Great year for Lahinch boys as they capture junior league

Lahinch junior boys were victorious in the final of the Clare Junior League. They defeated Ennis in the final, played on the Old Course, Lahinch, by five matches to three. This was the club’s second time winning the competition, which is in its fifth year.
Earlier in the season, the boys’ club enjoyed great success when Aaron McNulty won the U-18 Clare County Cup in East Clare in July.
Later in July, Aiden Davidson, Colm McInerney and Jack Murphy had a clean-sweep of the prizes in the GUI County Clare U-15 competition, also held in East Clare.
In the Clare Junior League, which started in May, Lahinch, Dromoland, East Clare, Ennis and Shannon took part. Eight players played on a team, with five Stableford scores counting for each team.
After the five rounds played at these clubs Lahinch boys were clear leaders with the Ennis boys in second place. As Lahinch boys had finished top, they were able to host the final. A total of 17 Lahinch players played in the various league outings.

Ennis

In the ladies’ 18-hole singles competition at Ennis, Aideen Considine was the winner with 36 points from Pat Leacy on 36, Phil Butler on 35 and Anne Gallery on 35.
The ladies’ seniors competition number one was won by Frances O’Reilly, Nuala Guinan and Vera Byrnes with 49 points from Mary Leahy, Kate O’Ceallaigh and Eileen Daly with a similar score. In third spot with 51 points were Ann Casey, Mary Gardiner and Brid Kelly.
The winners of competition number two were Ann Casey, Mary McMahon and Bernie Brooks with 47 points from Mary Coltron, Nuala Guinan and Eileen Corry on 50 points. In third spot with 50 points were Vera Madden, Phil Butler and Margaret McEnery with 50 followed by Claire Ruane, Nancy Curran and Teresa Felle with a similar score. In the Friday open, Vera Madden was the winner with 35 points from Anna Glynn.

Portumna

The winner of the men’s 18-hole stroke singles competition at Portumna at the weekend was Frank Conway (21) with 68 nett from Tom Mulvihill (21) on 68, Brian McDermott (11) on 69 and Pascal Moran (12) on 71. John Harte (5) won the gross with 80.
There will be an 18-hole singles Stableford competition this weekend while the weekly open will continue on Monday.
Last week’s open singles was won by Dermot O’Donovan (11) with 41 points from Michael Kiely (15) with 40 points and Dan Hogan (12) with 39 points. Gavin Young (5) won the gross with 33 points.
The Murphy Plate Matchplay final took place last Sunday. The contest was between Ronan Nevin and Alan Hayes, with Ronan emerging as the winner.

Shannon

The ladies’ competition was a scotch foursomes, which saw a combination of Lynn Kelly and Mary Carroll winning with 38 points. They had one point to spare from Christina Halpin and Hilary Park. In third place were Jean Murphy Wright and Nollie McCarthy on 36 points.
The Wednesday open singles saw John Burns capture the honours with 39 points. John was steady, returning nines of 20 points and 19 points. The round of the day came from junior member Paul O’Neill, playing off scratch, who was around in two under gross for 38 points to take second place. Paul’s only concession to par came at the 18th but was offset by birdies at the sixth, ninth and 16th. Christy O’Brien was third with 37 points while Mike Corry captured the gross with 31 points.
The men’s weekend competition was an 18-hole singles in which Tom Walsh edged out Paul Lehane by virtue of a better back six, both returning 42 points. John G O’Connell was third on 41points. Next came a quartet on 39 points – Morgan Whelan, Padraic Carew, Declan Coyne and Donal O’Gorman. The gross was captured by Daniel Brennan with a level par round of 36 points.
There will be an open team-of-four competition this bank holiday weekend while there will be an open men’s singles on Sunday and Monday. The ladies will have the Calcul team-of-three competition.
On the social scene, the 45-card drive continues on Thursday nights at 9pm.

Dromoland

Noel Stapleton was the winner of the weekend turkey competition at Dromoland with 39 points from Pat McGrath on 38, Tim Kennelly on 38 and Gary O’Gara on 38. Brian Lennon won the junior section with 33 points.
In the ladies’ hampers competition on Sunday, Joan Ryan was the winner from Yvonne Shanahan with Fran Feighery in third spot. 
This weekend’s competition will be a three-ball scramble in aid of Cahercalla Hospice and guests will be allowed with members. A timesheet will operate with details at 061 368444.

Woodstock

In the club matchplay singles final, president Jimmie Kelly emerged victorious, beating the club captain John O’Connor on the 19th. The win marked Kelly’s third in this competition.
Jason Dormer won the masters final at Woodstock last week with 40 points. James McMahon won the Dinan Cup with a score of 36 points.
In the club singles Stableford competition, Ray Casey (6) was the winner with 41 points from Jason Dormer (10) on 40 and John O’Connor (12) on 40.
There will be an open two-person scramble this bank holiday weekend.

