Competitors beat the cold at Lahinch

Despite the cold weather conditions, there were big entries for competitions at Lahinch over the Easter period.

The winners of the men’s fourball Stableford at Lahinch Championship Course on Friday were Dermot Morris (2) and Brian Spillane (16) with 45 points, from Gavin Whitaker (9) and Joe McAleese (9) with 40, with third spot filled by Rory (17) and Eoghan O’Neill (10) with 39.

In the ladies’ fourball, the winners were Marie O’Connor (16) and Mary O’Brien (21) with 40 points while, on the Castle Course, the winners were Lelia Palmer (28) and Eithne Kelly (34) with 35 points.

In the ladies’ singles for the JK Brice Cup, the winner was Patsy McCarthy (13) with 40 points from Fiona McCarthy (13) with 36 and Miriam Hilery (22) with 35. Jenny Hennessy won the gross with 28 points, while Emer Digan (10) won the silver division with 35 points and Suzanne Hassett (26) won the bronze division with 35 points.

The Ennistymon House Cup, a men’s Stableford competition, was won by Darragh McDonagh (17) with 37 points from Peter Hennessy (4), who had a similar score, John Murphy (13) also with 37 and Tommy Malone (2) with 36 points. Dermot Morris won the gross with 34 points.

The winners of a team-of-four competition on the Castle Course on Sunday were Darragh (17) and Michael McDonagh (14) John Shannon (19) and Michael Howley (14) with 82 points.

In a team-of-four competition on the Castle Course on Sunday, the winners were Lynn Slattery (21), Mary Lucas (34), Frank O’Callaghan (20) and Frank Houlihan (20) with 81 points.

They won from Mary (21), David (18) and Alan O’Brien (19) and Tom Holly (19) with a similar score. In third place, with 80 points, were Juan Fitzgerald (3), Aidan O’Driscoll (11), Kevin Lynch (12), and Dan O’Donovan (9), also with 80 points, followed by Urban (12) and Michael McMahon (26), Jonathan Keane (17), and John O’Gorman (20) and they also had 80 points. Fifth spot was filled by Gráinne Dalton (5), Miriam Abernethy (8), Maeve McCarthy (13) and Fiona McCarthy (13) with 78.

The Ladies’ National Breast Cancer Research outing last week was won by Maureen McKeogh (Dromoland) and Breda Doheny (Castletroy) with 44 points from Liz O’Driscoll (Lahinch) and Trish Quigley (Castletroy) with 43, Marie O’Connor (Lahinch) and Angela Dowling (Spanish Point) with 42 points, Deirdre Butler (Fermoy) and Andreas Creamer (Fermoy) with 42, Lil Leahy (Thurles) and Rose Corcoran (Castletroy) with 42, Olivia Lucas (Lahinch) and Angela Cullinan (Lahinch) with 42, Bernadette Scanlan (Castletroy) and Florence Ryan (Castletroy) with 41. Marie O’Connor won the nearest-the-pin prize while the longest drive was won by Gráinne D’Alton.

Woodstock
The weekly senior’s competition at Woodstock was a team-of-four competition over 15 holes and was won by Tony McInerney, Willie Thompson, Michael O’Brien and Sean McDermott, with a score of 90 points.
In the modified mixed fourball, the winners were Liam McInerney and Martin Dormer with 53 points from Ross Darmody and Noel Mulcahy with 49.

Kilkee
The winners of the scramble played in conjunction with the captain’s drive-in at Kilkee were Michael Culligan (18), Pat Bennett (16) and Ann Fox (26) from Sean Neylon (11), Tom Carr (17) and Phil O’Brien (22). In third place were Michael Reidy (16), Paddy McInerney (16) and Ann Cronin (22).

In week four of the spring league, the winners were Mike Mullane, Kevin O’Connor, Michael Miniter, Jim Leyden, Andrew O’Flynn and Joan Eakins with 481 points from Frank Murnane, Pat Cronin, Paddy Carey, Tom Carr, Christy Clancy and Marie McGuire with 455. The best individual score was returned by Mike Mullane (9) with 35 points.

