The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
Clare-Galway seniors league
Ninety seniors played in the fifth round of the Clare-Galway Seniors Winter League in Gort last week. Local member Michael O’Grady was the winner with 42 points and he was followed by Tony Coote (Ennis) on 38, Frank Higgins (Gort) and Luke Coote (Ennis) on 36.
Gort members Gerry Cooney, Pat Craddock, John Kelleher and Brendan Dolan each returned 35 points, with Paddy Fahey, Gort, on 34 and Rory Kennedy (Woodstock) on 33. Gerry Gilligan (Ennis) won the gross with 30 points.
The next round will be played at East Clare next Thursday.
Shannon
In the second round of the Ladies’ Winter League the performance of the week saw The RaRa Sisters climb to the top of the leaderboard when they returned 44 points for a total of 82 points. The team comprises Nollie McCarthy, Christina Halpin and Patricia Enright.
They are joined by last week’s leaders, The Warriors, consisting of Jean Murphy-Wright, Ailish Sheehan and Mary McGuane, who returned 38 points. In third place on 80 points are De Captains, consisting of Mary Sheehan, Marie Hogan and Marian Boyce.
While the title appears to rest between these three teams, it is not impossible for a number of teams to bridge the gap.
Due to frost, the men’s winter league round three has been rescheduled for this weekend. When the frost relented the club did run a men’s 15-hole singles in which John Gubbins captured the spoils with 38 points. John had one point to spare from Daniel Brennan, with Eamon Fanneran third on 36 points. The gross was captured by Jason O’Donnell with 33 points.
On the social scene, cards continue on Thursday nights and the quiz continues on Friday nights.
Kilrush
The second week of the spring league at Kilrush runs until this Sunday.
Last week’s seniors’ outing was a team event, with the best two scores to count at each hole. The winners were Matt Fitzpatrick, Noel Enright, Joe Ryan and Bill Murphy with 62 points from Oliver McNamara, Mick Hemmings and Tim Clune, who scored 56 points. In third spot with 53 points, were John Stapleton, Noel Cooney and Maurice Roche.
Lahinch
Jenny Cagney was the winner of the ladies’ singles v par competition on the championship course in Lahinch on Monday with a score of one-up. Maria Nolan was in second place on one-down.
Ennis
LaST week’s Ennis ladies’ 12-hole competition last week was won by Ann O’Loughlin with 30 points from Catherine Feore on 36 and Kathleen Frehill in third spot with 26.
The ladies’ seniors competition was won by Mai McMahon, Brid Kelly and Noreen Farrelly with 39 points from Oonagh Fitzpatrick, Ann Casey and Susan O’Brien, with third spot filled by Claire Ruane, Pat Leacy and Alice Darcy.
Woodstock
The date for entry to the winter/spring league at Woodstock has been extended to February 27/28. Meanwhile, there will be a singles Stableford competition this weekend.
Spanish Point
Martina Skerritt was the winner of last week’s ladies’ competition at Spanish Point. A 14-hole competition will place next Sunday, with a draw for partners at 1.50pm.
Doonbeg
Pat Cotter and Diarmaid O’Donnell emerged as winners of the fourball matchplay final.
They won on the 19th hole after a very competitive match against Timmy Killeen and Noel McMahon.
In the Sunday singles Martin McGivern had the top score with 41 points followed by Seanie Neylon on 39 points.
The next competition is fourball semi-open on this Sunday, when the tee will be from 10.36 to 11.48am.
Gort
There will be an 18-hole singles competition at Gort this Saturday and Sunday while the weekly open singles will continue on Monday.
The ladies’ spring league is ongoing until March 16.
Last week’s open singles was won by Adrian Conway with 42 points from Tommyh Lawless on 41 and Noel Forde on 41.
Dromoland
The opening round of the team league at Dromoland saw teams four and 10 share top spot. Team four comprised John Collins, Donie Hassett, Con Ryan, Don Barrett and Eugene Fawl while team 10 comprised Frank Travers, Mike Shinkwin, Paddy Keane, Alan White and Mick O’Shea. They were followed by team six, which included Paul Higgins, Alan Larkin, Ray and Ryan O’Neill and Mike Corry.
The individual winner was Con Woods. The format in week two is strokeplay.
East Clare
After last week’s action in the winter league at East Clare, Ger Hogan’s team has increased their lead after Terry Mulvihill, Danny Minogue and Joe Fitzgerald returned a seven under par gross round in the three-all scramble.
Kevin O’Brien’s and Flan Clune’s teams need to return good scores over the next two weekends if they are to get back into contention.
Portumna
Due to a heavy frost the course was closed over the weekend. The spring league will commence this Sunday and will be for teams of four, with one substitute.
The Christmas hampers will be played for on Sunday. The competition was cancelled during the festive season due to the inclement weather conditions.
The open threeball may be played during the week with three teams to qualify for the month of February. The final will take place in May.
Ennis seniors
Ennis Seniors hosted a team-of-three competition last week when the winners were Seán O’Gorman, Jimmy McNamara and John Keane with 52 points.
They had three to spare from John Stack, Tom McGrath and Pádraig Ryan. In third spot, a further three points back, were Pat Cahill, Denis O’Ceallaigh and Bill Leacy and they were followed by Jim Scully, Mairtin Concannon and Paddy Lane, with 45 points.
Kilkee
The individual winner of last week’s winter league 14-hole competition at Kilkee was Pat Sheehan with 32 points.
In the team event, Frank Murnane, Pat Harte and Jim Tweedy were the winners with 85 points.
Pitch and Putt
The Clare pitch and putt board’s spring league will start at Cill na Mona this Sunday at 10am.
The winners of the strokeplay competition at the Clare Road last Sunday were Marty Fawl (senior), Gareth Kerin (intermediate) and Denis Mc Elligott (junior).