East Clare

Brendan Moloney (10) was the winner of the men’s singles competition at East Clare at the weekend with 40 points. He had one to spare from Michael O’Halloran (17) with third spot filled by Liam Nolan (15), who also scored 39 points.
In the men’s seniors outing, the winners were Jim Greene, Conor Tuohy and Noel Enright from Tony McNulty, Mick Ryan and John Anglim, with third spot filled by John Farrell, Willie Roche and Chris Davis.
Kieran Kennedy won the men’s matchplay title, beating Danny Minogue in the final. The winners of the ladies’ fourball were Leslie O’Flynn and Margaret Lynch with 40 points.
This bank holiday weekend there will be an open team-of-three competition and a men’s open singles and bookings can be made on 061 921322.

Gort

John O’Donoghue was the winner of the 18-hole singles at Gort at the weekend with 42 points from Kieran Grimes on a similar score. Eamonn Morrissey was next with 40 points followed by Shane Keane on 40 with Enda Cradock winning the gross with 35 points.
Last week’s open singles was won by Denis Doran with 39 points from Anthony Thompson on 38 and Leroy Crowe on 37.
There will be an 18-hole singles Stableford competition this Saturday and Sunday with the weekly open continuing on Monday.
The annual general meeting of the men’s club will take place on November 1 at 8pm in the clubhouse.
In the ladies’ section Madeline Donohue was the winner with 41 points from Ger Lynch on 35.
The ladies’ Christmas hampers competition will take place this weekend and will be an 18-hole singles Stableford event.
The ladies’ club annual meeting will take place on Sunday week, October 31, in the clubhouse at 6pm.

Ennis Seniors

Seventy-one members of the Ennis seniors club played in last week’s outing, which was a team-of-three event. The winners with 49 points were Joe McMahon, Noel Pilkington and Michael Kenny Senior from Joe O’Brien, John Stack and Pat Rutherford, who had 48 points. In third spot with 47 points were Sean O’Gorman, Val Bredin, Michael O’Reilly and Tony Blake and they were followed by Ferdie O’Donoghue, Norman Timmons and Tim Ryan, who had 46 points. In fifth place on 45 points were John Guinan, Paul Mockler and Seamus Hanrahan followed by Frank Landy, Michael Carmody and Brendan Colton with 44, with seventh place filled by Michael Culliney, Terry Hughes and Bobby Burke, also with 44 points.

Spanish Point

Last Saturday saw the first playing of the Hillery/Lynch Shield when a team representing Ringenane Golf Club from Kinsale took on a Spanish Point team at Spanish Point. Played in beautiful weather in mixed fourball format with the best six cards to count, the visitors won on a score of 222 to 212 points.
The presentation of the trophy, named after former President of Ireland, the late Dr Paddy Hillery, who hailed from Spanish Point and was a member of the local golf club and former Taoiseach, the late Jack Lynch, who was a member of Kinsale, took place after a meal at the Belbridge Hotel. Captains Gary Carroll and Mary Saunders welcomed the visitors, whose captains, Chris Cleary and Rita Young, expressed their delight in winning what is their first inter-club trophy in their three years as a club.
There will be a team-of-two scramble this weekend.

Lahinch

Last week’s ladies’ singles turkey stroke competition on the Lahinch Championship Course was won by Vera Madden (18) with 76 from Anne Vaughan (13) with 78, while Marjorie Ahern won the gross with 90.
Emmett Moloney (11) won the open singles on Wednesday on the Castle Course with a score of 42 points.
Thursday’s open singles on the Old Course was won by Michael Power (6) with 38 points from Kevin McGrath (5) on 35 points.
Saturday’s men’s singles Stableford competition on the Castle Course was won by Stephen Hennessy (5) with 40 points from David Sherry (11) who had a similar score. Michael McDonagh (15) was third with 38 points.
The ladies’ hampers were played for on the Castle Course last Sunday when Maire Hanrahan was the winner with 42 points from Jean O’Callaghan on 39, Diane Hennessy on 37 and Catherine McKenna on 37. Valerie Hassett won the gross with 28 points.
In the men’s turkey singles Stableford competition on Sunday, Aaron McNulty (5) was the winner with 37 points from Stephen Hennessy (8) on 36. They were followed by Tony Molloy (10) with 36 points, Brian McElhinney (18) with 36 points, Michael O’Loughlin (13) with 36 points, Harry Comber (21) with 35 points and Paul O’Brien (5) with 35 points.

Clarecastle

Clarecastle Golf Society will hold its next outing at Galway Bay Golf Club on Saturday, when the first tee is reserved from 10.30am. A timesheet will operate on the day and members can secure a preferred tee time by texting 086 3246015.

Newmarket

The October outing of the Newmarket-on-Fergus Golf Society will take place to Loughrea this Saturday when the tee will be available from 10.30am.

Inter-club pitch and putt challenge

The annual St Francis Credit Union Pitch and Putt Club challenge will be held this Sunday, starting at 10am at the Cill Na Mona Club, with the second round being played immediately after at the Clare Road course.