Dromoland pipped in national final

Dromoland Golf and Country Club came agonisingly close to a first national title at the weekend. Competing in the Irish mixed foursomes final, they were pipped for the crown by Donegal club Rosapenna in a competition played at Clontarf.
The competition is now in its 40th season and clubs from all over the country compete for the title. This year, 325 clubs participated in the competition and Dromoland’s progress to the final is a tremendous achievement.
In Thursday’s semi-final, Dromoland were three and two winners over Claremorris. The results from this match were (Dromoland names first), Kieran McDermott (12) and Julie Fitzgerald (17) lost 4/3; Nicholas Duggan (3) and Angela White (23) lost 2/1; Tony Cleary (+1) and Dorothea Madden (34) won by two holes; Declan O’Leary (7) and Mary Arthur (18) won 3/2; Mark Hogan (7) and Yvonne Shanahan (20) won by one hole.
This win sent the Clare club through to a final against Roseapanna, who beat Rathfarnham four and one. When Mark Reynolds and Maria Nolan were eventually beaten on the 21st hole, it ended the Clare club’s challenge for the title. The other results in the final were Tony Cleary and Dorothea Madden won two and one, Declan O’Leary (7) and Mary Arthur (18) halved their match; Nicholas Duggan and Angela White lost three and two; Mark Hogan and Yvonne Shanahan lost four and three.
The other members of the Dromoland panel were Brian Hickey, Dorothy Brennan, Sean Burns, Mary O’Donnell, Paul O’Brien, Geraldine Ryan, Brian Sheedy and Sandy Smyth.
The team managers were William Fitzgerald, Maureen McKeogh, Joan Ryan and Jimmy McManus.
Meanwhile, in the men’s monthly medal competition, a golfer of the year event, the winner was Ryan O’Neill, with 69, from Kieran Newman on 71 and Bobby Duggan on 72. Jason O’Leary won the gross with 77 while Brian Kelly won the 18 and over handicap section with 73.
There will be an 18-hole singles Stableford competition this weekend.
In the ladies’ section, the winner of the autumn major was Mary Arthur, with 36 points, from Mary O’Donnell, with 34 and Maureen McKeogh with 34.  Mairéad Bergin won the gross.

Ennis
The winners of the NBCRI team of four competition at Ennis on Sunday were Ronnie Guinnane, Pat Murphy, Seamus Bowe and Cathal O’Neill, with 89 points, from Luke and Tony Coote, Paul Higgins and Tim McAllister, with a similar score. In the ladies’ section, the winners were Flor Coffey, Marianne McGough, Anne Marie Russell and Anne O’Loughlin, with 84 points from Ethna and Joan Murphy, Joan Malone and Attracta Williams, also with 84 points.
Sean Miniter was the winner of the August medal with 67 nett.
In the Friday open singles, Leroy Crowe won with 41 points from Eamonn Callinan on 40, Charlie McEnery on 39 and John McCarthy on 39. Gary Collins won the gross with 34.
Mary Sweeney was the winner in the ladies’ section, with 39 points from Margaret Lacheiner on 34.
Meanwhile, 96 played in the seniors’ modified scramble last week when the winners were Pat Cusack, Tom Purcell and Noel Connellan, with 78 points. They had four to spare over Dickie Pyne, Conor Murphy and Terry Meade, who were three clear of Seamus Hanrahan, Dick Herbert and Michael Kenny. In fourth place, also with 71, were Vincent Gardner, Tony Blake and Sean O’Gorman followed by Luke Coote, Jimmy Kerins and Cyril Brennan on 70, John Guinan, Eamonn Corry and Brian Warner on 70, Joe O’Brien, Paul Mockler and Michael Nunan on 69, Michael Neylon, Brian Higgins and Bernie Hoey on 69.

Woodstock
In the monthly medal at Woodstock at the weekend, the winner was John Dempsey (14) with 65 nett from George Smith (8) with 67 and Brendan Arthur (21) with 68. Cathal O’Connor (2) won the gross with 74.

