Eddie Lonergan and Shane O’Connor teed it up this afternoon in the final of the 2021 Club Championship to decide who would lift the Stephen Cahill Trophy for the first time. In previous years there had never been a trophy for the Club Championship but it was unanimously agreed by the 2021 Men’s committee that a new trophy, in memory of a great club-man, Stephen Cahill should be introduced for this event. Stephen sadly passed away in 2020 after many years of service to the club and Men’s Section in particular. It is fitting that Shane got to contend for this as it was his initial suggestion to the men’s committee that something be done to mark Stephen’s passing.
Both players hit the first with Eddie getting in close. First birdie and first blood to Eddie – 1 up.
TEE SHOTS TO THE FIRST
This lead was short lived however as Shane won two and three to reverse the lead to his favour. He followed this with birdies on five and six to go three up. A par on seven was enough for Shane to move to 4 up and be very much in the driving seat.
A birdie for Eddie on the eight pegged it back to 3 and he followed this with another birdie on nine. Unfortunately in a game of this quality a birdie isn’t always enough to win a hole as Shane held a great putt for eagle to move back to 4 up in the match after nine holes.
A par was enough for Eddie to win the tenth but yet again Shane hit back immediately with a win on eleven – he didn’t look like he was going to relinquish his lead easily no matter what Eddie threw at him. Twelve was halved in pars and on thirteen, Eddie who was having to attack at this stage, found himself in trouble off the tee but his excellent short game allowed him to scramble a half.
Two pars on fourteen had Eddie dormie four down and with no sign of any let up from Shane. A perfect drive from Shane split the fairway while Eddie, having to force the issue found the heavy rough on the right of the fairway. Eddie had no choice but the lay up and Shane dormie 4up elected to do the same. A great up and down from Shane sealed the match for him 5&3, his second Club Championship win. He was a very worthy winner having shot 4 under for the fifteen holes played today. Hard luck to Eddie who had a tough battle to get to the final but wasn’t quite able to match Shane’s performance today. As Eddie said after the match, quoting the great Stephen Cahill himself, ” it was a lot of things, but hard luck wasn’t one of them, Shane played awsome today ”
