Portumna win All-Ireland Junior Cup for first time

PORTUMNA won the All-Ireland Junior Cup for the first time in the history of the club. They won the Connacht title in August at Castlebar, which was also the venue for the All-Ireland finals.
The finals were played last Wednesday and Thursday. Portumna played Bambridge, the Ulster champions first and the Connacht champions came from being behind in a number of their matches to score a great win and secure a place in the final where their opponents were Naas.
Father and son, John and Seán Cleary, were the heroes the first day, both coming from a deficit position to win their respective matches. Pat Quinlan was the toast of the club on Thursday. After John and Seán Cleary both won, Pat Quinlan made sure when he hit a tremendous four iron to 10 feet at the difficult par three 16th to see off David Prendergast in the fifth and final match.
The team captain was Matt Donoghue and the win comes after last year’s great All-Ireland success in the mixed foursome.
The autumn trophy was played for last Sunday and the winner of the stroke competition was Brendan Naughton (11) with 66 nett from Basil Kennedy (11) on 67 with Simon Dagg (15) in third spot with 68. John Harte (5) won the gross with 75 and the seniors’ section was won by Christy O’Rourke (11) with 68.
Last week’s open singles was won by Michael Kiely (16) with 40 points from Anthony Kennedy (13) with 39 and Kevin Kelly (9) with 39. John Harte (5) won the gross with 33 points.
In the ladies’ 18-hole v par competition, Ena Moran was the winner from Ann Cassidy with Sadie Twomey in third position.
The annual trip to East Clare takes place this Sunday and a timesheet is in operation. There is a strong association between both clubs as many of the members of East Clare played Portumna every weekend before their own course was constructed.

Lahinch

MICHAEL O’Kelly (scratch) won the John Burke club championship at Lahinch on Saturday with 151. He had four strokes to spare from Stephen Loftus (scratch) while Diarmuid Leonard (5) won the nett with 151.
In the club handicap championship, Niall Morrison (2) was the winner with 148 nett. Michael Waters (8) was second with 151 while Eamonn Connolly (7) was third with 153.
In the ladies’ singles Stableford competition on the Castle Course on Thursday, Suzanne Cagney (35) was the winner with 39 points.
Mary Arthur (18), Kilkee won the ladies’ open singles last Wednesday with 27 points.
In the men’s open singles Stableford competition last Thursday, Tom Kirby (15) from Carrick-on-Suir was the winner with 39 pints from Kevin McGrath (5) on 37 and Joseph O’Sullivan (9) Berehaven on 36 points.
Last week’s ladies’ monthly medal was won by Kay Vaughan (15) with 75 from Valerie Shannon on 76.

Shannon

THE Wednesday open singles at Shannon saw Seán Collins capture the spoils with 42 points. Seán turned with 19 points but covered the back nine in four over for 23 points with a birdie at the 14th being the highlight. Seán’s back nine just edged out John Paul Meaney who also returned 42 points. John covered theopening nine in level par for 24 points with birdies at the second and eighth being the highlight. His back nine of 18 points just came up short. Visitor Joe Carey from Charleville was third with 40 points while the gross was won by Ed Hickey with 35 points.
The weekend’s men’s competition was a scotch foursomes, which saw John McPhilips and John Kelly victorious with 47 points. They had two points to spare from Dermot Egan and Eamon Kirwan on 45. Father and son, Mike and Barry Deasy, were third with 44 points while the gross was won by Jim O’Grady and Ed Hickey with level par 36 points.
On Sunday, the competition was an Open Scotch mixed which saw John Hartery and Hilary Clein achieve a runaway victory with 47 points. They had four to spare from William O’Brien and Mary Sheehan on 43, who in turn had one to spare from John Boyce and Mary Arthur on 42. Visitors David Carroll and Margaret Hickey from Adare Manor won the gross with 32 points.
The September men’s singles will be the competition this weekend while the ladies will play the Calcul team of three.