Lahinch
In the ladies’ singles Stableford competition at Lahinch last week, the winner was Patricia Ramsey (23), with 39 points from Patricia Kelleher (23) with 38 points and Valerie Shannon (7) with 34 points.
The men’s monthly medal competition on Saturday was won by Liam McDonnell (5) with 70 nett from Michael A Lynch (13) with a similar score. Frank Keane (10) was third with 73. The gross was won by Shane Duggan with 80.
In the ladies’ singles, Gráinne Hennessy (14) was the winner with 42 points, from Anne Vaughan (12) with 37 points. Frank Keane won the men’s singles Stableford competition on Sunday with 35 points, from Alan Guinnane (16) with 35 points and Derek O’Neill (6) with 34 points.
Olivia Lucas (7) won the ladies’ singles competition on the Castle Course with 30 points.

Spanish Point
Last weekend, the annual PJ Downes Memorial Intermediate Scratch Cup was the competition at Spanish Point and a big entry supported the event when scoring was good in pleasant conditions.
The winner was John Meere (13) with 79 gross (par 68) ,from Joe O’Rourke (12) with 80 gross.
In conjunction with the Scratch Cup there was a singles stroke competition for those outside the intermediate category and the winner here was Eamonn Murphy (10) with 67 nett.
In the senior open last week, Gerry Meade (17) won with 36 points. There will be a men’s singles competition this weekend and timesheets will operate.
Fiona O’Boyle (16) was the winner of the masters final with a score of 36 points. In second place, Evelyn Kelly was followed by Angela Dowling. Geraldine Reddan was the leading qualifier. The Ringenane club competition takes place on Saturday, September 22 and details are available in the clubhouse.

Kilrush
The winners of the John McNamara memorial scramble at Kilrush last week were Sean Moran, Ollie McNamara and Ann McMahon, from Jim Young Snr, Agnes Shannon and Marian Roche, with third spot filled by TJ Lyons, Fr Thomas McGrath and Kitty McNamara.
In the ESB Ladies’ Singles Cup last week, Dolores Reidy (24) was the winner with 37 points, from Niamh Whelan (11) on 35 points and Geraldine Burke (20) with 35 points.
The category winners were Anne Coen (15) with 33 points, Mary O’Sullivan (20) with 34 points and Carmel Lillis (30) with 34 points.
Friday’s mixed scramble was won by John Donnelly and Lucy Blake from Gearóid Williams and Anne Brennan, with third spot filled by Michael Hogan and Geraldine Burke.
The winners of the club fundraiser team of three at the weekend were Finbarr, Barry and Tony McMahon with 96 points, from Anthony Gilmartin, Adrian Coleman and Michael Miniter on 92 points and third spot filled by Martin Casey, Bernie O’Halloran and Denis Hassett with 92 points.
In the men’s open singles on Sunday, the winner was John Hopkins (Tullamore) (16) with 39 points, from Michael Coghlan (17), with a similar score. In third spot with 38 points was Seamus O’Doherty (9) followed by John Stapleton (18) with 37 points.
The winter league will commence during October and the entry sheet is on the notice board. The ESB Inaugural Cup men’s open singles will take place this Sunday.
There will be a ladies’ singles next Thursday, September 20.

East Clare
The winner of the Junior Scratch Cup at  East Clare was won by David Franklin (5) 74 gross, from Leo Mannion (7) 77 gross and Mike Rochford (8) 77 gross.
In the men’s stroke competition, Michael B Noonan (14) was the winner with 67 nett ,from Ger Slater (18) 69 nett and Jason Horan (12) 69 nett.
In the men’s seniors competition, the winners last week were Brendan Moloney and William McLysaght, from Tom Larkin and Michael Drew, with third spot filled by Flan Mullane and Pat Clancy. All three pairings scored 49 points.
The winners of the ladies’ team of three competition were Kathleen O’Brien, Sue Casey and Brigid Minogue.
The final golfer of the year competition will take place this weekend, with the top five from the monthly medal and majors qualifying. The ladies will have a masters’ competition.

