THE winding country roads surrounding Armagh City are regularly thronged by road bowlers at this time of the year.
The ancient game, played with a metal ball or ‘bullet’, attracts large crowds as players compete to travel a set distance in the least number of ‘shots’ (throws).
Players young and old battle it out in ‘scores’ as competition builds towards Ulster and All-Ireland finals at all levels and the annual showdown with Cork.
The highlight of this weekend’s programme is the meeting of Ethan Rafferty and Shane O’Neill in the Ulster Junior A Championship final on Friday evening.
Armagh football star Rafferty showed tremendous form to beat Mick O’Neill last weekend, taking the lead with his opening bowl of 20 yards and following it up with a monster second.
O’Neill didn’t do much wrong but Rafferty kept producing the goods and powered on to book a place in the final against Shane O’Neill.
Meanwhile, Bryan O’Reilly beat Cathal Toal in the semi-final of the men’s senior championship last Sunday.
Fixtures
Ulster Championship finals
Friday, June 23
Village, Junior A final (7pm): Shane O'Neill v Ethan Rafferty
Bagnalls, Boys U18 final (8pm): Patrick Mackle v Ruairi Hughes
Sunday, June 25
Currans, (10.30am) Paul Dobbin Tournament: Martin Toal v Mark Toal; McGrail’s (11.15am): Gerald Conlon v Damian Hughes (+1 shot); Currans (12pm): Paddy Toal v Frank Oliver; McGrails (12.30pm): Ross Gribben v Michael McGeary
Results
Philip White-sponsored Ulster Championship Junior A: Ethan Rafferty bt Mick O'Neill 3bls; Patrick Mackle bt Caoimhin McGleenan 1 bwl; Ruairi Hughes bt Sean McShane L/shot
Tullysaran Championship fixtures
Wednesday, June 21
Ladies Senior semi-final, Chapel (7pm): Dervla Mallon v Kelly Mallon (Ref: Paddy O, Markers: JK and Padraig)
Sunday, June 25
Men's Intermediate final: Mary Ann's, (2.30pm): Paul Rafferty v James Oliver (Ref: Patrick Conlon, Markers: Saran Daly, JK and Eoin Mullen)
Wallace's (4pm), challenge: Stevie O'Neill and Marty Mullen v Paul McVeigh and Fintan Daly (Markers: Frank and Stevie McGurk)
Wednesday, June 28, Ladies Senior final, Chapel (7pm): Siobhan Mackle v Dervla Mallon or Kelly Mallon
Fixtures
Wednesday, June 21, Jackie Connolly Cup (7pm): Malachy Lappin and Dinny Lappin v Paul Grimley and Erin Connolly; (7.30pm) Paul Hughes and Eamon Connolly v Stephen Doran and Roberto
Friday, June 23
(7pm) Nico Kelly and Tony Hughes v Bilko Quigley and Jarlath Devlin, (7.30pm) Marty Cullinane and Tom McKeever v Shorty Grimley and Jim Mcloughan
Saturday, June 24
Felons (1pm) Grade 4: Sean Gibney v Arturaus Cem
Sunday, June 25:
(11am) Grade 1: Paul Doran v Darren Donnelly v Ryan Gamble; (11.30am): Ike Gribben and Ciaran Hughes v Don Stevenson and Barry Corr; (12pm): Nico Kelly v Shorty Grimley
Tieve Tara Road Bowl Fixtures
Junior C Fixtures
(2pm): Shane Feighan v Brian Kinchin; (3pm) Ryan Fay v Rhys Daly; (4pm) Eoin Hughes V Cormac Garvey
Rock Road Fixtures
Saturday, June 24
Boys’ U16 Corrs, 2pm: Caolan Smith v JP Clinton; (2.30pm): Jake Cullan v Darragh Gribben; (3pm): Eugene McVeigh v Ciaran Hughes
Wednesday, June 28
Corrs (7pm): Ruairi Hughes v Trystan Lyttle; (7.30pm): Jake Cullan/Darragh Gribben v Tiernan Killan
Results
Intermediate quarter-finals: Alisha Rooney beat Karen Grimley, Sinead Kiernan beat Elaine McGrady, Emma O'Neill beat Shannon Mallon
Senior semi-final: Siobhan Mackle beat Erin Connolly
Boys U14 Ulster championship: Eugene McVeigh beat Darren Gribben; Felons Grade 3: Shorty Grimley beat Kieran Smyth