Spanish Point
The winner of the Easter Hamper was one of the club’s up-and-coming prospects, Ross Burke, with a fine score of 69 nett. In second place was the very popular Patrick O’Boyle with an excellent 73 nett, while third place went to Brendan Coyne, also with a score of 73 nett.

This weekend there is an 18-hole singles Stableford competition in operation and the usual time sheets are available in the clubhouse by calling 065 7084198. Trials have started for the various inter-club competitions and any interested players are encouraged to contact the captains. The Gathering event for the June Bank Holiday weekend is fast approaching and all those interested should contact either Fergal Hehir or Dennis Gallery for information.

Shannon
A big turnout is expected this weekend for the club fourball matchplay qualifier at Shannon. The event will be played over three days, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The weekend singles was won by Christy Power (1) with 43 points from Joe Finley (11) with 42 and Brian McMahon (16) with 40. The gross was won by Pádraig Cahillane (4) with 36 points.

Kilrush
The ladies’ seniors outing at Kilrush last Tuesday was won by Margaret Clune with 31 points from Claire Pyne with 27 and Mary McNamara with 22. In the seniors’ outing last week, the Clare-Galway seniors enjoyed a visit to Kilrush.

The ladies’ singles on Thursday was won by Geraldine Burke (20) with 27 points, from Margaret Clune (31), with 23 points and Agnes Shannon (22) with 23 points. Denis Hassett won the weekend’s men’s singles with 38 points from Finbarr McMahon on 37.

The winners of the Good Friday sc ramble were Tom Coffey, Declan O’Donovan and Agnes Shannon from Michael Hogan, Barry McMahon, Noel Thornton and Joan O’Malley, with third place filled by Finbarr McMahon, Pat Shannon and Ailish Lorigan.

A similar competition on Monday was won by Ollie McNamara, John McGrath and Claire Pyne from Tom Prendiville, Sean Moran and Anne Hogan, with third place filled by John Robinson, Tom Coffey and Mary Carmody.

Entries for the Paddy Shannon Men’s Matchplay (Handicap 18+) are now being taken.

This weekend, the Paddy Ryan men’s singles Stableford will be the competition and re-entry is allowed. There will be a ladies’ singles this Thursday.

Dromoland
The Easter Bank Holiday weekend men’s 18-hole Stableford competition was won by Liam Moloney with 40 points, from David O’Brien on 39, Kieran Shanahan with 38 and Mark Hogan with 38. The junior winner was Gordon O’Neill.

The winner of the Lombard Pro-Am Trophy was Liam Moloney. The men’s golfer-of-the-year competitions for 2013 are now displayed on the club notice boards.

This weekend’s competition is an 18 holes v par event. In the ladies’ Easter egg competition, the winner was Mary O’Donnell with 35 points from Dervla O’Neill with 34 and Yvonne Shanahan with 33.
In the Granard Cup foursomes, the winners were Katrina and Dervla O’Neill with 40 points from Joan Ryan and Mary O’Donnell with 38.

The ladies’ seniors winner last week was Corola Wixted.

East Clare
The winners of the men’s fourball at East Clare were Derek Kenny (9) and Tom Browne (11) with 45 points.

The open team-of-three winners were Ger Hogan (11), Liam Nolan (18) and Paul Madden (15).

In the men’s seniors outing, the winners were Kieran Gibbons, Michael Quigney and Nick Ryan from John Fielding, John Brett and Jackie McHugh, with third spot filled by Liam Nolan, Pat Browne and Oliver Quigney.
Tara Whelan was the winner of the ladies’ singles from Catherine Minogue.

In the ladies’ seniors outing, the winners were Pauline Nugent, Maureen Clune and Pat Williams from Trish Kerr, Anna McGillicuddy and Marie Kelly.

There will be a men’s 18-hole stroke competition this weekend and this is a golfer-of-the-year event.

Portumna
In the men’s 18-hole Stableford competition, the winners with 42 points were Pádraig Cahalan (18) and Stephen Darcy (22) with 42 points, from Mike Flanagan (20) and Michael Kennedy (13), with a similar score. The gross was won by Sean Robinson (6) and Ger Madden (8) with 34 points.

