ON the FAIRWAYS
COURTOWN
Beards and moustaches were shaved thanks to Maeve Halford of Halford Hair Studio who was the sponsor of the day. Courtown ladies must again thank Halford Hair Studios for this and their continued sponsorship.
The amount raised has yet to be totalled and will be presented to the North Wexford Nursing Trust at a later date. A really great night was had by all who attended.
Results: 1, Doris Doyle (23), 35 points; 2, Frances Sinnott (27), 34 points (countback); gross, Sorcha Howell, 26 points; 3, Denise Kavanagh (12), 34 points; Cat. A, Sarah Donnellan (8), 30 points; Cat. B, Ann Duggan (26), 34 points; Cat. C, Croine Ferguson (31), 30 points.
Nine-hole: 1, Holly Mulvey (21), 20 points; 2, Anne Kearney (36), 14 points.
Gents’ nine-hole (off the red tees): 1, Ollie Quigley (13), 25 points; 2, Pádraic Flood (15), 24 points.
Congratulations to all our winners. Thank you to our sponsor and everyone who helped to make the day such a success.
Sunday, June 4, invitation men’s fourball and ladies’ invitation nine-hole competitions sponsored by Whitmore Jewellers - men’s fourball: 1, Mark Woods (6) and Niall Murray (11), 43 points; 2, Jimmy Flynn (22) and Peter Sheehan (18), 41 points (back nine); 3, Fergal Noonan (12) and Pat Byrne (16), 41 points.
Ladies’ nine-hole: 1, Maria Dwyer (26), 19 points; 2, Carol Barnwell (17), 18 points.
Wednesday, June 7, gents’ singles, 18 holes: 1, Seán Halford (19), 41 points; 2, John Furlong (Ballymoney, 7), 40 points; 3, Michael Henderson (23), 38 points (back nine); eleven holes: 1, Eamonn Byrne (15), 25 points.
Open week starts Saturday, June 17.
ENNISCORTHY
Monday ladies’ and gents’ open, singles stableford, May 29, sponsored by E.G.C. (25 played; S.S. 71 - 37 points): 1, Alan Jacob (7), 44 points; 2, Liam Sheridan (9), 40 points.
The Monday ladies’ and gents’ open for June 5 was not played due to inclement weather.
Nine-hole midweek singles, stableford, May 31, sponsored by E.G.C. (81 played): overall, Michael Walsh (16), 21 points (last six); Category A, Paddy Hore (9), 20 points; Category B, Tom Hogan (14), 21 points (last six); Category C, Gareth O’Gorman (18), 21 points; Category D, Nicholas Walsh (21), 20 points (last two). Next week’s sponsor is Jim Delaney.
Nine-hole midweek singles, stableford, June 7, sponsored by E.G.C.: overall, Nick Casey (17), 20 points.
There was only one prize as there was only 20 players due to inclement weather. Next week’s sponsor is the Post Office staff.
The presentation for all the June midweeks will be on June 28.
Gents’ singles stableford, June 3 and 4, sponsored by Martin’s Jewellers (116 played; S.S. 36 points both days): 1, Patsy Kavanagh (7), 43 points; 2, Bradley Landers (14), 41 points; gross, Cormac Martin (2), 31 points; 3, Des Kehoe (11), 40 points; 4, Jim Gahan (20), 38 points ; 5, Alan Franklin (7), 38 points. Next week’s sponsor is Mr Oil. Four-person scramble, June 2, sponsored by E.G.C.: 1, David Boland (17), Graham Donohoe (+2), Adam Jordan (7), Jason Rackard (scr.), 55.8 points.
Two-person team, June 11 and 12, sponsored by Mr Oil: 1, Jack Sheridan (21), James Sheridan (11), 49 points; 2, Jim Mackey (10), Mick Wickham (17), 47 points; 3, Pat Jordan (14), Jim Rigley (11), 46 points.
Our Provincial Towns team won through to the quarter-final by beating Ballymoney on Sunday. There were five matches at home and four in Ballymoney.
Seán Hegarty, Jim Mackey and Davy Murphy won their home matches with the last two players, Willie Dobbs and Eddie Doyle, called in.
