Disappointment for Tralee and Ballybunion in blue riband events

WHILE Tralee tasted Munster glory on Sunday in Cork at the Junior Cup, there was great disappointment on the previous day for Kerry clubs as both Tralee and Ballybunion were beaten at the same venue in the provincial semi-finals of the Barton Shield and Senior Cup which are the “blue riband” events of Irish amateur team golf.

In the Barton Shield, Tralee came up against a powerful Tramore side who are annually in the hunt for honours at this level and in spite of winning the first foursome, the Kerry side were well beaten in the second to lose overall by five holes. Darren O’Sullivan and Joe O’Neill beat Declan King and Paul Flynn by one hole and Fergal O’Sullivan and Eoghan O’Donnell lost to Chris Butler and John Mitchell by six holes.

Tramore went on to lose the final to a Cork Golf Club side featuring Brian Kelleher, the former assistant professional at Ballybunion who regained his amateur status a few years back.

In the Senior Cup, Ballybunion took on Monkstown and in spite of winning the top two matches, went down agonisingly at the 19th hole of the decider.

Former Munster inter-provincial player Ed Stack beat Sean Desmond by one hole to take the top match for Ballybunion and young John Molynueux added the second point for the Kerry club, beating Donal McDonnell also by one hole, in match number two.

However, at the back of the field Monkstown were drawing level as Eoghan Long beat Senan Carroll 4&3 and Martin Poucher beat David O’Driscoll 5&4 in matches four and five.

The overall outcome now depended on the third match between Peter Sheehan, the former South of Ireland champion, and Monkstown’s Nick Moore. Sheehan was one down playing the 17th but holed a six-footer for par to level the match and followed up with a twenty-footer for a half at the final hole to force a play-off but Moore almost holed his second shot at the 19th for a match-winning birdie to snatch it for Monkstown who then went on to beat Castletroy in the final.