Enniscorthy triumph in extra-time thriller
ENNISCORTHY retained the Provincial Towns Cup after a thrilling three-hole playoff at Dunmurry Springs.
Trailing 5-4 after a rain-soaked home leg, the Wexford men travelled to Kildare determined to hold on to the title but it went to the death with leadoff man Davie Murphy forced to take on Sean O Gallchoir for a second time in a playoff, winning 2&1 to ensure that the title returned to the southeast.
When O’Gallochoir beat Murphy 5&4 in the opening match, Dunmurry Springs led 6-4.
But while wins for James Sheridan, Eddie Doyle, Denis Dunbar and Thomas Kielthy put Enniscorthy 6-8 ahead, the home club would not go down without a fight
Ernie McMullen beat Brian Sinnott to make it 7-8 and while Charlie Hogg put the Wexford men within a point of victory with two matches left, they were two and four down respectively.
As Murphy headed for the practice ground to warm-up for a possible playoff, Dunmurry Springs’ Barry McLoughlin beat Anthony Byrne 4&3 to make it 8-9.
If Eddie Balfe could pull off a miraculous comeback, the title would be Ennscorthy’s. But while he had a title-winning chance at the last after winning the 16th and 17th to square the match, he failed with his birdie putt from eight feet and Noone got up and down for par to make it 9-9.
A three-hole playoff ensued on the 14th, 15th and 16th but while ten-handicapper O Gallchoir had soundly beaten the bearded Murphy at home and away, it was the Wexford player who came out on top this time.
Battling a recent rugby injury and with his father Nicky on his bag, he birdied the 14th from eight feet to go one up and then watched O Gallchoir find water at the par-three 15th.
He had a tricky second from just off the back left of the green but after a drop, O Gallchoir found water again with his third shot and offered his hand to the victor, leaving Enniscorthy to celebrate yet another triumph.