The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Shield holders Ceann Sibeal sensationally knocked out
KINGDOM CHALLENGE SHIELDS
HOLDERS Ceann Sibéal were sensationally knocked out of this year’s Kingdom Senior Challenge Shield by Castleisland over the weekend by a five-hole margin at Castleisland.
John Haugh (8) & Denis Galvin (9) beat JJ Corduff (5) & Tomás Ó Muircheartaigh (7) by six holes in the opening match to set the home side on their way and when Stephen Crooks (5) & James McAuliffe (7) beat Damian Duffy (4) & Tomás Ashe (5) by one hole to stretch the lead to seven, last year’s title winners were really in trouble and needing a huge result in the final match.
Their last pairing of Tadhg Ó Muircheartaigh (7) & Tomás Ó Lubhaing (6) did manage to beat Castleisland’s Shaun Walsh (7) & Jimmy Lane (9) but their two-hole win wasn’t enough as the home side went through by five holes.
In the Intermediate Shield Dooks had an emphatic home win over Castleisland which saw all three matches called in before completion as the situation was irretrievable for the visitors.
The top Dooks pairing of Manus Gallagher (11) & Derek George (12) were a whopping ten up after seventeen holes against Eamonn Fehilly (16) & James Coughlan (14) mand even with the second Dooks pairing of John Noonan (12) & Ronan Burke (14) two down to Declan Raggott (13) & Gerard Sheehy (13) playing the sixteenth, the overall match was in fact over as the final Dooks pair of
Mike Johnston (11) & Jack McGillycuddy (12) were two up after fifteen against Denis Galvin (10) & Niall Greaney (12) and Castleisland didn’t have enough holes left to retrieve the situation.
ALL-IRELAND FOURBALL GETS UNDERWAY
THE All-Ireland Inter-club Fourball got underway over the weekend and all Munster first round matches in round one have been completed, with a draw for round two set to take place later this week.
The event, the Munster section of which is named in honour of the former Munster Branch Chairman Michael Cashman who passed away in 2011, is limited to players over thirty years of age and from sixteen handicap upwards with the lowest combined handicap for a pairing of 36.
In each round, except in the final, the “home” team (the team first out of the draw) play three matches on their own course and two matches on their opponents course which certainly threw up a few surprise results in the opening exchanges in the West Munster area over the weekend.
Tralee who were the home team, beat Killorglin 4-1 while Ballybunion also the home team beat Ceann Sibeal 3-2.
But three “away” teams got through as Kanturk beat Ballyheigue(3-2), Ring of Kerry beat Killarney (3-2) and Castlerosse beat Berehaven (3-2) with Kenmare and Dooks receiving walk-overs from Doneraile and Glengarriff respectively.
Castleisland received a bye to round two which must be completedbyJuly3.