Dromoland

COLETTE Colleran was the winner of the 18-hole stroke competition at Dromoland at the weekend from Maureen McKeogh with Ann Nix in third spot and Joan Ryan fourth.

Woodstock

JOAN Barrett has been named as the incoming ladies’ captain at Woodstock.
In the ladies’ masters final at Woodstock, Fran Feighery was the winner with 75 nett from Teresa Sherlock on 82, Joan Barrett on 83, Patricia Graham on 84, Marianne McGough on 85, Mairéad Carroll on 87, Bernie Power on 87 and Jenny McElhinney on 94. Mary Sadlier won the gross with 82.
In the Wednesday open singles at Woodstock, Chris Power (13) was the winner with 41 points from Ken Horgan (12) on 40 points.
In the Sunday singles, Ken Horgan was the winner with 43 points from Joe Collins on 42 and Cathal O’Connor on 40.
Next weekend’s competition is the club championship singles stroke.
The seniors will hold an outing to Ballykisteen on Monday. A bus will leave from Woodstock at 9am and those wishing to travel should contact Jim McMahon at 087 6752036.

East Clare

ADAM  O’Halloran won the men’s singles competition at East Clare last week with a score of 40 points from Kieran Clancy on 37 and Mike Reddan on 37. In the ladies’ masters, Ann McInerney won with 68 nett from Mairéad Twomey on 71 and Siobhán Shanahan on 72. Imelda O’Hanlon won the gross with 86.
In the Clare final of the Belvedere Cup, which is for golfers whose handicap is over 18, East Clare beat Dromoland and will now go on to compete for the Munster title at Tipperary. The members of the winning team are Martin Crotty, Jackie McHugh, John Brett, Tony Nelson, Martin and David McInerney, Martin Mason, Michael Drew, Tony Duggan and Denis Collins.
The annual club swap with Portumna takes place this Sunday.

Spanish Point

LAST weekend, the final round in the 2010 golfer-of-the-year competition was played and there was a big entry with good scoring in difficult windy conditions. Tom Mernagh (5) maintained his form. Leading going into this round, he added to his margin and is this year’s golfer of the year.
Noel McMahon (19) was the competition winner with 67 nett from Brendan Reddan (16) who had a similar score. Tom Mernagh (5) was next with 69.
Last week’s Stableford competition was won by PJ Killeen (15) with 40 points from Derry Waldron (19) with 39 points with Martin Glenny (14) in third spot, also with 39 points. On Sunday week last, Conor O’Loughlin (12) was the winner with 36 points from Fergal Hehir (5) with 36 points with Martin Glenny (14) in third spot with 35 points followed by Seán McMahon (10) with 35 points.
The winner of the seniors’ open last week was Gerry Meade (16) with 31 points.

Corofin

MICHAEL Ryan, Tubber, retained the captain’s prize at the Corofin Society’s September outing at Gort on Saturday last. He finished ahead of Pat McCarthy with Brendan McDonagh third, Gerry Connors, fourth and Darren Kierse, fifth.
John Daly won the past captains’ prize while the category winners were David O’Dell, Noel Williams and Michael Gillespie. Geraldine Lynch took the ladies’ prize with Noel Ruane winning the guest prize. The nines were won by Mary Coen and Martin Whelan while Colm Carey won nearest the pin and Martin Flaherty the longest drive.
The prizes were presented by captain, Pat Curtis at a function at Teach Uí Dálaigh on Saturday night.

Nora Daly Society

CAPTAIN of the Nora Daly Golf Society, Freddie Markham held his prize at Athlone Golf Club recently and the winner was Emmet Pyne. Second was David Pilkington followed by Michael Lynch, Vincent Hennessy, Betty O’Reilly, Brendan Hennessy, Luke Murphy and Michael 0’Reilly.
The nines went to Noel Casey and Alan Frawley while Brian Howard picked up the prize for the longest drive and James O’Rourke for nearest the pin.
Kathleen McEnery won the ladies’ prize while the winners of the past captains’ award was Michael Hehir. The guest prize went to Garreth Pyne while the golfer of the year as Noel Moloney.