We had two teams in action this afternoon (6th May). First out were our Junior Cup team, managed by Collie Dunne, Brian Frawley and Ray Crotty. The lads put out a strong team today to play Woodenbridge. With three home matches this was a tie for the taking on paper but, of course there are no guarantees in the game of golf.
Away from home, Cian Gilmore teed it up in the first match and, to be honest, apart from a loss on the first, had it his own way for the day, turning three up and giving a fine account of himself as far as the fourteenth when he closed the match 5&4.
An early 1-0 lead for Greystones.
Our second away match had Chris Lawless pulling on the yellow shirt but as it turned out, Chris had a much tougher day ahead of him. His match was back and forth for the first six holes with Woodenbridge moving ahead by the odd hole and Chris pegging them back to level but never getting his nose in front. Losses on the eighth and ninth however gave Woodenbridge a three hole lead and the upper hand in the match. Chris has a lot of experience however and nobody on the Greystones side were giving up this particular fight.
William O’Riordan was first out at home and was in a very tight match also but playing some excellent golf. He turned all square and a win on the tenth nudged him ahead by the slimmest of margins. The pair played some scintillating golf for the next four holes before an errand tree shot on the fifteenth had William on the thirteenth green while his opponent was on the fifteenth fairway. William elected to play back up the thirteenth and hit a fantastic three wood to put himself back in prime position. Matchplay golf can be strange and William actually ended up winning the hole with a par to go two up.
Out last today was Chris Boylan. Chris played top quality golf today, going two up through two. His drive up the third caught a tree on the right and was never seen again. This culminated in a loss but was the last hole Chris was to loose today. He turned five up and closed his game out on the thirteenth 7&5.
2-0 to Greystones.
Second out in Greystones was Harry Kirk who, like Chris, was in fine form today and from the off never looked like he was going to loose his match. Harry turned three up and went to four up with a win on the tenth. A loss on the twelfth turned out to be just a blip and his birdie on the fourteenth got him to dormie four up. The fifteenth was playing into a strong wind and both Harry and his opponent came up just short of the green in three. While neither approach shot was of the standard of the rest of the match, Harry’s chip to stone dead was enough to win the hole and close out the match and the tie.
Meanwhile, William was two up playing into the seventeenth and Chris had battled back to all square through seventeen down in Woodenbridge. Neither were told that he tie was done and William followed his opponent in for birdie on the seventh to win his match while Chris got ahead in his match for the first time – just at the right time – on the eighteenth to complete a comprehensive win.
Congratulations to Ray, Brian, Collie and the whole team.
Our Metropolitan team were on the course straight after the Junior cup in Greystones but this match had already been in progress in Milltown for an hour at this stage.
As with our Junior Cup team, our Metro lads had home advantage today with four at home and three away. Given the staggered start, by the time our home matches were approaching the back nine two of the away games had already been decided. Craig Hazleton overawed his opponent with a dazzling display of golf to win 5&3 while Mark A. Byrne was on the receiving end of a masterclass going down 5&4.
1 all early doors.
Our third match away however was much tighter with John Egan trailing by one hole after nine and by two through thirteen.
Walter Gilbert was first out at home and in fine form. Walty was two up after three and four up walking down the lane to the tenth tee. Despite a loss on the tenth he was relentless from there on and even a poor approach to the thirteenth was made up for with a great up and down for a half. He won the fourteenth with a par, and played the fifteenth to perfection to win the hole and close his game 5&3.
2-1 to Greystones.
Second out at home was David O’Toole who was also on his game today, turning three up even after loosing the ninth to a birdie. David wasn’t having it all his own way however and found himself back to two up after a loss on the fourteenth. He was most unfortunate on the fifteenth when his drive finished tight to the trunk on a tree on the left of the fairway while his recovery efforts only compounded the problem. He was still one up however, standing on the sixteenth tee.
Number three on the Greystones home card was Gavin Nolan. Gavin started slowly, finding himself one down after three but from there he played lovely golf, turning two up before powering to to a 6&5 victory.
3-1 to Greystones.
Last out was a late call up this morning to the team. Trevor Phillips replaced Milo Doyle, who had to cry off this morning, and did so with some aplomb. Trevor played great, doing nothing wrong and turned four up. A loss on the tenth (his first of the day) was negated by a win on the twelfth and he stood on the thirteenth tee knowing that another win would see him dormie.
Meanwhile however word was filtering back from Milltown that John Egan was staging a bit of a comeback. Two down after thirteen, John won fourteen and fifteen to level the match. A half on sixteen was followed by a win for John on the seventeenth to go one up for the first time and with just one hole to play.
Just needing one more match the Greystones management of Ed Davis and Anthony Byrne were slightly more relaxed but still anxious to get over the line. As it panned out it was John who, with a half on the eighteenth in Milltown, secured the crucial point and a great win for the team.
When called in, Trevor was dormie five up and David was one up with three to play.
Well done to Ed, Anthony and the whole team.
