Co Sligo win Senior Cup
RUAIRI O’Connor clinched the winning point at the 19th as Co Sligo won the AIG Senior Cup in dramatic style at Carton House.
It was extremely poignant for the team as team- mate and club stalwart Mark Rooney sadly passed away hours later from cancer aged 38. The
O’Connor had to win the 18th just to keep his match alive and when Castle’s Robert Moran came up short with his birdie putt at the first extra hole, O’Connor pounced for glory.
It was an emotional victory for Sligo, who were beaten by a birdie at the 19th in 2014 against Tramore, but it was also a gut- wrenching defeat for Castle. After winning the AIG Junior Cup for the first time in their history on Thursday, Castle had high hopes of completing the double.
That dream was still alive when Robert Moran won the 16th to take the lead against O’Connor and he halved 17 with a par to hold his advantage down the last. Sligo had two points on the board at that stage courtesy of David Brady’s 4& 3 win against Peter McKeever and TJ Ford’s 3& 2 success against Jim Mulready, but the pressure was squarely on O’Connor’s shoulders when he came to play his approach at 18.
“I didn’t strike the drive great but it was straight,” O’Connor admitted. “The second shot was the best shot of my life, definitely. 220 yards into the wind.”
His ball was destined for the green as soon as he made contact. The sweet sound of that pure strike sent a buzz of anticipation tingling through the crowd.
The cheers grew louder and louder as O’Connor’s three iron came to rest 12 feet from the pin.
Although closer to the green, the load was now on Moran’s shoulders. His approach went long and left, and when he failed to save par, O’Connor two- putted to take the hole. Now both players were in the cauldron and the temperature was still rising.
Returning to the first, an inviting par- five, Co Sligo supporters faced a solemn retreat. This was the scene of final heartbreak two years ago when Tramore snatched the cup. While Castle were still vying for the double, it seemed as if Sligo had more at stake. Again, O’Connor lagged behind Moran’s drive but their task was the same when both balls were bunkered short of the green. Moran was first to play and left himself 15 feet for birdie.
O’Connor splashed out, the contours feeding his ball within eight feet of the hole. When Moran’s putt stopped short, O’Connor had destiny in his hands.
“I’d take any putt to win,” said O’Connor. “My caddy, Alan ( Gaynor) has been fantastic, he gave me a great read, spot on and I trusted it. It was never anywhere else. Just left edge, dead weight.”
Standing behind the putt, Sli- go’s David Brady had the perfect view. “As soon as he hit the putt I was running onto the green, I knew straight away he had it,” said Brady. “A roll of the ball, that’s all it takes.” In the aftermath, O’Connor shimmered with emotion.“This means a lot to us,” the 23- year- old explained.
It was particularly poignant as team captain for the last number of years, Mark Rooney, sadly passed away just a number of hours later from cancer aged 38. The win was dedicated to the much- loved team mate and club stalwart by County Sligo.
Team members had been in close contact with Mark throughout the campaign, some even writing his initials on their golf gloves as a reminder that they were going to win the final for him yesterday. Just before the presentation, captain Flanagan explained how highly regarded Mark was amongst his team mates.“He was in the panel, he was a member of the WhatsApp group and he would be mentioned in every team meeting,” he said. “And to be honest, a lot of the lads would have had his initials on their glove. They had the height of regard for him. We all know people like that — people who earn everyone’s respect the right way. He was one of them.... A great lad. A super, super guy.”
RESULTS FOR SATURDAY 17 SEPTEMBER, AIG SENIOR CUP All Ireland Final at Carton House Co. Sligo 3 Castle 2 ( Co Sligo names first) David Brady beat Peter McKeever 4& 3, Declan Reidy lost to Alex Gleeson 2 holes, Ruairi O’Connor beat Robert Moran 19th TJ Ford beat Jim Mulready 3& 2, Mark Morrissey lost to Daniel Holland 2& 1.