Earlier this month Rathfarnham came to Greystones to play the first leg of the Mary McKenna Cup tie. This afternoon (24th May), Hazel Thompson’s team headed to Rathfarnham for the second leg, trailing 3:2 after the Greystones leg.
A new pairing of Deirdre Ahern & Von McDonald were out first this afternoon and they both played well, putting in a strong performance. They turned four up and withstood a strong comeback from their opponents to win their match 3&1.
Another new pairing were played second today. President Marguerite Hamill played alongside Mary Cahill. They got off to a slow start, three down through five, but fought back to get the deficit back to one hole after nine. In a ding, dong match, holes were traded on the back nine culminating in an excellent win on the eighteenth to square the match after the Rathfarnham pair ran into bunker trouble off the tee. Off to the nineteenth….
Neither Jacinta Dean nor Gemma Brazil had played in the Greystones leg and, as with Marguerite & Mary, had had to fight back hard after the opening few holes to have their match at one down at the turn. Jacinta & Gemma were playing well but up against extremely strong opponents and while the match was all square after a Greystones win on the thirteenth their opposition then pulled away to close the match with Rathfarnham 3&2 win.
Regina Barry had played with Sandra Keating in the first leg but was today paired with Michelle Knapp. This pair played really steady golf today with a win on the ninth securing a narrow lead of a single hole heading to the tenth tee. Despite losing the tenth, Ragina & Michelle restored their advantage with a win straight away on the eleventh and won the fourteenth and fifteenth to go two up with just three to play. A loss on the sixteenth had the onlookers nervous, however the two people who mattered, Regina & Michelle, remained calm and won seventeen to win their match 2&1.
That win had today’s match 2:1 in favour of Greystones and the overall tie at 4 all.
Frances Twomey & Jean Taylor were last out today and struggled a bit early on in the match at three down after the first six. The pair got stronger as the match went on and got back to within one with wins on nine and ten but couldn’t quite get their noses in front at any stage and the match ended with a 2&1 win for Rathfarnham.
2:2 today and 3:4 to Rathfarnham overall.
Meanwhile, back with the second match, Marguerite & Mary were finishing on the par four first hole. Both pairs had hit good drives but unfortunately Mary’s second shot saw the ball land left of the fairway, leaving Marguerite’s approach to the green somewhat blocked out. The Rathfarnham pair were safely on the green in three and unfortunately the match went their way with a bogey.
So a 3:2 win for Rathfarnham today after the same result last week in Greystones.
Hard luck to Hazel and all the team.
