ON Friday evening, John Maloney and Steve Hayes, respective chairs of Rosscarbery Tidy Towns and Rosscarbery Bowling Club, jointly unveiled a mural sited by the start line on the famed Cahermore road depicting an action scene from a bowling match.
Commissioned by Rosscarbery Tidy Towns with full support from the local club, the mural marks another reference point in the town's history and heritage and acknowledges over 100 years of bowling on the road. The mural was painted by street art expert, Kevin O’Brien.
Incorporated into the unveiling was a celebration of a centuries old song that has always been associated with the road. ‘When McCarthy won The Flower of Cahermore’ recalls a famous contest that was played in the early 1900s. It has endured through generations and remains a popular offering at countless social gatherings. Pat McCarthy outlined a brief history of Felix McCarthy and his family who resided at Mealasheen, Leap, and Mick Russell treated the gathering to a fine rendition of the old song. Speaking complimentary words on the entire project were county mayor Cllr Joe Carroll, Christopher O’Sullivan, TD, and John Maloney, who all tried their hand with the ‘28’ in a special long-shot competition in which they were joined by Rosscarbery champions, past and present, Emma Fitzpatrick, Maria Nagle and Meabh Cuinnea.
Youths officer Dan McCarthy brought Carbery’s 2024 underage championship programme to completion at the Marsh Road on Saturday evening with finals in girls’ U14 and U12. Both were competitive with the finalists tested in lead-up rounds and all four acquitted themselves in their quest for the top prize. Meabh was always the most likely in U14 given her accomplishments in the higher U16 grade, but Saoirse O’Neill was not fazed, and it was close enough to half-way. Meabh edged away in the last quarter and won by two. The Rosscarbery girl goes forward now to the inter-regionals as she attempts a county double. Long-time Marsh Road clubman Jerry Murphy sponsored and presented the winner’s cup to Meabh.
U12 was a battle to the end. Ciara Harrington made a splendid start on the downward stretch and held good odds at ‘Jim Hurley’s bend’ but Lauren McCarthy came with a strong finish to take the championship in the last shot. Lauren too will have a shot at county honours in the coming weeks.
Another defeat to North East opposition at Beál na mBláth was the lot of Carbery’s intrepid followers who travelled in support of Denis O’Sullivan for his county junior C quarter-final against Alan O’Leary. The Caheragh man could not be faulted for effort turning over a deficit at the three-quarter point only to succumb to O’Leary’s piledriver to sight to the last bend.
RESULTS
County Championships:
Beál na mBláth: Junior C quarter-final, Alan O’Leary (North East) defeated Denis O’Sullivan (Carbery), last shot, for €4,000; Caheragh, Junior C semi-final, Trevor O’Sullivan defeated Kieran Hourihane, one bowl, for €6,100.
Carbery Championships
Leap: Junior ladies, Abbey Caverley won from Jessica Baker.
Marsh Road: Girls’ U14 final, Meabh Cuinnea won from Saoirse O’Neill; Girls’ U12 final, Lauren McCarthy won from Ciara Harrington.
Club:
Ballygurteen: Doubles, Cathal Creedon/Anthony Lynch defeated Diarmuid Hurley/Kevin Murphy, last shot, for €2,400.
Caheragh: Darren McCarthy defeated Cian Bowen, one bowl, for €2,000.
Castletownkenneigh: Timmie O’Sullivan defeated Jamie McCarthy, last shot, for €4,000.
Courtmacsherry: All-Ireland fundraisers, August 17th – Jim Coffey defeated John Cahalane, one bowl, for €6,500; Padraigh Nugent defeated Kieran O’Driscoll, last shot, for €5,000; Patrick O’Driscoll defeated Johnny O’Driscoll, last shot, for €9,200; Kieran O’Driscoll defeated Jim Coffey, last shot, for €7,000; Doubles, Kieran O’Driscoll/Johnny O’Driscoll defeated Jim Coffey/Anthony Crowley, last shot, for €9,400; August 18th – Darragh Dempsey/Shane Shannon defeated Willie O’Donovan/Mick Hurley, two bowls, for €4,400; Mick Hurley defeated Shane Shannon, one bowl, for €4,400; Eoin McCarthy defeated Chris Murphy, one bowl, for €6,600; Ailbhe O’Shea defeated Ellen Sexton, last shot, for €1,200.
Derrinasafa: Liam Hurley defeated Alan Sheehan, last shot, for €3,360.
Grange: Willie Whelton Cup semi-final, Gary Daly defeated Aidan Murphy, one bowl, for €21,000.
Lyre: Kieran O’Sullivan (L) defeated Eoin Hurley (D) last shot, for €2,680.
