By Irishexaminer.com,Séamus Ó Tuama
Copyright irishexaminer
Munster champion Hannah Sexton kept the Dutch woman under pressure for much of her semi-final, but sheer power and consistency pushed the Dutch woman clear.
Meghan Collins made a bright start too, but wasn’t able to keep in touch. Mallon looked vulnerable till the closing stages of her win over German champion Anke Klöpper, but she found a way to get through too.
Maria Nagle aggravated an injury in practice and had to withdraw at the start line.
Tulk led all the way in her semi-final with both Sexton and Collins closely challenging her in the early shots. She gained a big advantage with her third shot, but Sexton fought back strongly and was just 30m hind at the big corner. She stayed in contention to the end of the long straight.
Tulk then got an incredible tenth bowl to Heaphy’s. After that, she was always on top. She raised a bowl on Sexton at Hegarty’s and added a second to the line.
in the other semi-final, Klöpper missed light with her first bowl and Mallon was lucky to make it.
Two big shots later though and Klöpper was ahead. She led the next three onto the short straight.
Mallon regained the lead with her bowl to the big corner. She led to the finish, but the contest was in play till the closing stages.
She had almost a bowl on the long straight. A combination of a great bowl to light at Hegarty’s from Klöpper and a mistake by Mallon had it all level again.
Klöpper lost ground when her bowl past the creamery was accidently blocked. Mallon replied with a good bowl into the green, which Klöpper missed to concede a bowl of odds. There was no way back after that.
PáidÃn Stokes had a comfortable win over Timmy McDonagh in the Jim O’Driscoll Cup, Munster final.
He plays All-Ireland intermediate champion Gene McVeigh in the overall final.
Ulster U18 champion Eoghan McVeigh beat Ben Cooney and Andrea Volpi for the Jim Geary Cup. Cooney started well and was a bowl in front, but tripped at the mid-way point and never fully recovered.
Volpi, the first Italian to play at the festival, settled after a hesitant start.
