Lahinch ladies win international team event in New York

LAHINCH Ladies’ Club, under the guidance of Elaine Doyle, lady captain, won the women’s international team challenge at Fisher’s Island, New York last week.
The other members of the successful team are Nollie McCarthy, Anna Glynn, Yvonne Morrison, Niamh Whelan and Jenny Cagney.
The competition was played over two rounds in fourball Stableford format. Niamh Whelan and Jenny Cagney formed one pairing with Elaine Doyle and Nollie McCarthy in another and Anna Glynn and Yvonne Morrison making up the third pairing.
In the men’s open singles at the club last Thursday, Jim O’Brien (7), from Balcarrick, was the winner with 37 points from Brendan O’Connor (19), Blainroe, with 34 points.
Saturday’s men’s singles Stableford competition was won by Derek O’Neill (6) with 36 points from Gary Lavelle (5) with 35 points and Brian Cusack (17) with 34 points.
Mass for deceased members will take place on this Saturday at 8pm.

Ennis
ENNIS Seniors’ group held a modified fourball competition on Thursday last the proceeds of which were donated to Clare Crusaders. The winners, with 41 points, were Tom Pilkington and Pat Rutherford followed by Sean Fitzpatrick and Charlie McEnery on 39; John Joe Keane and Michael Vaughan on 39, Peadar Cosgrove, and Bobby Burke on 39, Dick Herbert and Michael Finn on 38, Seamus Hanrahan, and Andy Cregan on 38.
In week two of the ladies’ October league, Maureen Moloney was the winner with 30 points from Della Burns on 29.

Woodstock
THE winner of the masters’ final at Woodstock was Martin Dormer (18) with 48 points.
In the club singles, Mike Kelly (14) was the winner with 41 points from Simon O’Neill (10) with 40 points.
Edward Casey (15) won the Dinan Cup with 39 points.
This week’s competition will be the Christmas hamper outing.

East Clare
IN the men’s singles at East Clare at the weekend, the winner was Teddy O’Hanlon (14) with 40 points.
In the men’s seniors’ competition, the winners were John Stack, Pat Browne and Noel Enright followed by Seamus Bohan, Richard Keating and Michael Quigney with third spot filled by Jim Greene and Mick Ryan.
In the ladies’ seniors’ outing, Pauline Nugent was the winner from Margaret McNamara and Nancy Starr.
The mixed matchplay is nearing the final. Maurice Costelloe and Mary Mannion have reached the final and Teddy O’Hanlon and Catherine Minogue have reached the semi-final where they will play the winners of the Sean Ahern/Mary Brennan versus Michael O’Hanlon/Mary Hogan match.
Next weekend, there is an open team of four on from Saturday through to Monday. There is also a men’s open singles.
The captains’ (William O’Brien and Siobhán Shanahan) dinner takes place on Saturday, November 5 at the clubhouse. Tickets are available through the office.

Dromoland
THERE was a big entry for the three-ball scramble in Dromoland in aid of Cahercalla Hospice. The winners were Nicky Duggan, Alan Neville and David Casey with 55.2 from Mark Reynolds, Brian Shally and Declan O’Leary with 60.1. In third place were Alan Woods, Jason O’Leary and Brian Hickey with 60.4 followed by Philip O’Sullivan, Frank Conway and John Casey with 61.2 with fifth place filled by Tony Cleary, Harry Bugler and Seamus McEnery on 61.5.
This weekend’s competition is a single Stableford with a classic on Sunday in aid of the Hope Foundation. To book a tee time, contact Maria or Gillian Nolan on 086 8032072.

Spanish Point
LAST weekend’s turkey singles competition was badly affected by the heavy rain on Sunday with many players unable to complete rounds. Remarkably, when the rain relented later that afternoon, the course dried out so quickly that several locals played nine holes. Those that played on Saturday and early on Sunday finished their rounds and continuing his good form, Eoghan O’Loughlin (4) shot 39 points to add another turkey voucher to his Christmas collection. In second place was David Dillon (19) with 35 points.
The open day, previously on Thursdays, will now change to Friday for the winter months. Jason Dormer (8), from Woodstock Golf Club, shot 32 points in very tough conditions to win last week’s outing. This weekend’s fixtures include Christmas turkey vouchers on Saturday and Sunday and there is an open singles scheduled for Bank Holiday Monday. The winter classic is now up and running with times available as required. Timesheets for all events are available in the clubhouse.

