Rafferty takes to road for All-Ireland glory in 2025

Had things gone according to plan, Ethan Rafferty would have been involved last weekend in the All-Ireland football championship semi-finals.

The reigning champions looked on course during the early stages of their last-eight clash with Kerry, before the Kingdom hit the overdrive button to dethrone the Sam Maguire holders.

One silver lining is that the exit allowed the 31-year-old switch sporting focus to his other passion, road bowling.

While one All-Ireland dream was gone, on Sunday he realised another. The Grange clubman took the All-Ireland senior road bowls title in west Cork, defeating Arthur McDonagh to back up his intermediate title from last year.

🏆Ethan Rafferty, All-Ireland Road Bowls Champion 🟠⚪️👏👏

🗣️"One down, one to go" 💪

Congratulations Ethan 🤜🤛 pic.twitter.com/o68FmbY15q — Armagh_GAA (@Armagh_GAA) July 14, 2024

It marks something of a family monopoly on the Hughie Traynor Cup as he succeeds his brother Colm as champion, while the previous two editions were won by first cousin Thomas Mackle.

Last year Rafferty's aunt, Dervla Toal-Mallon, took the senior women’s crown.

To the uninitiated, road bowls – or bullets as it is known in Armagh – is a sport where competitors throw a solid metal ball (Rafferty and McDonagh were throwing a 28-ounce bowl) along snaking country roads in the fewest shots.

"It’s the same concept as golf," says Gretta Cormican, a key figure in Ból Chumann na hÉireann (Irish Road Bowling Association).

"You go from A to B in the least amount of shots. There is a start and finish line and it is usually over a distance of around a mile and half for the senior final."

Once a popular sport right across Ireland, road bowling is played primarily in Cork and Armagh, and Cormican, the 1998 women’s world champion and seven-time All-Ireland winner, outlines distinct styles between the two counties.

"The Cork style is to swing your arm right around. The Armagh boys don’t swing the arm, they run full holly into it, jump and release the bowl underhand."

Rafferty in Ulster colours on All-Ireland final day. Picture credit: Gretta Cormican

While McDonagh had to negotiate four matches to emerge from Cork (known as the Munster championship), Armagh currently only has three senior bowlers. With Mackle injured, it was a best of three Ulster decider for the Rafferty brothers.

"It was awkward enough, yet enjoyable at the same time," Rafferty says.

"I’d consider Colm a better player than me. He was in good form, but I nipped him in Ulster. It was good craic, but as soon as it starts, you want to win."

Last year he claimed the intermediate title the day after lowering Kerry colours in the All-Ireland football semi-final. The Kingdom's revenge mission in Croke Park a fortnight ago allowed him to fully commit to targeting a senior crown.

The lead-up wasn’t overly intense, a couple of evenings hitting the local roads with friends and father Peter. A half an hour here and there, often before club training with Grange "to keep the eye in".

His family and friends made the trek south to Castletownkenneigh in west Cork to see if the silverware would remain in the Orchard County, joining the huge crowds gathered roadside for the seven events down for decision (the All-Ireland series is broken into three series, with each series hosting seven grades).

Rafferty wasn’t the only recognisable GAA face. In the women’s intermediate final, Armagh camogie captain Gemma McCann beat decorated former Cork footballer captain Juliet Murphy with the last throw.

Rafferty’s final was a little more comfortable. Leading from start to finish, his first two bowls paved the way for victory. McDonagh’s late rally was in vein, Rafferty producing a scintillating last shot to keep his lead over a bowl.

"I knew I had got him at arm’s reach," he said. "When I went a shot up, I knew I just had to keep beating his mark.

"You have to be shrewd, talk yourself down and keep throwing your shots. Keeping a level head in vital."

Rafferty accepts the Hughie Traynor Cup. Picture credit: Gretta Cormican

As the celebrations continued in Clonakilty, the messages came in thick and fast, Armagh team-mates among those to congratulate the new champion.

"Some of them would never have heard of it before, sometimes I would be explaining it," he said. Doing well last year, more of the lads picked up on it from that

"I always say I must get a bit of a gathering of the boys to throw for charity and have a bit of craic."

Earlier in the year the roving keeper admitted he wasn’t sure if he would be in a position to continue road bowls at such a high level.

He and his partner Danielle are due to welcome a baby in the next four weeks, so his schedule will have even less openings. Can he see himself defending his title?

"I don’t know. We’ll see. If I can fit it in, I’ll try my best. Bullets is a good release from football. It’s a different element of focus."

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