Sunday 21st of May
Ladies Singles Stableford
No. played:16
1st Inesa O’Gallagher (15) 40 pts
2nd Janet Devin (27) 38 pts
Two’s – €6 per Two
1st Ann-Marie Darcy, Inesa O’Gallagher
11th Anne Crotty
14th Inesa O’Gallagher
Ladies Competition Results
Four Inter-club matches decided today (21st May)
Incredibly, the four inter-club matches played this afternoon brought the total played so far this year to just shy of fifty …
Our Men’s Senior Cup team, managed by Karl Holmes were first out at 13.50, playing Wicklow. Karl’s team had three matches at home and two away.
First out at home and leading from the front was David Byrne and at this stage we know what to expect from him. He started fast and had a five shot lead by the tenth, not having lost a hole at this stage. David was six up after eleven and despite losses on the twelfth and fourteenth was able to close his match out 5&3 with a win on fifteen.
This was not however our first point on the board. Karl put Dylan Holmes out second this afternoon and he turned in another fine performance, three up after the front nine, wins on ten and fourteen gave him his win 5&4.
Our anchorman at home today was Shane O’Connor. Shane lost the first two holes but found his rhythm from there and had the match back to all square two holes later. He powered ahead from this point, turning three up. A loss on the thirteenth was immediately cancelled with a win on the fourteenth and when the fifteenth was halved the match was dormie.
Meanwhile, we had had a staggered start today with the Wicklow match only teeing off at 15.00. Adam Packman was first to play and a good up and down out of the bunker on the first for par earned him a half, the second was also halved in par, after a somewhat fortuitous bounce into the green for Adam’s second shot. The pair also shared the third but four and five went the way on the home player and another loss on eight and a half on the par three ninth had Adam three down heading out the country.
Behind Adam, Darren McCormack was playing steady golf. A win on the second was undone by a loss on the fifth and six and seven were also traded. Darren hit a fantastic second to the eighth hole and won the hole and repeated this on the ninth, hitting an excellent iron to five feet.
Adam was on the tenth green and Darren had teed off the same hole when word came through from Greystones that Shane had won the sixteenth to secure a 4&2 win in his match and an overall 4-1 in the tie.
Well done to Karl and all the team.
Straight after the Men’s Senior Cup our Ladies’ Senior Cup team, managed by Mary Kavanagh took to the course at 14.00 to play Arklow.
With most of her panel available, bar our girls Junior Captain Isabella who is still in a golf camp in the US, Mary was able to field her strongest team today, however given our ladies handicap range it was suspected that this was always going to be, at best, a learning curve.
As it turned out however the progress that has been made within the ladies section over the years is starting to bear fruit and the match turned out to be far from a dead rubber.
Aishling Marmion was back in action after her exams and was first out at home today and was in great form. Aisling had put in a stellar performance in the Senior Cup last year and repeated the performance today, going one better however as she won a well earned point for the Greystones team. Aisling turned four up and completed her victory with a win on fourteen for an impressive 6&4 win.
1-0 Greystones
Another young player who has shown such promise and is now very much delivering, Sophie Lumley, was out after Aishling. Sophie lost the ninth to turn just one behind her Arklow opponent. She found herself two down after the eleventh but bounced straight back, winning the twelfth. The game ebbed and flowed a bit from there with a win for Arklow on thirteen and for Sophie on fifteen to have Arklow just one ahead heading for the sixteenth.
Our final player at home was the talented Shauna Seifried who emulated the Lady Captain’s win in the Challenge Cup on Friday winning by an outrageous margin of 9&7, not having lost a single hole.
2-0 Greystones
Mary had sent her more experienced players to Arklow. Mary Hutch was first out playing a five handicapper in a flat match.
After Mary, Jennifer Moore was our final match away. Jennifer was also in a tough battle as she was matched against a seven handicapper, again with no shots being given.
Both away players acquitted themselves very well, Mary turned three down but was playing well and was back to two down by the thirteenth. Losses on thirteen and fourteen and it looked like Mary’s day was done but she played the next three really well and won all three to get the match back to just one down playing eighteen. Unfortunately for Mary her great work was undone when she lost the last to give Arklow their first point of the day.
2-1 Greystones
Jennifer started slowly, losing the first three before bouncing back with a win on four and she turned two down. She got the match back to all square after twelve but local knowledge came to the fore over the next two holes and despite a great win on the fifteenth the Arklow player had just too much and won the sixteenth to close the match 2&1.
2-2
Meanwhile back in Greystones Sophie who was up against a player with a much lower handicap came undone on the sixteenth and seventeenth to lose her match 3&1.
