Exciting winter league final at East Clare

THE final of the winter league took place at East Clare on Sunday with the top four teams in action. In a head-to-head matchplay, there was a ladies’ singles, a men’s singles, a men’s scotch foursomes, a mixed scotch foursomes and a team needed to win three out of four games.
Ger Hogan’s team received a boost when they were awarded a point as Catherine Minogue’s opponent had to withdraw. Joe Fitzgerald and Danny Minogue proved too strong for Ciarán Sheehan and Flan Mullane, putting their team on to two wins. Liam Nolan came up against a strong opponent in Michael McMahon from Val Donnellan’s team and Michael won this one.
Meanwhile, Tony Scott and Michael O’Hanlon got their team off to a winning start when they beat Sean Jones and Stephen Moloney. Margaret McNamara and Val Donnellan played a draw with Martin Quinn and Peggy Ryan. Helen Ahern won her singles match against Kathleen O’Brien while Sean Ahern’s team kept in the hunt for the title.
The pairing of Teddy O’Hanlon and Annette Rowan had drawn with Ger Hogan and Terry Mulvihill and to deprive Hogan’s team of overall victory, Teddy and Annette would have to win the match. They came through after a good game and this left Tony Scott’s team with two wins also. Ger Teefy from Scott’s team came up against last year’s captain, Sean Ahern, and Ger emerged victorious to seal victory for their team of Tony Scott, Ger Teefy, Teddy O’Hanlon, Phil Burke, Annette Rowan and Michael O’Hanlon. The runners-up were Ger Hogan, Liam Nolan, Joe Fitzgerald, Terry Mulvihill, Catherine and Danny Minogue.
In last week’s men’s foursomes, Eric McNamara (3) and Frank O’Meara (14) were the winners with 39 points from Mike Stritch (15) and Enda Donnellan (15) with 39 points.
In the ladies’ singles, Tara Whelan was the winner with 35 points from Pat Williams on 34 and Breda O’Loughlin on 34.
The winners of the ladies’ seniors’ outing last week were Frances Gaffney, Brigid Minogue, Kathleen Reddan, Mary Brennan, Pat Williams and Mary Joe Minogue. In the men’s senior outing, the winners were Jim Greene, Pat Browne and Noel Enright from Liam Skelly, Jim Bradley and Jackie McHugh.

Ennis
SEVENTY-seven members played in the Ennis seniors outing last Thursday when the winners with 51 points were Sean O’Gorman, Frankie White and John Joe Keane from Mike Torpey, Willie Maloney and Jimmy McEnery on 46 points. In third spot were George Tuohy, Ger O’Brien and Larry O’Farrelly followed by Seamus D’Arcy, Johnny Cullinan and Michael Cummins. In fifth place were Ollie Kenneally, Peadar Cosgrove and Noel Pilkington followed by Bernie Hoey, Jim Scully and Michael Carmody while seventh place was filled by John Joe Coyne, Brian Warner and Tom Pender 44.
The penultimate round of the Clare/Galway Winter League takes place in Ennis this Friday with the tee available from 9am.
In the senior ladies’ scramble last week, the winners were Mary McMahon, Mary Colton, Mary Glynn and Monica Gallagher from Betty O’Riordan, Ann Casey and Joan Malone.
In the Lions and cups charity competition, Marianne McGough, Flor Coffey and Sinéad Hegarty won with 44 points from Pat Lacey Berna Connolly and Pauline Parkes on 45 points.
Saturday’s club scramble was won by Eddie Leen, Chris Withycombe and Paul Mockler with 47 points from Brian Kilker, John Guerin and Dick Herbet on 43 points.

Lahinch
SATURDAY’S men’s singles stroke monthly medal competition at Lahinch was won by Derek O’Neill (6) with 71 from Paul O’Brien (6) with 73 and Ronan Cooney (3) with 73. In the men’s four-ball Stableford competition on Sunday, Paul McInerney (4) and Paul Ralph (17) were winners with 42 points.
Last week’s ladies’ singles’ competition was won by Yvonne Keohane (18) with 37 points from Elayne Hickey (11) with a similar score with third spot filled by Anne Vaughan (13) with 37 points.

Dromoland
JULIE Fitzgerald was the winner of the ladies’ weekly Stableford competition at Dromoland form Suzanne McConway with third spot filled by Mary Arthur.
In the ladies’ winter league, the winners last week were Mary Arthur, Maria Nolan, Yvonne Shanahan and Annette Ryan from Julie Fitzgerald, Maureen McKeogh, Katrina O’Neill and Anne O’Toole with third spot filled by Joan Ryan, Beatie Porter, Angela White and Pam Farrell.
The presentation of winter league prizes will take place this Sunday after the lady captain, Sandy Smyth, and captain, William Fitzgerald, drive in to office. There will be a nine-hole scramble at 1pm with the drive-in at 5pm.
The first team after week six with 214 points comprises Mick O’Shea, Con Ryan, Barry Moloney, Sean Shanahan and Frank Travers followed by Mark Hogan, Pat McGrath, Con Woods, Ronan McCarthy and Martin Casey with 222 points. In third spot with 223 points are Mike Bolton, Patrick Keane, Jason Ronan, Philip Naughton and Philip Hehir.

