Armagh goalkeeper Ethan Rafferty a cool customer on the roads too

DRAW: David Murphy secured the last spot in Wednesday night's Munster senior championship semi-final draw. File pic: INPHO/Tom Honan

David Murphy secured the last spot in Wednesday night's Munster senior championship semi-final draw when he beat Gary Daly in the last shot at Whitechurch.

He won the first two and last two, with Daly winning every tip in-between. A big third bowl to the top of the hill gave Daly his first lead by 50m. Murphy played a sensational fourth over the brow to the bottom of the hill. Daly responded in-kind and held his 50m advantage. Murphy played his next bowl to the right and only beat Daly's tip by 30m.

A big fifth towards Boula lane kept Daly almost a bowl in front. They beat Downey's line in two more. Daly raised the bowl with a super shot to the top of the straight. Murphy brought the lead just under a bowl when he made light at the farm in two more. Daly missed it in two. Daly restored the bowl of odds in the shots past the novice line.

Murphy knocked the bowl in the next exchange past the Devil's bend. He then played a huge bowl past the wall, which cut Daly's lead to 70m. Daly held that lead past the junior line. Murphy played a massive second last bowl, Daly's reply broke left and missed it by three metres. Daly played his last bowl to the right, it rubbed the kerb, but missed the line. Murphy lined his reply perfectly and beat the line.

When reviews of the sporting highs and lows of 2023 are written, Ethan Rafferty will deserve an honourable mention. A picture in these pages shows the Armagh goalkeeper in midfield at Healy Park in Omagh on Saturday surrounded by four Tyrone players. As usual he was both keeping goals out and setting them up at the other end. The following day he was back in enemy territory in Eglish to book his place in the Ulster intermediate final at the expense of cousins Paul and Bryan O’Reilly.

This turned into a shoot-out between Rafferty and Paul O’Reilly as they opened the first bend in three, while it took Bryan four. The front pair were level to the old school. They opened Hunter's in 12 each, where they were two clear of Bryan O’Reilly. Rafferty's power edged him in front up the rise to Reid's corner. Paul O’Reilly made a determined challenge to force a last shot.

Rafferty held on to get a second win and secure his place in the Ulster final. He may be facing his first-cousin, Mark Toal, who tied the other semi-final on one each with a big last shot from 40m hind against Shaun Donnelly.

Ciara Buckley is through to the Munster intermediate women's final. She beat Hannah Cronin at Clondrohid. She was well on the way after going a bowl up at the Bell Inn. In the final she will face either Juliet Murphy or Chloë O’Halloran, who meet in the other semi-final. Kelly Mallon and Dervla Toal-Mallon play the first tie in their, first-to-three wins, Ulster senior final at Eglish on Wednesday.

Three of the four Munster Junior B semi-final places have been won by Noel Gould, Noel O’Regan and Johnny O’Driscoll. The winner of the remaining quarter-final between Dean Sexton and Noel O’Donovan will play O’Driscoll in one semi-final, while Gould and O’Regan meet in the other.

Gould is progressing in both the Junior B and Veteran (over-50), where he meets Jimmy Collins in the Munster quarter-final. He eliminated Shane Shannon, one of the hot fancies for the Junior B at Lyre. He was a bowl in front after six. Shannon knocked the bowl at McCarthy's, conceded it again, before rallying in the closing stages.

A good rub around Pyne's corner proved decisive in Noel O’Regan's win over Timmy Murphy at Castletownkenneigh. Things went awry for Murphy from there leaving him almost two adrift. A big third bowl to Ballinora cross helped Johnny O’Driscoll break clear of Mick Wall at Curraheen. He was almost two bowls up at the bridge.

Pete Carr set a new record of 15 shots past the double-bend at Eglish in his storming Ulster Junior A semi-final win over Darragh Gribben. In Munster James Cooney beat Mick Hurley by a bowl in the East Cork – Waterford final at Clashmore. He plays London champion, Patrick O’Driscoll, at Grenagh. The winner will play last year's Munster Junior B champion, Denis O’Sullivan. O’Sullivan beat Gavin Twohig and Jimmy O’Driscoll in the South-West final at The Pike.

Former senior champion, Philip O’Donovan, beat Kieran O’Driscoll by two bowls in the Munster Veteran (over-50) at Curraheen.

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