 20 metres. As excitement mounted, Coppinger’s rally continued and a touch off the kerbs with his 12th put him in front for the first time. Rafferty showed resilience in regaining the lead at the junior B line and was aided when his opponent failed to get distance on two in succession at this vital juncture.
The shots to ‘Stilloga corner’ decided it. Rafferty, tight on the right, went clear whereas Coppinger, from a more difficult stand, didn’t. A magnificent second last on to the finish line restored the Ulster champion’s bowl of odds and the Hughie Trainor Cup was his and, with it, major bragging rights for Ból Chumann Uladh on a weekend that could only be described as moderately successful from a Cork perspective.
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That Gaeltacht’s dual All-Ireland challenge should come undone in such emphatic fashion constituted the shock of the weekend. Thirty years on from winning the All-Ireland intermediate crown, Paul Rafferty used all his vast experience and no little bowling ability to win a junior B final in which Cork’s Conor Creedon never really got going bar a fine opening sequence during which both players excelled.
The Cork champion led with a smashing fifth, but it was unfortunately too brief. Rafferty was back in front after six and gained ground in the next sequence before rising a bowl of odds with a super tenth to the top of the rise. Little was going right for Creedon at this stage and when Rafferty hit ‘Derryfubble lane’ he had a bowl and big odds.
Creedon was game to the end but the form that took him to a succession of outstanding victories on his way to county honours was not forthcoming on this occasion. Rafferty was a popular winner with his county men, all the more for capturing the substantial 32,200 (euro/sterling) the contest was played for.
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Ross O’Brien was giving away a few years in age to Ulster champion Eoghan McVeigh as well of course as the important factor of local road knowledge but such was his dominance in a terrific Cork championship winning run that defeat was not countenanced when the pair lined out in the last of Saturday’s finals: the U16 boys’ decider. Yet, Ross did not make the best of starts – his opening two went right off the ‘sop’ and McVeigh lost no time in rising a bowl of odds after four.
A poor fifth had O’Brien in further in arrears but he did extricate himself to a degree with a big sixth shot that kept the margin to the even bowl. That fine effort did not lead to an upsurge in form and McVeigh, although missing opportunities too, held his bowl lead. To his credit, the Clondrohid bowler finished well with big 12th and 13th shots, but McVeigh showed his mettle too in matching both. The contest petered out with Eugene McVeigh a big bowl of odds winner. O’Brien will have two more years to capture the Denis McSweeney Cup and will learn from his experience at Eglish.
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The visitors were in need of some success when the action resumed on Sunday morning. It came, but only just after Fermoy man Andrew O’Leary survived a most searching test by Michael Rafferty to take the veterans cup back to Cork. O’Leary put down a big last shot and it was just enough for a thrilling victory when Rafferty, a shade unluckily, missed by less than a metre in what was the weekend’s tightest finish.
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The rain soon descended, and it was the U12s, Fionán Twohig and Kielan Fullerton, who bore the brunt. It did not deter the intrepid pair from producing a contest to savour. Fionán, from Rossmore, had early momentum, holding a marginal lead for the first half-dozen shots but, just as he was about to extend, Kielan fired ninth and tenth shots of prodigious length to stay within 30 metres. Fionán held his odds but was given another test when the Ulster champion hit a tremendous shot towards the finish line. A miss here and it was back in the melting pot, but the long-time leader was not for turning and beat the line with a fine effort that ran the roadside kerb. In claiming the title, Fionán kept intact an impeccable record of wins on northern territory for the Twohig clan. His victory evened up the series at three all following a chastening day on Saturday.
All-Ireland U12 champion Fionan Twohig, Rossmore, celebrates with supporters after his victory.
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The intrepid ladies who got proceedings underway on a balmy Saturday morning shared the spoils north and south. Anyone who witnessed Hannah Cronin’s electric performance in winning the Cork intermediate title from Ellen Sexton at Bauravilla were fairly certain that it would take something very special to deny her All-Ireland honours.
Shannon Maguire very nearly produced it, but it seemed inevitable that even her best would be bettered by her determined Togher Cross rival. It was a cracking opener to the weekend with sizable support for both as evidenced in the 6,200 total stake and both hit the ground running. After even early exchanges, a brilliant fourth shot to sight at ‘McGrath’s’ gave the Cork champion sizable leeway. Shannon rallied with a smashing seventh and the lead was back to 30 metres.
Hectic exchanges followed as Hannah defiantly beat big tips to stay in front. Shannon’s brave challenge was finally broken when Togher Cross bowler Hannah lined a perfect 13th to ‘Daly’s bend’ and, when tips were marked, the Cork champion had commanding odds for the last shots. Hannah Cronin was carried aloft by her delighted supporters, a deserving All-Ireland intermediate champion for 2024.
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The U16 girls’ final, played on the inward route, was no less intriguing with two-time Ulster champion Megan O’Reilly facing up to Cork and Carbery’s precocious talent Meabh Cuinnea, who captivated bowling with her extraordinary county win the previous weekend.
It was Meabh who controlled the early exchanges with excellent second and third shots yielding a 50-metre lead. An error with her fifth was quickly corrected, with lost ground regained through a smashing sixth and it took all of Megan’s experience to hold off a bowl of odds deficit as the Cork champion threatened to increase her advantage.
There was a hint of a comeback when Megan fired an exceptional tenth and in the subsequent exchanges, Meabh’s lead was gradually whittled down. Another mighty cast from Megan, her 12th of the day, brought her ahead for the first time. With momentum now firmly on her side, it was looking ominous from Meabh’s perspective. Although the Ulster champion’s 14th didn’t gain traction she immediately compensated with a ferocious second last and Meabh’s challenge was finally undone in those crucial exchanges.
