He might have missed out on one All-Ireland Final this year but all was not lost for Armagh’s Ethan Rafferty as he is crowned All Ireland Road Bowls Champion, 2025.
Despite being plagued by injury in 2024, the Armagh GAA goalkeeper has now secured his third All-Ireland title in just 12 months.
The first for Rafferty came in July 2024, when Armagh clinched their All Ireland victory against Galway at Croke Park… a monumental achievement for the county squad who had last obtained an All Ireland win back in 2002.
Rafferty played backup goalkeeper to Blaine Hughes during the All-Ireland series after breaking his leg during a club match.
However, he gained his own success the following day by securing a seismic victory in series one of the All-Ireland Road Bowls at Castletownkenneigh.
On Sunday, July 13, Rafferty made the double by becoming the All-Ireland Road Bowls Champion for the second consecutive year.
Posting a summary of Rafferty’s win Bol Chumann Northern Branch said: “Ethan Rafferty capped a fabulous weekend for Ulster in series 1 of the All-Ireland Championships in Castletownkennigh at the weekend.
“He beat Arthur McDonagh in a thrilling senior final to land 4 in a row for Armagh at this grade.
“He was unplayable at times today with some stunning shots.
“His break has gone done in local history as the biggest seen on this course, it came out of him like a rocket and McDonagh just beat it in 2.”
“The rain started and Ethan didn’t really take advantage but with poor conditions we will give him a break.
“His bowl through the round tower x was stunning again and almost raised the bowl but McDonagh kept him honest with a jet of his own.
“To be fair to Arthur he kept plugging away up to the corner and when he got a favourable touch of the wall, Ethan was just throwing his lead and maybe under pressure for the first time in the score.
“But as all great sportsmen do he stood tall and hit a jet to open the next corner which McDonagh just beat.
“Ethan raised the bowl with his next and when Arthur missed the no play line the writing was on the wall.
“Arthur choose to loft to keep it under the 2 bowls and reduced the deficit up the home straight but Ethan wasn’t going to miss his chance to gain a senior crown at his first attempt and finished like a champion.
“A simply brilliant display of fast accurate bowling.”
Rafferty made it as the starting goalkeeper for the county’s senior squad in the All-Ireland Quarter Finals this year before sadly losing out to Kerry, who have now progressed to the All-Ireland Final against Donegal.