In the open three-ball the winners for March were Colin Allen 17 (13), Slieve Na Mon, Stephen O’Donnell 17 (13), Dundrum and Shane Kenny 18 (14), Slieve Na Mon from Paddy Kennedy 12 (9), David McGrath 16 (12) and Gary Howard 18 (14), all from Nenagh. The competition continues for the month of April with the final on Saturday, May 4.

In the ladies’ 18-hole Stableford, the winner was Mary Kelly with 37 points from Anne Fahy with 35. The ladies will have an 18-hole Stableford competition this week.

Ennis
In the ladies 18-hole Stableford competition at Ennis, the winner was Monica Finnerty with 36 points from Betty O’Reilly with 35 and Clare Kennelly on 34.

In the ladies’ seniors scramble, the winners were Nuala Guinan, Nuala D’Auria and Ann Casey from Carmel Warner, P Costelloe and M Lenihan.

Eighty-four played in a modified fourball for Ennis seniors on Thursday, when the winners were Bill Leacy and Michael Finn with 40 points, from Tom Purcell and Pat McInerney on 38, Sean O’Gorman and Willie Moloney with 37, Ferdie O’Donoghue and Paddy Cahill with 36, Johnnie Cullinan and Frank White with 35, Michael Culliney and Noel Pilkington with 35, Michael Kenny and Don Ryan with 34, Joe O’Brien and Michael Dempsey with 34 and PJ Garry and Pat McGuire with 34.

Gort
Tommy Madden (11) won the singles competition at Gort on Friday with 33 points, from Pat Boyle (13) with 32 points.

At the weekend, a similar competition was won by Niall Divinney (15) with 43 points, from Pat McNamara (22) with 39 points, Brendan Gantley (10) with 39 points and Declan O’Halloran (14) with 36 points. Eamon Morrissey (2) won the gross with 32 points.

Clarecastle
Clarecastle Society will celebrate its 25th anniversary with an outing to Doonbeg this Saturday. A coach will collect members and guests at the Clarecastle Church car park at 8am. Members and guests should text 086 3246015 to confirm participation.

O’Callaghan’s Mills GAA
The annual golf classic organised by O’Callaghan’s Mills GAA Club took place in the East Clare club on Good Friday and Easter Saturday. The number of participating teams was down somewhat from last year but that could be attributed to the biting cold conditions. The two-day event concluded with a very enjoyable function in Jack’s Bar, Kilkishen, on Saturday night, where the prizes were presented by Brendan Hannon, who was the main sponsor of the tournament.

This year’s winners of the Fr Conor McNamara Cup were John Fahy, Gerry O’Connor, Declan Murphy and Tim Crowe, with a points total of 105. Just a single point behind in second place were Danny Minogue, Liam Nolan, Dave McGrath and John Cullinan. In third place with a team score of 102 points were Liam Carroll, Paul Lehane, Vincent Loughnane and Jody O’Connor. Stephen Moloney was the winner of the long drive and nearest-the-pin was Paul Lehane.

Sixmilebridge
Sixmilebridge Society members will hold an outing to Portumna this Saturday, when the tee will be available from 10;30am to 11.40am.

Lissycasey
May 16 and 17 are the dates for the Lissycasey GAA team-of-four golf classic, which will take place at Kilrush. Entries should be given to Declan Kelly at 086 8540652 or Robert McMahon at 086 3347768.

Inagh-Kilnamona
The Inagh-Kilnamona Society will have an outing to Ennis this Saturday.

Cooraclare-Cree
The weekly Cooraclare-Cree outings to Kilrush have resumed on Monday evenings. The starting time is 5.30pm and further details can be had from Michael Studdart at 087 2299476.

Pitch and Putt
The Frank Neylon shields were played for at the Cill Na Móna Pitch and Putt Club last Friday afternoon, with PJ Considine winning the men’s shield and Billy Griffin taking the gross. Kitty Murphy won the ladies’ shield, with Helen Daly taking gross prize. The next competition at the club will be this Sunday at 2pm.

At the Clare Road club, Noel Cuddihy was the overall winner of the Bronze trophy. PJ Considine won the junior section, with the intermediate honours going to Ger Hanrahan.