LOCAL bowlers will bid for the big prizes at All-Ireland series two this bank holiday weekend.
Eglish, adjacent to the popular Tyrone village of Moy, proved a popular setting last year, and is the host again this weekend. The programme is rich and varied. That senior final on Sunday will constitute the feature and will now have the novel pairing of Colm Rafferty and Martin Coppinger vying for All-Ireland glory.
The women’s intermediate final has Shannon Maguire again as Ulster champion. An U16 All-Ireland winner in 2019, she lost out to Denise Murphy in intermediate in 2022 and is constantly gaining experience. Munster’s champion, Hannah Cronin, will bring her finely honed competitive instincts and will be buoyed by her terrific county final success at Bauravilla.
Ulster junior B champion Paul Rafferty is vastly experienced having contested four All-Ireland intermediate finals, winning two in the 90s but losing out subsequently to Brian Wilmot and Michael Harrington in 2011 and 2017. He is capable of posing problems for Conor Creedon but surely the Gaeltacht man’s confidence has to be high following a magnificent campaign in winning the Cork championship. Andrew O’Leary should be capable of bringing the All-Ireland veterans title southward following an impressive campaign in Cork. Either local Joe Donnelly or Michael Rafferty will provide the opposition.
The three underage finals will be well-contested. Cork has worthy representatives in all three. Ross O’Brien has plenty of All-Ireland experience going into his battle with Eoghan McVeigh in U16. McVeigh, who resides close to the All-Ireland venue, will have plenty of road knowledge at his disposal.
Meabh Cuinnea, should she bring her devastating Cork championship form to Eglish, should have the measure of Megan O’Reilly, who as defending Ulster champion will have last year’s experience to call on. Fionan Twohig and Kielan Fullerton will contest at U12. Fionan Twohig in U12 is well-tested following an excellent campaign in Cork and carries tradition too as he attempts to emulate his father Gavin and brother Cillian, who have garnered All-Ireland glory at intermediate and U14 all in northern territory. Ulster champion, Keilan Fullerton, though, comes with a big reputation as a major rising talent in Ulster.
PANEL
ALL-IRELAND LINE-UP
SATURDAY, AUGUST 3RD
10.30am, Women’s intermediate final (out from O’Neill to ‘Daly’s line’): Shannon McGuire (Ulster) v Hannah Cronin (Munster).
12.30pm, Girls’ U16 final (in, ‘Daly’s’ to O’Neill’s’): Meghan O’Reilly (Ulster) v Meabh Cuinnea (Munster).
2.30pm, Junior B final (out, ‘O’Neill’s to ‘Reid’s’): Paul Rafferty (Ulster) v Conor Creedon (Munster).
4pm, Boys’ U16 final (in, ‘Reid’s’ to ‘O’Neill’s’): Eoghan McVeigh (Ulster) v Ross O’Brien (Munster).
SUNDAY, AUGUST 4TH
10.30am, Veterans final (out, ‘O’Neill’s to ‘Reids’): Joe Donnelly/Michael Rafferty (Ulster) v Andrew O’Leary (Munster).
12.30pm, Boys’ U12 final (in, ‘Daly’s’ to O’Neill’s’): Keilan Fulerton (Ulster) v Fionan Twohig (Munster).
3pm, Senior men’s final (out, ‘O’Neill’s’ to ‘Currans’): Colm Rafferty (Ulster) v Martin Coppinger (Munster).
