North American Region Championships

North American Region Championships, Saturday and Sunday August 12 & 13, 2006, Turkey Run Road, two miles north of Buckhannon, West Virginia.

The best players from the Boston, New York, and West Virginia (the three organized leagues in North America where this old sport is played) will meet for two days of one on one and doubles competition. Winners will advance this autumn across the ocean to the "2006 All Irelands," the 52nd annual World Series of Irish Road Bowling.

On August 12 and 13, the best players in North America will meet in intense competition to see who is "top gun," the fastest and most accurate bowler who will carry the North American banner to Ireland this fall. Semi finals will be held all day Saturday, Championship finals in the three grades Sunday afternoon. There will also be an open ladies competition.

New and growing in popularity in the USA, Irish Road Bowling, "The Old Game" has been played for over 300 years on country roads primarily in County Armagh and County Cork, Ireland. Older than baseball, football or golf, a 28 ounce iron and steel "bowl" about the size of a tennis ball is thrown underhand over a one or two mile country road, fewest shots to the finish wins. Good shots can travel 200 yards or more. The record in West Virginia is 422 yards on Wildcat Road, Ireland, WV.

At first an event added in 1995 to the Irish Spring Festival in Ireland, West Virginia, the Old Game is now played at 14 tournaments in ten towns in north central West Virginia. Irish troops played road bowling between battles in West Virginia during the American Civil War. Its an exciting sport anyone can easily learn but only a few play really well, perfect for the scenic country roads of West Virginia. This is the first time the North American Region Championships have been held in West Virginia, in other states all over the USA informal groups are beginning to play Irish bowling "scores." Everyone is invited to come out and learn from the best players this side of Ireland.

Some of the top bowlers in the USA –

West Virginia - Travis Craig, Jerod Putnam, Ireland, WV, Shannon Gear, Elkins, Ken McClintic, Holly River, Justin Shaffer, Horse Shoe Run;

Boston - Roger O' Riordan, Con O' Callaghan, Brendan and Mike Fleming, Barry Curran, Florrie O Mahoney, John Twomey, Mossie Dore, Mike O Donovan, Jehr Kerry; New York - Adrian Lappin, Eoin O 'Riordan, Mick Moloney, Magella McCabe, Paul Lavery, Kevin O'Keefe, Noel Cronin.

See www.wvirishroadbowling.com, www.newyorkroadbowling.com for more information.

Fixtures/Results

Mary Ann’s Cup:

Sun 2^nd July:

Chapel, 11.15am: Anthony Rooney v Kevin Daly (Marker: Danny)

Allen’s Lane, 12 noon: Eugene Donnelly v Aidan Early

Knappagh, 2.30pm: Challenge: Connor McGuigan and Michael O’Neill v Mickey Toal and Ethan Rafferty (Marker: Mickey McVeigh)

Chapel, 3.30pm: Malachy Quigley v Shane Donnelly

Anne Marie Smyth Cup:

Thurs 29^th June:

Chapel, 7pm: Emma O’Neill v Leanne Mackle (Markers: Anna and Bronagh)

Allen’s Lane, 7.30pm: Roisin Mackle v Claire Mackle

Mon 3^rd July:

Chapel, 7pm: Alisha Rooney v Kelly Mullan (Markers: Teresa O and Teresa M)

Allen’s Lane, 7.30pm: Elaine McGrady v Tracey Mallon

There will be a Blitz Day for all clubs youth on Sat 1^st July. All interested Under 6, 8, 10 and 12, Boys and Girls, are to be at the Chapel gates at 11am sharp. The presentation in the Parochial Centre will be immediately after the blitz.

Our Club would like to congratulate Mickey Toal and his sister Dervla on reaching their All Ireland Finals, keep up the good work!

Orlaith Trainor, Claire Mackle and Ethan Rafferty didn’t get away with it in their respective finals, better luck next time!

Results:

Maurice Rooney v Shane O’Neill jnr: Rooney started the better of the two and forged ahead to a bowl and odds of a lead at Mary Ann’s. Young O’Neill had been throwing erratically to this stage, but then settled and began to throw more consistently in the middle of the score. O’Neill had reduced the lead going into the cap and Rooney didn’t really take his chances to put the score out of O’Neill’s reach at this point. From the bridge, O’Neill produced nothing but milers and when Rooney faltered up the straight, O’Neill took the lead before the top corner. With just the last shots to throw, Rooney, throwing first, scored the line, but O’Neill held his nerve and produced another miler to well over the line for the comeback win of the competition.

Connor O’Neill v Ronan McKenna: McKenna started the steadier of the two with O’Neill getting a few nice rubs to keep him level at Toby’s. McKenna proceeded to stretch his lead past Allen’s but he couldn’t quite shake off the tenacious O’Neill. They continued in this vein until Mary Ann’s with still only yards in the butts. Out of Mary Ann’s, O’Neill played a great shot to across the Point Road, and McKenna looked to be in trouble when he didn’t reach the bus shelter. From here McKenna’s last was played very close to the dead kerb, but turned all the way and scored the line by twenty yards. O’Neill pulled his last, and when it hopped at the priests house and caught the hedge, the score was McKenna’s.

Danny Trainor v Paddy O’Neill: O’Neill started in great form with two milers to Killara Grange entrance. Trainor on the other hand was erratic early on and it took a big shot from McKinney’s piers to Mary Ann’s to keep him just a bowl out. O’Neill was in top form going past Mullantur in six, and holding on to a bowl of a lead. A comeback looked possible to Trainor at the cap, when he went from the start of the cap to the bridge in one. But O’Neill had other ideas and kept the pressure on, throwing a great shot from Mullantur Gates to past Toby’s lane, bringing the lead back to almost a bowl. Another couple of errors up the home straight put paid to Trainor’s chances, and O’Neill ran out a worthy winner by almost two bowls.

Good Luck to these three winners, Ronan McKenna, Shane O’Neill jnr and Paddy O’Neill in the play-offs.

Barry McKenna v Cathal McGrady: (Mary Ann’s Cup): Young McKenna started erratically, and when McGrady produced a big shot to well round the first corner, he found himself a shot and odds in arrears. McKenna’s improvement began when he played his first good shot past the bridge, which broke the shot, and by the end of the cap he reduced the deficit even further. Another big shot from the cap to almost Allen’s put McKenna in the lead. Although McGrady fought back with a big shot round Mary Ann’s corner, McKenna had just too much speed up the home straight, and sealed a comfortable victory.