It’s unbelievable Geoff - Lenehan seals Munster win
Par putt on 18th completes an amazing comeback to land Interprovincial title
Munster completed an amazing comeback to win the Interprovincial Championship at Athenry on a dramatic final day.
“No way,” said Portmarnock’s Geoff Lenehan when told his par putt on 18 had clinched the title. His Munster teammates were smiling but they were not joking.
Lenehan’s one-hole win against Alan Fahy ensured Munster had the six points necessary for a match victory over Leinster.
That result pushed Munster ahead of Ulster who had earlier beaten Connacht, and so, for the first time since 2014, Munster were crowned champions.
“That was unbelievable,” said Munster captain Michael Coote. “We knew this morning after being down 3-1, we had a great team meeting before we went out. I told them, ‘Lads we did 6-1 yesterday in the singles [against Connacht]. I only want 5-2 today.’ And they pulled it off. What a team.”
For much of the afternoon, a Leinster four-in-a-row looked the more likely outcome. After collecting three points from the foursomes, the reigning champions only needed three more to retain their crown. Ulster still had a say in the outcome provided they beat Connacht handsomely but the signs were pointing east.
“I was just happy to be playing,” said Lenehan, still shell-shocked by it all.
On Wednesday he tweaked his left wrist and was unable to complete his match against Ulster’s Marc Norton, retiring injured after four holes.
The 30-year-old had to sit it out on Thursday as he contemplated returning home. Lenehan had even booked in with a specialist. Thankfully, for Munster, it was an appointment he did not fulfil, opting to take his chances in Athenry instead.
“I felt something was catching on my backswing,” Lenehan explained. “Yesterday morning it was still bad and I was querying whether to go home. I actually had a specialist booked today and then just yesterday afternoon I tried to hit some half shots and it felt okay.
“We checked it again later and cleared it for the foursomes and then during the foursomes we cleared it for the singles.”
After losing to Ulster on the first day, Munster would have been out of the running had they gone down to Connacht. Holding a one-point lead from the foursomes, Munster won six of the seven singles and Leinster’s defeat of Ulster meant that all four teams had a chance of taking the title.
As things turned out, it fell to Lehehan to clinch what turned out to be the winning point.
“It was amazing when I hit my second shot to 18. It was all quiet and when my opponent hit in, the Ulster lads were roaring upstairs so I kind of had an inkling that something was going on,” said Lenehan.
Ulster roars greeted Alan Fahy’s neat approach because a win at the last for the Leinster man would have resulted in a halved match with Lenehan, leaving Ulster to take the spoils. When Fahy failed to convert for birdie from 15 feet, Ulster hopes abated. Lenehan holed from four feet and rapturous cheers rose from the Munster squad assembled beside the green
“We’ve had a few bad years,” said Lenehan. “The wounds are sore and to come back is great. There’s a lot of experience in our side. We’ve a good belief that we can do it and under pressure that we can win.”
Captain Coote paid tribute to the
We’ve a good belief that we can do it and under pressure that we can win
match-winner.
“To come back and do what he did was fantastic,” he said
Of course, he’d done it before and more than once.
“I holed the winning putt in our other two wins that I was involved in, 2014 and 2012,” said Lenehan. “I don’t know how it falls to me. I’ve no idea, but it’s great.”
Men’s Interprovincial Championship, Athenry Golf Club
Day One: Leinster 4.5, Connacht 6.5; Ulster 6 Munster 5.
Day Two: Connacht 2.5 Munster 8.5; Ulster 3.5 Leinster 7.5. Day Three: Ulster 6.5 Connacht 4.5; Munster 6.5 Leinster 4.5. Final Standings: 1, Munster; 2, Ulster; 3, Leinster; 4, Connacht