Shannon
In the men’s special voucher competition at Shannon last weekend, the winner was Andrew Pearse with 44 points, from Kieran Carmody on 43 and Billy Grimes on 40 points. They were followed by Paul Kilbridge on 40 points, Daryl Casey on 39 and Pat McCarthy on 39. Ed Hickey won the gross with 33 points.
In the ladies’ 18-hole stroke competition, the winner was Colette Colleran with 70 nett from Jean Murphy Wright on 71, Hilary Clein on 71 and Mary Flynn on 72. Michelle Pyke won the gross with 85.

Portumna
Clonmel were crowned Western regional winners in  the Miele fourball championship when they beat Dunfanaghy. Claire Callan (8) and Mary Madden (21) won four and threee, Carmel Cunnigham (15) and Mary McDonagh (21) won three and two, Anita Carey (13) and Mary McElroy (24) won three and two while Anne Fahy (18) and Brid Kelly (24) won five and three.
The All-Ireland final will be held in Westmanstown on Saturday and Sunday, October 13 and 14.
The winner of the men’s 18-hole singles Stableford competition at Portumna at the weekend was Pádraig Purcell (19) with 39 points from Ray Lawless (15) with a similar score. In third place, also with 39 points, was Michael Keyes (12). The gross was won by Martin Kennedy (9) with 30 points while the seniors’ section was won by PJ Hogan (26) with 37 points.
In the Monday open, the winner was James P McLoughlin (scr) with 38 points from Gerard Bond Loughrea (9) with 37 points and David Franklin (East Clare) with 36 points. The gross was won by John Cleary (4) with 29 points.
The annual three-ball team open runs from September of this year to April 2013.
Mike Keyes won the matchplay final last week. He defeated Pádraig Purcell in an exciting final.

Gort
In the weekend men’s singles at Gort the winner was Matthew O’Halloran (16) with 44 points, from Robert Hotchkiss (20) with 43, Ray Quinn (14) with 41 and Noel Ruane (18) with 39. The gross was won by Colman Cooney (4) with 34 points.
There will be an open weekend fundraiser this weekend, with the weekly open singles on Monday.
In the ladies’ section, the winner last week was Phil Mulkerrins (27) with 39 points from Margaret McMahon (28) with 34.
There will be a ladies’ singles competition this week.

Sixmilebridge
Members of Sixmilebridge Society will play for John Nihill’s captain’s prize this Saturday in Shannon, when the tee is reserved from 10am.

Kildysart
Dromoland was the venue last week for the Kildysart Society’s president’s (Pake Murtagh) prize. The winner was Tommy Clancy from Ollie McNamara with John McNeilis in third spot followed by David Keane. The nines were won by Joseph Hogan and James Murtagh. Pake Murtagh won the long drive while John McNeilis won the prize for nearest the pin. Ger Kelly and Liz Blake won the guests’ prizes.

Cooralare-Cree
The Cooraclare-Cree Society held an outing to East Clare last Saturday when the ladies’ section was won by Mary Bolton with 34 points from Annie Gallagher on 31 and Peggy Mulqueen on 25.
In the men’s section, the winner was Michael Studdert with 37 points from Tom O’Dea on 36 and David Eastham on 35. The visitor’s prize was won by Seamus Conway with 36 points while Eoin Corry won the beginners’ section with 22 points. 

Clare Teachers
The Clare Teachers Society will have their first outing of the new season this Saturday, September 15. Woodstock is the venue for the 18-hole singles competition and the tee will be available from 9.30am. New members are welcome.

Pitch and Putt
Paddy Sheedy and Gerry Kierse won the two-ball scramble at the Clare Road venue on Sunday. Tommy Kelly and Kevin Woods were in second place.There will be an outing to Bruff this Sunday, when the bus will leave the club at 9am.