The away team was Declan Byrne, Eunan Doyle and Denis Dunne who all won, and James Foley was called in. Tim Morrissey and John Byrne were the managers. Their next game is at home against the winners of Borris and Kilkenny.
Our Junior Cup team members were in action in a wet and windy Courtown in our regional qualifier last weekend. We were leading qualifiers in Saturday’s strokeplay and qualified to play Rosslare in Sunday morning’s matchplay semi-final.
After a tough battle we won through on a scoreline of three games to two. We then faced a very good Woodenbridge team in Sunday afternoon’s final.
Paul Conroy made the winning birdie putt in a tight game on the 18th after David Mernagh and James Morrissey had earlier put points on the board. Joe Delaney had come out on the wrong end of a tough battle while Murty Dempsey was three up playing the 15th when called in.
Adam Jordan was also an integral part of the team, having played his part on Saturday. Congratulations to all players and to managers P.J. Murphy and Denis Dunbar.
This is the second year in a row where we have qualified for the Leinster quarter-finals by winning our regional qualifier. Well done on some great performances in some very testing conditions by all of our players.
We now have two teams at the quarter-final stage with the Junior Cup team now joining the Provincial Towns team. Hopefully now our Barton Cup team will join them on Thursday evening when they will be up against Callan. If you can at all please come along and offer your support to our teams chasing provincial honours.
The ladies’ open Seniors is on Thursday, June 15, starting at 9 a.m., sponsored by Coppen’s Pharmacy.
The Ballagh Boxing Club Classic is on Friday, June 16, starting at 9 a.m.
NEW ROSS
All week long players were restless thinking about the coming event, the Captain’s prize (Peter Goggin) - the Holy Grail of our golfing calendar.
Some were sleeping well knowing their game was in good shape, while others were wondering could they get it together in time to make an impression or at least qualify for the play-off on Sunday. In time all would be revealed as some fell by the wayside and others did rather well, but in the end there could only be one winner.
The weather was kind for the big entry and, while some started rather well, they failed to fulfil their potential and faded as the qualifying rounds progressed. Others brought in good opening scores in the qualifying round but the question was could they maintain their momentum on Super Sunday? In fact, quite a few players were there with a shout as the final round got under way and some excellent tallies were recorded.
In the end the consistent play of Luke Power (20) brought rich dividends as he carded two rounds of a nett 68 to emerge the popular winner of the Captain’s prize 2017 with a final total of 136.
Second just one shot behind (137) was Martin Kehoe (10), third came Andrew Ryan (4) with 141, and the evergreen Jack Murphy (16) took fourth with 142 by virtue of a better back nine. The gross was won by Michael Ryan Jnr. with a terrific two-round total of 144.
The Category 1 prize went to Ger Ronan (6) with a 142, Category 2 was won by Owen Conway (11) with 144, whilst Category 3 went to Hughie O’Connor (18) with 143.
Aidan Kent (19) was the winners of the past Captains’ prize with 146 whilst Jimmy ‘Ross’ Ryan took the veterans’ prize, shooting a nett total of 143 in the process. The prize for the first 18 was won by Declan Clarke (14) with a great score of 64, and Mark Murphy (15) won it for the second 18 with a nett 68.
At the presentations, our popular Captain, Peter Goggin, in an eloquent bilingual speech combining the ‘cúpla focail’ with fluent English, thanked all who had helped to make his weekend the outstanding success it undoubtedly was.
Congratulating all the winners, he said it was gratifying to see so many taking part in the Captain’s and he was extremely grateful to them all. He gave a special mention to Competition Secretary, Donal Hosey, who did tremendous work in organising the timesheet and getting everyone away on time.
He also praised his incoming Captain, Martin Carroll, for his great help, lady Captain Marie Therese Wall for her help, and Seamus Power and the course staff for the magnificent condition they had the course in.
Without them the competition could not have gone like clockwork, and even the Gods were smiling with good weather in this unpredictable summer we’re having. So, once again congratulations go to the deserving winner of the Captain’s prize for 2017, Luke Power.
Squally and frequent heavy showers were a hindrance to the participants in the Tuesday evening fourball sponsored by Aldridge Lodge Restaurant, Duncannon, on June 6 (summer weather how are you?).