Congratulations to Mary and all the players who put in such a great performance today. Arklow may have won but they knew that they were in a match.
And then it went from Senior to Minor. Regina Barry put out a strong Minor Cup team to play Ballinascorney in the first round of this competition.
Helen Creedon got the match underway at home and was in great form today. Helen was two up after four but her opponent changed gear from the sixth to the tenth at which point Helen was two down. She got her nose back in front however by the fifteenth with three wins from four holes. A loss on fifteen squared the match once more but Helen made a great par for a win on the sixteenth. One up with two to play…
Second out was Aine O’Rourke who has been performing well for various teams so far this year. It was a case of once more with feeling today, as Aine got to two up through the first nine before hitting the pro button on the back to win her match and get a point on the board for Greystones with a 5&3 win.
Bringing up the rear at home this afternoon was Michelle Knapp. Michelle was in a tough match but had edged ahead by one after nine. She lost ten but from there Michelle made few errors and a win on the sixteenth was enough to win her match 4&2 after an excellent performance.
In Ballinascorney, Joyce Kirwan was first out and there was a very evident home course advantage today, it wasn’t to be Joyce’s day as she faced a really strong local player. Ballinascorney got their first point on the board with a win on the thirteenth.
Regina picked Ann Clarke to play the anchor role away from home and once again Ann was up against a good player with good local knowledge. Ann was three down after five but fought back to level the match after eight however as the match headed into the back nine it was all Ballinascorney and they won their second point on the fourteenth.
With the match now at two all it was coming down to Helen’s match. Helen’s one hole lead was gone after getting into trouble off the tee and the pair headed to the eighteenth with the whole tie now in the balance.
On eighteen Helen hit a great drive and it was the Ballinascorney player’s turn to find trouble off the tee. Helen found the left edge of the green in three and hit a great putt from there to the pin which was bottom right today and her bogey putt missed narrowly – in for a six which was matched by her opposition.
On to nineteen and nerves were jangling. On nineteen Ballinascorney, hit a good shot but misclubbed and went to the back of the green with the pin at the front. Helen’s tee shot came up just short right – an excellent miss under the circumstances. The Ballinascorney player hit a decent putt from where they were but it ran passed the hole leaving themselves an eight footer back. Helen hit a brilliant putt which was conceded for a par and when Ballinascorney missed their eight footer the match and tie was settled.
A great win for Regina and her team.
Our final match today was that of Deirdre Ahern’s Carton Cup team who played their home leg of their match against Kilmashogue, their away leg was to have been played earlier this month but had to be postponed till the 28th of this month due to a waterlogged course.
For the most part this would have been these players’ first chance to play inter-club matchplay and while the result might not have been as they would have hoped, all thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
Deirdre’s team, for this nine hole competition, was lead out by Pauline Short Foley who played well and was well in contention until losing the sixth and seventh with the match finishing 3&2.
Second out was Mary Nohilly who lost the first three holes but responded brilliantly by winning the next three to level the match. Unfortunately Mary fell foul of the seventh and also lost the eight to lose her match 2&1.
After Mary, Avril O’Farrell was next to play. Avril also found herself three down through three but won the sixth to get the deficit back to two. The seventh was halved but, like Mary, Avril unfortunately lost the eighth for a 3&1 loss.
Fourth out was Fiona Tilson who was one ahead after three but it was all Kilmashogue from there with their player playing really well and getting whatever rub of the green that was going to finish the match 3&1.
Fionnuala Meehan was the last Greystones player to head for the first tee box this afternoon. Fionnuala was down early in her match, having lost the second and third holes but played the fifth great for the win. The sixth was halved but Fionnuala lost seven and a half was enough for Kilmashogue to finish the match 2&1.
Some excellent play today from Deirdre’s team – onwards and upwards.
Ladies All-Ireland champions begin the defence of their title…
Amanda Lawless, as the previous year’s Lady Captain, takes on the managerial role for the Challenge Cup team this year. After their dramatic All-Ireland win last year, the team had a lot to live up to this afternoon as they took on Druid’s Heath in the first round of the 2023 campaign. To add just a little additional pressure we had three matches away from home and a number of injuries to contend with coming into today’s match. Sandra Cotter was looking after the home leg of the match today for Amanda.
First out this afternoon at home was Lady Captain Celine who was drafted in yesterday evening after Ann Browner & Aideen O’Leary both had to pull out through injury. Oddly enough, despite having won two All-Ireland medals for the club at this level, today was the first time she played a match at home. Another player from the 2022 All-Ireland victory, Ann Browner, was on Celine’s bag.
