THE Cotton Ball came through to capture the Cork Darts Organisation Second Division Shield in their defeat of the Red Cove Inn at the Joshua Tree.

My hat was tipped in the direction of the Red Cove Inn to take this Second Division Shield but the Mayfield-based team certainly proved me wrong in what was an excellent and exciting decider.

The Cotton Ball began in whirlwind fashion as they took the opening two games in what were very tight clashes and it was Evan Creagh who had a 2-1 win over Timmy Noonan of the Red Cove Inn and he was followed by team-mate Joe Wyer who won 2-0 to a very unlucky Paul O’Sullivan to leave the Cotton Ball just the one game from victory.

However, the Red Cove Inn rallied through Niall Horgan to take the third game from Gordon Hill and exert some pressure on the Cotton Ball and it was through former B and C individual champion and veteran Vince Noonan that the pressure came as he emerged from the clash at number four against Ryan Cotter in a nail-biting finish by 2-1.

The fifth and deciding game brought Cotton Ball number five Graeme Buckley and Red Cove Derek Hegarty to the oche and again here there was very little between the scoring of both players but it all came to the double out and it was Buckley who hit the required double for the win to the Cotton Ball with the man of the match going to Cotton Ball number one Evan Creagh.

I also had to walk the plank in my prediction of the outcome of the First Division Shield winners on Monday last as the Gallows 1 strolled through their meeting against the Gallows 2 in their semi-final by a 3-0 scoreline and then went on to take the shield as they came through against the Joshua Tree in the final by a 3-1 result after the Josh had defeated O’Cionnaighs 3-2 in the semi-final.

Two preliminary games played in the CDO Challenge Cup saw Hennessy’s register a 4-2 home win over the Joshua Tree and Aunties had a 4-1 win over Walsh’s Sports Bar. 

CDO Challenge Cup; Monday, May 8: Quinlans 1 v Hennessys, Riverstown v Residence 1, Aunties v Joshua Tree 1, Local 1 v Jack Fords, Carrigaline GAA v River Lane 2, River Lane 1 v Groves 2, Gallows 1 v Local 2, Gallows 3 v Tower, Ma Dulleas 2 v Maple Leaf, Cotton Ball v Gallows 2, Groves 3 v O’Cionnaighs, Residence 3 v Red Cove, Muskerry Arms v Quinlans 2, Groves 1 v Cow, Top of the Hill v Old Reliable, Joshua Tree 2 v Ma Dulleas 1.