Gort
IN the men’s singles Stableford golfer-of-the-year competition at Gort at the weekend, Alan Minogue was the winner with 42 points from Noel Ruane who had a similar score and David Keogh with 40 points. Eamon Morrissey won the gross with 35 points. Alan Minogue has won the golfer-of-the-year award.
This weekend, there will be an 18 holes singles Stableford competition
In the ladies’ Christmas hampers’ competition, Siobhán O’Connor was the winner with 36 points from Anne Kerins who had a similar score and Ruth Naughton who also scored 36 points. Marie Hannon Healy won the gross with 21 points.
This week there will be a 13-hole four-ball competition for ladies.

Portumna
IN the men’s 18-hole singles Stableford competition at Portumna, John Kennedy (17) was the winner with 42 points from Michael Flanagan (8) with 39 points and Damian Quigley (12) with 39 points. John Cleary (5) won the gross with 32 points, while Dan Hogan (12) won the seniors’ category with 33 points.
Over the October Bank Holiday, the club will host a three-ball open competition with one score to count at the first hole, two to count at the second hole and three to count at the third then one score at the fourth and so on.
Due to the bad weather conditions, the matchplay finals scheduled for last weekend was deferred to this coming weekend.
In the ladies’ autumn league, Mary Madden’s team won from Ena Moran’s team. The best individual score was returned by Mary McDonagh.
The men’s club AGM will be held on Tuesday, November 8 at 8pm in the clubhouse.
The incoming captain for 2012 is Frank Ryan, president Michael Carty and lady captain is Ena Moran.
The club celebrates its centenary in 2013 and are in the process of compiling a book on the history of the club. John Joe Conwell, local historian, has been given the task of writing the history. Anyone with old photographs or documents pertaining to the club they are asked to make them available to any of the committee or contact Jim Hynes at jfhynes@mac.com.

Doonbeg GAA
THE ninth annual Doonbeg GAA classic was held at Doonbeg Golf Club over the weekend when the winners, with 96 points, were Mervin Hehir and Michael Hehir, Evan Talty and Paul Hickey. In second place, with 95 points, were Kevin Hayes, Declan Coote, Gerry Connors and Peter O’Brien and they were followed by Paddy Kennedy, Winnie Ryan, Dermot Donegan and Enda Finn, who also scored 95 points. In fourth spot with 92 points, were Diarmuid O’Donnell, Declan Conway, Pat Cotter and Pat Hanrahan.
The longest drive was won by Murt Conlon, while the prize for nearest the pin was won by Martin Griffin.

Clare Teachers
PORTUMNA was the venue for an outing for members of the Clare Teachers Society last Saturday, when the winner was Sean Daly, with 37 points from John Stack on 35 and Seamus Frehill on 35. Pat McNamara won category A with 34 points, while Áine Burke was the winner of category B with a similar score. In category C, Mary Glynn was the winner with 33 points. The nines were won by Peter Quinn with 18 points and John McNeilis with 17 points.
The society’s next outing will be on Saturday, November 5 to Gort when the tee will be available from 11am to 12.15pm. Those wishing to secure a tee time should telephone 086 3167365.

Bridgetown
BRIDGETOWN Society held an outing to Nenagh on Saturday last and this was a fundraising event for the senior citizens’ Christmas party in Bridgetown.
The overall winner was Timmy Jones from Eoin O’Brien and Dominic McArthur. Category A winner was Barry O’Sullivan from Tom Buckley, while Paul Mason won category B from Paudie Murray with John Walsh winning category C from Pat Duggan. The nines were won by Tony and Pat Fitzgerald with nearest the pin won by Timmy Jones and the long drive won by Paul Mason.
The senior citizens’ trophy was won by Dominic McArthur who also won the golfer-of-the-year award. This was the society’s final outing of the season.