Shannon
THE ladies’ winter league concluded with Eleanor O’Brien and Noelle Holland clear winners on 63 points. They had five points to spare from both Bina Donworth and Hilary Clein, Pauline Kilmartin and Mary Clancy both pairs returning 58 points.
Ann Jones captured the ladies’ 15-hole singles with 32 points. She had one to spare from Mary Carroll. Yoka Walsh was third on 29 points.
The men’s Wednesday singles saw Des McDonnell back in the winners’ enclosure with 36 points. Des had one to spare from Michael Carroll who in turn had one to spare from Liam Hogan. Inter-county GAA referee Michael O’Connor won the gross with 27 points.
This weekend, the men’s Tradaree Cup will be the competition.

Kilrush
THE final of the Kilrush spring league will be played this Sunday. All teams that played in the competition are invited to play again on Sunday. A timesheet will operate for play-off between 8.15am and 12.15pm and draw for opposites will take place on this Thursday. All members are invited to enter their names in their preferred hourly slots by 6pm on Thursday. The presentation of prizes will take place immediately after the competition is completed on Sunday.
There will be a 12-hole mixed scramble on St Patrick’s Day
In the ladies’ 12-hole competition last week, Carmel Lillis won with 25 points from Mary Young who had a similar score.
In the previous week’s competition, Kathleen O’Brien won with 30 points from Margaret Clancy on 29 and Agnes Shannon on 26.

Woodstock
AFTER Round 3 of the winter league at Woodstock, John O’Connor’s team is leading with 168 points from James Carmody’s team on 162 points with Nick Germaine’s team in third spot on 160 points followed by Adrian Kearney’s team on a similar score. Round 4 takes place this weekend when there will be a club singles Stableford competition.
Cormac Walshe (13) was the winner of the singles competition at the weekend with 41 points.
Last Tuesday’s 14-hole ladies’ Stableford competition was won by lady captain Joan Barrett with 26 points.
Joan also won Sunday’s competition with 31 points from Nancy Burke on 27 points.
There will be an 18-hole singles competition this Sunday with the draw at 11.50am.

Portumna
IN the men’s 15-hole Stableford competition at Portumna, Leslie O’Meara (3) was the winner in the 0-10 category with 33 points. The other winners were: Category 11-14: Tom Maloney (11) with 34 points; category 15-18: John Kennedy (17) with 33 points; category 19 and over: Mike Dowd (21) with 29 points while Peter Gibbs with 32 points was the winner in the voucher competition.
In the ladies’ 14-hole Stableford, Carmel Cunningham was the winner with 30 points from Mary McDonagh on 29 points and Hilary Molloy with 27 points. The junior golf section of Portumna held a general meeting last weekend and there were many suggestions put forward with regard to improving and promoting junior golf at the club.
Pauric Lohan chaired the meeting, Mairéad Taylor was there in her capacity as secretary.
Meanwhile, Sean O Brien has progressed to Phase 2 of the provincial U-13 panels.
There will be an open three-ball on St Patrick’s Day.

Spanish Point
PREPARATIONS for the first-round Town’s Cup match against Listowel GC at home on the April 9 are well under way with a series of trials and practices already played. Vice-captain, Noel McMahon, and team manager, Eoghan O’Loughlin, welcome members to support the team on the day. Anyone intending to travel to Ringenane GC for the Hillery/Lynch Shield challenge on April 2 and 3 are reminded to make sure their names are on the list.
The singles Stableford competition last weekend was also a qualifier for 16 to play the Gallery Matchplay Cup. Mike Hennessy (8) was the winner with 37 points from Thomas Dormer (13) with a similar score. John Meere (16) was third with 36 points.
On Saturday and Sunday week, March 26 and 27, there will be a men’s club fundraiser in the form of an open team competition and a timesheet will operate.

Gort
THE men’s competition at Gort at the weekend was won by Owen O’Donnell with 39 points from John Kelleher on 37, Ciaran Coughlan on 36 and Declan O’Halloran on 35. David Quirke won the gross with 25 points.
In the Monday open singles last week, Thomas Cooney from Tipperary won with 41 points from his clubmate Dan Moore on 36 points.
There will be an 18-hole four-ball Stableford competition this weekend when the launch of the team classic by Christy O’Connor junior will take place at 6pm. On St Patrick’s Day, there will be an open 18-hole singles Stableford competition.
The ladies’ spring league final will take place this Sunday.

Cranny-Coolmeen
WINNERS of Cranny/Coolmeen society outing in Dromoland last week were
Michael Donnelly, John McNeilis and Dermot Daly with 61 nett. from Gerry Bredin, Noel O’Shea, John Seery and Tommy Coffey with 66.1 Nett. In third place were Ray Shannon, Des Murphy and David McMahon with 69.1 nett.
The society’s next outing will be on April 16 to Gort when the tee will be available at 2pm.

Éire Óg
THE annual general meeting of the Éire Óg Golf Society was held last week at the clubhouse in Clonroadmore. Colum Flynn was elected society captain while the president is Bishop Willie Walsh. Society secretary is Tommy Corbett with Declan Coote filling the post of treasurer, Des Neylon as handicap secretary and Pat Daly as PRO.
The first outing of the season will take place on Saturday, April 2 to Portumna and further information is available from secretary Tommy Corbett at 086 3895895.