Bantry bowler finally get his hands on elusive county title
CHRISTY Mullins is the overall vintage champion for 2023 after his last do-or-die effort garnered him a two-metre victory over a game and gallant David Walsh at Fisher’s Cross on Sunday.
Section C winner Jack Cahalane also contested this three-way play-off but did not show any semblance of the form that took him to a string of victories in a competitive category.
On a bitterly cold day at the seaside venue, Mullins and Walsh fought it to a standstill, making the occasional error and enjoying a slice of luck here and there, but always focused on the goal of taking the Donal Moynihan Shield and that elusive county honour.
For the Bantry native, who has assumed legendary status in the game, it is a first, and while he will have wished to have won one in his senior heyday when he contested three premier county finals, he will cherish this title coming as it does in the twilight of a truly extraordinary career.
For David Walsh, it was an agonising defeat. He was impressive in taking charge in the shots away from ‘Bunny’s cross’, displaying agility and nimbleness in his deliveries and carrying the greater firepower in most of the exchanges. He recovered, too, from a fall executing his 11th at ‘Galley cross’ to regain the lead and hold commanding odds facing the line.
It still wasn’t enough as the battle-hardened Mullins hung in to snatch the victory in the most dramatic of circumstances.
The front men were away with big opening shots, immediately rising a bowl on Cahalane whose travails continued as the odds mounted in the next exchanges. Mullins was a shade lucky to escape from the left and stay level with Walsh as they both hit the main road at ‘Footman’s’ in five. Cahalane, three adrift here, fired a great effort on the rise, but it was Walsh with a super sixth who forged almost a bowl in front of Mullins.
Mullins kept in touch and a fine tenth to the ‘bridge’ cut the odds to 20 metres. Skibb’s Cahalane, by this stage, was forced to concede to his higher-ranked rivals and the stage was set for a grand finale. Walsh was unlucky with his 11th, seeing his well-played delivery whip right, losing the lead as he incurred a fall in his follow through. A great recovery saw him go back in front when Mullins missed his target. Mullins didn’t make the last bend, but a rare miscalculation by Walsh resulted in him missing also but retaining the fore bowl.
Walsh got the best of breaks with his second last and it looked curtains for the A section winner until he produced that blistering effort on the incline. It won the day when the Clodagh native missed by the narrowest of margins.
James O’Driscoll, on behalf of Ból Chumann, praised the three finalists, thanked the Fisher’s Cross Bowling Club and paid tribute to the family of the late PJ Lehane whose continuing sponsorship of the Donal Moynihan Shield is much appreciated. The contest did not carry a stake.
