Crowley and Hurley give Munster the perfect start at Keady-Tassagh
Crowley's power gave him the edge over Tyrone's Eogan McVeigh in the boys U18 final. Twice he led by close to two bowls, but McVeigh rallied strongly in the final third. It was not enough to derail Crowley who is really maturing in his score management.
Emma Hurley was tested too by Ellie-May Carr in the girls U18 final. She took a while to stamp her authority on the score, but once she did, she looked awesome at times.
Carr kept pressing down to a brilliant purlicue around the last bend, which put Hurley in a sticky spot. She dealt with that with total calm, with two calculated perfect bowls.
Crowley's temperament was put under the microscope from the off as his first bowl was called. He didn't flinch, he responded with an equally good effort. McVeigh beat that by three metres, in what would be his only lead.
He was too wide with his next two and found himself a bowl down to Crowley's third. Crowley was close to two ahead after his fifth past Twyman's corner. McVeigh brought the lead under a bowl with a brilliant bowl up Gallogly's height.
This became the narrative for much of the score, McVeigh knocking the bowl, Crowley raising it again and threatening to push clear. Crowley was almost two in front again after ten over McGeown's height.
McVeigh closed the gap and saw it extend, till he finally got serious traction with a great 16th bowl past McKee's wall. He followed with another good bowl to the bridge. Crowley now had just 58m odds facing up the hill towards the line.
McVeigh's gains were squandered when he got a poor shot up the hill. Crowley hit back with a monster bowl that beat the line and gave him victory by a bowl of odds.
In the girls U18 final, Carr took the battle to Hurley winning the first three shots. Hurley won her first lead with a great fourth shot over McGeown's height. She pushed her lead out to 50m with her next one, but she could not break clear of a very tenacious Carr.
She finally gained a big lead with her ninth past Twynam's cottage. Carr was back in it after her bowl past Twynam's corner. Hurley moved up the gears and raised a bowl at the bus stop.
Carr made a valiant effort to turn the tide with a beautifully measured purlicue around the last bend. Hurley closed with two perfectly measured bowls, the first out under the hedge to full light, which kept her lead close to a bowl. She then sent a sizzling bowl down the hill past the line to seal it.
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