Nevertheless, the scoring was quite good with Liam Wall (15) and Frank Cullen (19) taking first place with 36 points over the 14 holes played. Second position went to Paul Brennan (15) and David Morris (18) with 35 points, and a point behind on 34 points and in third place were John Aylward (15) and Murt Hogan (20).
Open week is now in full swing and today (Tuesday, June 13) we have an open fourball. Wednesday is an open singles and Thursday, June 15, is a three-person team event. We finish off on Friday with an open singles.
There was no luck for our Cullen Cup team which was beaten by Bunclody, and the Duggan Cup squad went down to Castlecomer. Best of luck goes to the South Leinster team, pitted against Rosslare in the last 16 of the competition, and also to the All-Ireland fourball side which takes on Coolattin again in the last 16 of the teams remaining in Leinster.
THE GATE SOCIETY
The Gate Golf Society held its fourth outing of 2017 at Castlecomer Golf Club on Saturday, June 3.
The outing was sponsored by Heineken Lager to whom we are very grateful. We also want to thank the Castlecomer Golf Club staff for all their help.
Results: 1, Jason Murphy (19), 37 points; 2, Declan Merrigan (10), 33 points (countback) 3, Colm Kehoe (11), 33 points (countback); Cat. 1, John Holden (11), 31 points; Cat. 2, ‘Cookie’ Mernagh (17), 32 points; Cat. 3, David Purcell (19), 33 points; Seniors, Jim Kehoe; longest drive, Jason Murphy; nearest the pin, John Holden; visitor’s prize, Damien Barry (7), 38 points.
Our next outing will be at Dungarvan Golf Club on Saturday, July 1. We will be playing for the Phyllis O’Riordan Perpetual Trophy. Tee-times are 11 a.m. to 12 noon.
NEW ROSS LADIES
Last Wednesday, June 7, the ladies played an 18-hole stableford competition sponsored by Jimmy Hanrahan.
Results: 1, Anne O’Grady (32), 40 points; 2, Teresa Byrne (20), 35 points (last nine); 3, Liz Roberts (23), 35 points (last nine).
Next Wednesday will find us in the middle of open week. The competition is sponsored by Caroline’s Hair Creation, North Street, New Ross, and is an 18-hole stableford open to ladies and men. Play will be in threeball as opposed to what is online.
There are lots of competitions open to ladies this week, including three-person scramble on Thursday, June 15, and singles on Friday, June 16. Booking is online and support for the club is greatly appreciated.
The course is in splendid condition thanks to the skill of Seamus Power and his team of greenkeepers. The rain, of course, is adding to the lush conditions but hopefully the weather is set improve this week.
We have had a great run of luck with the Minor team’s victory over Tramore. Marguerite Sutton had a comprehensive win over her opponent, six and five. Ann Banville’s match went down to the wire, with Ann recording a victory eventually on the 20th hole!
The Minor team is now in the quarter-final stage which is great tribute to the team. We are very proud of this success and look forward to its continuance.
The next match has been set for July 2 at 2.30 p.m. in Enniscorthy against Wexford - the same day as another very important match takes place!
The other success of the week was the Intermediate team’s triumph over Rosslare last Tuesday in Faithlegg. Monday was the original day but the matches were called in due to very heavy rain to be resumed on Tuesday.
Teresa Byrne’s early victory gave the impetus to the rest of the field to secure a positive outcome. Like the Minors, the Intermediate team is at the quarter-final stage. Both teams are a credit to the club and we wish both teams continued success in the next stages of the competition.
The Boyne Trophy team will face Thurles on Tuesday, June 20, in a home and away contest. Two matches will be played at home and three matches in Thurles, starting at 11.30 a.m. Good luck girls with the trip To Tipp!
Volunteers are needed for Junior supervision on Saturdays from 1.30 to 3 p.m. It would help a lot if people would offer to do one Saturday, and no tuition is involved apart from etiquette on the course. Please give your name to Mary Kavanagh, either Captain, or to Joe in the office.
Ladies are reminded that eligibility for winning the lady Captain’s prize is fully paid-up membership and three completed 18-hole competition cards in 2017.
Marie Theresa’s event is fast approaching, with the first day on Wednesday, June 21, and second day on Saturday, June 24. More detail is in the fixture diary.