Second out at home was yet another 2022 All-Ireland winner, Grace Dodd, who had Regina Barry caddying for her today.
Celine was playing very well and got off the a flying start with wins on all of the first three holes. She lost the fourth but this proved to be a just a minor blip as she went on to win the next seven holes to close her match early 9&7.
Behind her Grace was also playing very well. She won the second and third holes but then lost four and five and the match was back to all square. From this point however Grace was in total control winning the next six holes in succession with a half on the twelfth enough to take her match to dormi. Grace found the edge of thirteenth green in three and played a lovely chip to two feet which was enough for a win by a margin of 7&5.
Away from home, Linda Walsh was in a tough battle in the first match out. Despite winning the first, Linda found herself one down after five holes but won six and seven to edge ahead once again. Druid’s Heath won the eighth and a half on the ninth brought the match to all square at the halfway stage. It was the Druids player that got ahead early on the back nine however and Linda was two down by the fifteenth tee box.
Another player from the winning 2022 team, Regina Connaughton, was the second match out in Druid’s Heath. Four wins in a row from the seventh had Regina four up but it’s never over till it’s over and her opponent came back strongly, winning the next three holes to reduce the lead to just one hole. Regina then won the fourteenth and fifteenth holes to go dormi three up.
Out last away was Sile Mullin who was in good form today. Sile was three to the good by the tenth and five up after the eleventh. As with Regina’s match, Linda’s opposition was not going to lie down and battled hard to win the two of the next three holes but was dormi three down after fourteen.
Meanwhile, in the first match, Linda was also fighting back and got her match back to all square with excellent wins on fifteen and sixteen.The tricky seventeenth was halved and the pair headed for the eighteenth to try to decide the match there.
At this stage we had our two home points in the bag and two matches dormi three up away with the third all square playing eighteen. Almost simultaneously, Linda got over the line to secure her win on the eighteenth, Regina finished her game off on the sixteenth 4&2 while Sile completed her match with a win on the fifteenth to finish 4&3.
All in all a great performance by the squad and management.
Thusday 18th May – Australian Spoons Scotch Foursomes
Thursday 18th May
Australian Spoons Foursomes
No. of Teams: 33
1st Patrice Dowling (30) 40 pts
Fiona Coleman
2nd Carol Mitchell (35) 39 pts(Back 9)
Maire Ni Shiodhail
3rd Grace Dodd (23) 39 pts
Inesa O’Gallagher
Two’s – €16 per Two (€8 pp)
11th Joyce Kirwan/Orla Rush
16th Mary Hutch/Deirdre Ahern
LEINSTER (SOUTH) Australian Spoons Qualifiers (Stackstown) Thursday 27 July
Nett – Patrice Dowling & Fiona Coleman 40 points
Gross – Niamh Keilithy & Aisling Marmion 28 points
Thursday 18th May – 9 Hole Singles
Thursday 18th May
9 Hole Singles
No. Played: 26
1st Fionnuala Meehan (24) 21pts
2nd Chloe Creedon (25) 20 pts
3rd Von McDonald (17) 19 pts
Two’s Draw – €6 per Two
Lilian Lowe, Fionna Dutton, Helen Creedon, Betsy Carville
Tuesday 16th May – 9 Hole Singles
Tuesday 16th May
9 Hole Singles
No. Played: 12
1st Pauline Short-Foley (22) 20 pts
Two’s Draw – €6 per Two
Linda Walsh, Pamela Fitzgerald
Tuesday 16th May – Singles Stableford
Tuesday 16th May
Singles Stableford
No. Played: 27
1st Helen Creeden (24) 40 pts
2nd Patricia O’Sullivan (24) 37 pts
3rd Fionnuala Meehan (47) 34 pts
Two’s Draw – €9 per Two
Celine Joyce, Orla Kealy, Helen Lush
Ladies matches update – 16th May – Junior Foursomes & Mary McKenna Cup
Frances Twomey’s Women’s Junior Foursomes team were first out this afternoon when they faced Woodenbridge. This was a three match tie and Frances had two matches in Woodenbridge and one at home.
Amanda Lawless & Michelle Knapp played at home and were well in the match at the half way stage at just one down, however away from home, Irish Haughton & Orla Delany had met their match in the first match in Woodbridge. Iris & Orla weren’t playing particularly badly but their opposition did nothing wrong at all and after none holes it was Woodenbrige ahead by four. Despite a rally mid way on the back nine the die had been cast and the match finished 5&3 to give Woodenbridge a one point lead in the tie.
