After the incredible excitement of the Wicklow final, when the JB Carr team won by the narrowest of margins down in Druids’ Heath earlier this month, it’s fair to say that the management team of Padraig Croke and Pat O’Neill were hoping for a slightly less dramatic win this evening.
This evening (30th June) they faced the Meath champions, Headfort with all five matches in Greystones on this occasion.
Padraig and Pat had, once again, gone for a strong line up, erring towards the low end of the handicap range for this competition whereas it was clear, once the team sheets were supplied, that Headford had gone for pairs that were at the higher end of the range.
The net result was that all our pairs were giving shots, ranging from four to eight. It wasn’t going to be an easy evening.
First out were Paul Keane & Gerry Browner, a pair that had won their matches in both legs of the Wicklow final. Tonight they had to give four shots in their match. Paul & Gerry lost the first but won the second. They had to give their first shot on the third and the hole went to Headfort which might not be unexpected, but when the fourth also went to the visitors Paul & Gerry needed to impose themselves onto the match and quickly, with another shot hole looming on the sixth. The Greystones pair got into action and not only won the fifth but then won six, against the head, and seven to get into the lead for the first time. Eight was halved and on nine Jerry hit an excellent bunker shot from the green side bunker and Paul held the putt for the win to get to two up as the pair headed down the lane.
Barry D. O’Leary, back from injury, was paired with Tom Sheehy once again. Tom had played with Michael Keating in the second leg of the final when they were the deciding match. Barry & Tom had played In the first leg of the Wicklow final, losing narrowly while giving shots, and tonight once again, they were on the wrong side of the shots ledger, giving eight to their opponents. Despite this, Barry & Tom were two up after seven, having given three of their eight shots, but the tide turned a bit at that point and they lost eight to a birdie, and then nine and ten where they were giving shots to go back to all square.
Colm Mulcahy & Robert Clarke, another pair that had played and won in both Wicklow final legs, were back in action and had to give five shots tonight. The first five holes were halved in this match before five and six were traded. Colm & Robert won seven and eight and halved nine to turn two up and with only two shots remaining to be given.
Tom Byrne & Michael Keating, a new pairing, were teeing it up giving four shots. Tom and Michael got off to a good start and were two up after four, five was shared and six, one of Headfort’s shot holes went to the visiting team. Wins by both teams on seven and eight cancelled each other out, and with nine being halved, Greystones were ahead by one heading to the back nine.
At the back of the field, Martin Nolan & David O’Toole were also back doing battle in the competition. Martin & David had come close to securing the important last point in the second leg against Druids Heath. They lost on the 20th on that occasion and were hoping to make amends tonight, however this aspiration had to be tempered by the fact that they were giving six shots to their opponents. The first of the shots was given on the second and the hole went to Headfort but Martin and David reversed this match position winning the third and fourth despite giving another shot on the third. Six and seven went to the visiting team but eight and nine went to Greystones and, as with the earlier matches we were ahead, by one hole, halfway around the course.
There was no room for complacency however, Paul & Gerry were giving another shot on the tenth and lost the hole and then lost the next three on the trot to go to two down. On fourteen Paul’s tee shot found the bunker but Gerry, under some pressure, hit a great shot to ten feet which resulted in a much needed win. Fifteen, sixteen were halved and the local men earned a miraculous half on the seventeenth when their opposition had been in the water, had hit a brilliant recovery shot but missed the shot putt for the win and the match. The four players headed for eighteen with Headfort dormi up.
In Barry and Tom’s match ten went to Headfort with their shot, to level the contest. An excellent Greystones half on twelve while giving a shot was followed with a win on thirteen. Fourteen was lost to a birdie and Headfort’s second last shot hole, the fifteenth, also went to the Meath men. With Headfort just ahead and another shot coming their way on the seventeenth, it needed something special to keep to match alive and this came in the form of an excellent tee shot from Barry on the sixteenth to three feet. All square with two to go. On seventeen, with the wind now swirling, Tom hit what looked like a great shot at the pin but it took a hard bounce into the bunker at the back of the green. The Headfort approach shot was heading for the water, but held up in the rough three feet short. The Headfort player hit his shot close and Barry and Tom were unable to get up and down. A second match off to the eighteenth with Headfort dormi one up.
Behind Barry & Tom, Colm & Robert managed a half on ten, giving a shot and won eleven with a brilliant up and down for par after average tee shots from both players. Robert snap hooked his tee shot on twelve and Colm’s tee shot found the trees on the right. A very good recovery shot from Robert wasn’t enough however to avoid loosing the hole. Thirteen and fourteen were halved and fifteen, where they had a shot, went to Headfort. Sixteen was halved and Greystones remained one up with two to play but were giving a shot on the next hole. Robert hit a great second shot to the seventeenth, leaving Colm a nice uphill putt while their opponents were short right of the green also. A poor Headfort chip was the deciding factor and a Greystones par won the hole and closed the match out 2&1.
The penultimate match had Tom & Michael playing very well. While ten went to Headfort, where they had a shot, from there Tom & Michael never looked like they were anything but in control of the situation, winning eleven, twelve, fourteen and fifteen to a single loss on thirteen where Tom’s approach shot had hit the tree to the left of the green. A half in pars on the sixteenth was enough to finalise the match by a margin of 3&2.
In the last match of the day Martin & Dave, having turned one up, made a great half on ten before winning eleven to double their lead. Further wins on thirteen and fourteen without reply got them to dormi four up.
So at the halfway point, we were up in all matches but at the business end of the tie, we had two matches on eighteen, both dormi one down, two matches in the bag and our last match dormi four up.
So……
An incredible Headfort up and down from the left hand bunker sealed the first match for the visitors and an equally impressive bogey from the second Headfort pair, having been in the trees, gave the same result in the second match.
Two all but with Greystones dormi four up in the last match, which became,
dormi three up, which became,
dormi two up…
On seventeen David hit a great drive and when Martin’s excellent approach found the back of the green it looked promising for a Greystones victory. Headfort had different ideas however and the higher Headfort handicapper hit a brilliant wood under pressure and found the front of the green. Headfort hit an excellent putt to a foot for a par / nett birdie and when David’s putt ran past the hole it was off to the last hole to try to settle the tie.
On eighteen, the better of the Headfort drive was in the rough on the right while David had split the fairway with an excellent drive. The high handicap Headfort man hot another brilliant shot from the rough to fifteen feet, but crucially the ball was above the hole. Martin’s approach was to the front of the green, maybe twenty feet from the pin. David hit a decent putt leaving Martin an uphill three footer for par. Headfort misjudged the speed of their putt ( easy to do on this green as we all know! ) and it went five feet past. When Headfort missed the return it was shake hands time and the tie was settled.
Many congratulations to Padraig, Pat and all the team. Next up is a Leinster semi final against the Kildare or Offaly champions.
Thanks to Headfort for the sporting manner in which the match was played tonight.
