The Dennington Red third is still playing at 87 — in division one no less.

O’Shannessy is the oldest player in Western District Bowls Division’s top grade.

He reckons there would be “one or two” other division one players in their 80s.

That he’s still a solid contributor in Dennington’s premier outfit is humbling for O’Shannessy, a former Crossley dairy farmer who took up the sport in 1975 when he retired and moved into Warrnambool.

But O’Shannessy not only belies his age in local competition.

He played with Dennington teammate Les Johnson to win the West Coast Region champion of champions pairs earlier this year, which culminated in an invite to the state championships in Bendigo in April.

O’Shannessy feels “pretty lucky” to still be playing bowls at a high level.

“I am just happy to get up out of bed,” he said. 

“I have been reconditioned — 23 years ago I had open-heart surgery.

“I have got good doctors and they look after me and any time I get down I have instructions to go up to emergency and get checked out.”

O’Shannessy, who admitted “my memory is not as sharp as it was yesterday”, is yet to play in a flag.

He didn’t play in one during his football days either before he retired at 26 after stints at South Warrnambool and the now-defunct Tower Hill.

His cricket career also ended without a premiership.

O’Shannessy would love to experience being part of a flag but it’s the camaraderie which ensures his interest in lawn bowls remains high.

“It doesn’t matter how much you get beaten by, as long as you’re competitive and you enjoy it,” he said. “That is the best way of looking at sport.

“It’s the only way you can look at sport because if you bump your head against the wall every time you get beaten, you’re not going to last long. A lot of people do that.”

O’Shannessy started his bowls career at City Memorial and had a stint at St John’s before joining Dennington.

He plays twice a week — pennant on Saturdays and social bowls on Wednesdays.

“I used to skipper in my younger days,” he said. “I have played every position.” 

O’Shannessy’s family haven’t caught the lawn bowls bug.

His wife of 62 years Dorrie used to play golf and none of his four daughters, 12 grandchildren or four great-grandchildren have followed him into the sport, yet. 

“That was my main problem, I had five women to live with,” O’Shannessy said, tongue-in-cheek.

In round four fixtures Dennington Red welcomes Warrnambool White, Port Fairy Red meets a resurgent City Memorial Red, a rebounding Mortlake Blue hosts Terang Green, City Memorial Gold will go in hot favourite against bottom-placed Lawn Tennis Red, Warrnambool Blue will battle Timboon Gold and big improver Koroit Blue tests its credentials against top-placed Warrnambool Gold.