The second match out in Woodbridge had Sandra Cotter & Aine O’Rourke out representing Greystones. Sandra & Aine played great golf and were one to the good standing on the tenth tee. The pair continued their excellent performance on the back nine and closed the match out 2&1, completing a great away win.
So it all came down to the match in Greystones, Amanda had already played, and won, two club matches over the weekend but unfortunately she and Michelle came up just short this afternoon. They were dormie two down and were only able to manage a half on the seventeenth and the match ended 2&1 to the visitors.
A 2-1 win for Woodenbridge.
Hard luck to Frances and all the team.
Hazel Thompson’s Mary McKenna Cup team were on the course in Greystones straight after the Women’s Junior Foursomes match. Greystones had home advantage today, with all five matches at home.
First out were Niamh Kielthy & Von McDonald who came out of the traps fast and, despite losing eight & nine were four up as they headed to the tenth. The pair wasted no time on the back nine and a win on the fourteenth finished the match, 6&4 for Greystones.
Our second pair of Mary Hutch & Geraldine Nelson also began well and were three up after the front nine, a loss on eleven brought the match back to two up and so it remained till the fifteenth.
Mary Gavin & Therese Garvey were third out this afternoon and were four to the good standing on the tenth tee however their opposition weren’t about the let the match go the way of the first match and they won the first four holes on the back nine to level the match.
Out second last were Regina Barry & Sandra Keating, another strong pairing. Regina & Sandra were two up going down the lane and as they walked off the thirteenth had increased their lead to three up.
Bringing up the rear for Greystones today were Ann Clarke & Anne Browner who were up against a very strong pair and found themselves three down after nine.
Mary & Geraldine were in a tough match having turned three up with losses on eleven and sixteen reducing their lead to one hole. The pair played the eighteenth really well however to win the hole and their match 2up.
So two up to Greystones at this point.
Mary & Therese got their noses back in front with a win on seventeen but had to head back to the first to settle the match after losing the eighteenth. It wasn’t to be however with Rathfarnham making a par putt before Greystones saw their slip past the hole.
2-1 Greystones.
As with Mary & Therese’s match, Regina & Sandra’s opposition were not to be dismissed lightly. The Rathfarnham pair fought back and brought the match back to all square after eighteen, and so Regina & Sandra also headed back to the first where they also unfortunately lost the hole.
2 All.
Ann Clarke & Anne Browner’s match was also a match of two halves, with the Greystones ladies doing the fighting back on this occasion. Ann & Anne got back to just one down after sixteen but the difficult seventeenth settled their match 2&1 and the overall tie.
Hard luck to Hazel and all the team.
Monday the 15th of May – Open Mixed Singles Stableford
Monday 15th May
Open Mixed Singles Stableford
1st Eddie Lonergan (1) 39 pts
2nd Gavin Nolan (10) 37 pts (Back 9)
Two’s – €4 per two
5th Eddie Lonergan
11th Eddie Lonergan
14th Alan Condren
Women’s Intermediate Cup result
Mary Cahill’s Intermediate Cup team got off to a winning start today (15th May), beating Carrickmines 3.5 to 1.5. Mary had three matches at home and Hazel Thompson looked after the two away matches in Carrickmines.
Amanda Lawless took up where she left off after her Irish Mixed win on Saturday, playing some excellent golf, helped no doubt by having the experienced Jennifer Moore on her bag. Amanda scored the first point of the tie with an emphatic 7&6 win for Greystones after some excellent golf. Away from home, Orla Delany was also in great form and fully in control of her match today. Orla turned four up and finished her match on the fourteenth 6&4.
With two points on the board early it might have appeared that we were going to have an easy day however Iris Haughton was on the receiving end in the first away match. Iris played well but her opponent had an excellent day. Iris kept the match interesting with a battling performance on the front nine but still turned two down. On the back nine however her Carrickmines opponent raised the bar and the match ended with a 5&3 win for Carrickmines.
With two matches still on the course it was all to play for for both teams. Therese Garvey was out second and was two down standing on the tenth tee while Frances Twomey had won the seventh, eight and ninth holes to get her match back to all square heading for the back nine.
Frances lost the tenth to go one down and the match remained so till the fifteenth when an unlucky loss for Frances had her dormie two down.
Luckily, Therese was playing a stormer on the back nine, winning ten, twelve, thirteen and fourteen to move from two down after nine to two up. A loss on fifteen halted her charge somewhat but sixteen was halved and she held her nerve to win the seventeenth to secure the winning point for the overall match.
Frances was called in playing seventeen.
Well done to Mary and all the team.
