CLUB NOTES ONtheFAIRWAYS
GOLF
NEWROSSLADIES
Last Wednesday, May 3, A.I.B. sponsored our weekly competition with three category prizes.
Category 1: 1, Mary Shannon (17), 39 points; 2, Ger Mackey (11), 35 points.
Category 2: 1, Elsie Redmond (25), 36 points; 2, Mary Rochford (20), 35 points.
Category 3: 1, Margaret Rossiter (29), 36 points; 2, Mary J. Maher (29), 31 points.
This week’s competition on Wednesday, May 10, is in aid of the very worthy cause: 3Ts (Turn The Tide of Suicide), a national body which works to prevent death by suicide. It is an 18-hole stableford and includes a Senior prize. Book online or draws will be made at 10 a.m. or 1 p.m.
On Friday another important charity day in aid of breast cancer research will consist of an open greensomes for teams of two players, either men or ladies. For ladies this will be a qualifier for a national competition. Get your partner and book online now for this great cause.
Lady competitors are reminded to please return all competition cards entered. It makes life much easier for the Handicap Secretary and her volunteers doing the scorecards on a Wednesday evening.
The nine-hole competition continues so enter as often as you like. This is one of the ways you can support your club.
Tuesday’s fourball is open to ladies and men so please support this competition if you can. It’s €4 each for the 14-hole stableford, with booking online.
The ladies’ teams have recorded another success! Well done to the Intermediate team which travelled to Courtown and defeated them at home. Continue your winning ways girls!
Next week The Finn Trophy team does battle with Enniscorthy on Monday, May 15, at 2 p.m. Good luck women.
The Juniors’ sub-committee earnestly appeal for volunteers to help out with youngsters on a Saturday at 1.30 p.m. Garda vetting has to be done so if you can submit your name A.S.A.P. it would be great. We can do a rota if we have enough cover which will ease things. For the future of our club this kind of volunteering is crucial. Give your name to the Captains or at the office.
New sandbags have been purchased. Please use them but return them to the frame. Support the club by purchasing your own bag for €2 in the Pro Shop from next week. Anyone who would like to sponsor the bags would be very welcome.
NEWROSSSENIORS
The dying days of the month of April, if very cold, were often referred to as the ‘The Sean Riocht Days’ or the skinning of the old cow. Well, someone must be on a go-slow for this year as they stretched into the first week of May with a biting north-easterly wind whipping the south-east.
This was the scenario as our 14 teams ventured out on Thursday where the heavy jumpers and the windcheaters were very much the dress of the day.
The ever-popular champagne scramble was the competition and, despite the conditions, scoring was very good considering that the gale-force winds were of no help on any hole. It was a day when players were glad of the warmth and comfort of the club room after their game and a welcome cuppa or maybe something stronger.
We had a tie for first place with two teams scoring 97 points, but a better back nine (48/43) saw Patsy Farrell (15), Steve Travis (17), Dick Cahill (20) and Martin Burke (25) collect the Paddy whiskey.
They got a good run for their money from Jim ‘Ross’ Ryan (18), Willie Naddy (19), Martin Hartley (22) and Les Jastrebski (26) who also finished on 97 points. Third place on 94 points were John Kennedy (15), John Watson (16), Richie Aylward (18) and Jim Kehoe (24). Nearest the pin prizes went to Patsy Farrell and Jim ‘Ross’ Ryan on the ninth and eleventh holes respectively.
All members please note that due to the Rower-Inistioge G.A.A. Classic taking place this Thursday (May 11) we have no game, and on Thursday, May 18, it is open singles day at the club so there’s no team game that day either.
We travel to picturesque Coollattin of the colourful azaleas and rhododendrons which are in full bloom on Tuesday, May 16, and these are the teams and tee-times which must be strictly adhered to:
10.30 a.m., Patsy Farrell, Kevin Treacy, Jimmy O’Neill, Les Jastrebski; 10.38 a.m., Eamon Delaney, John Murphy, Jim ‘Ross’ Ryan, Jamesie Murphy; 10.46 a.m., Tony Harford, Tom Murphy, Kenny Irwin, Frank Boyle; 10.54 a.m., Denis Kirwan, Luke Power, Aidan O’Connor, Martin Burke; 11.02 a.m., John Joe Cullen, Steve Travis, Mick Brennan, Tom Kent; 11.10 a.m., John Kennedy, Michael Lee, Michael Long, Donie Cody; 11.18 a.m., John Browne, Willie Kelly, Liam Glasheen, Jim ‘Dublin’ Ryan; 11.26 a.m., Andy Ronan, Willie Byrne, Tom O’Shea, Bryan Hennessy; 11.34 a.m., Michael Kavanagh, John Watson, John Joe Murray, Tony Sexton; 11.42 a.m., Bob Doyle, Martin Forristal, Paddy Mahoney, Jim Kehoe.
COURTOWN
You may have been forgiven for thinking that winter had returned if you were one of the hardy few who took to the fairways on Sunday week when the weather conditions seemed more akin to November than the end of April.
Summer has arrived in some ways for sure though as we are no longer allowing placing on the fairways, so from here on play it as it lies. This of course may change if weather conditions dictate.
Just a reminder for some members still involved in the club matchplay competitions that time marches on and the deadline for first round matches looms close. The next round of singles matches must be played on or before Monday, May 15. As we said before there will be no extensions and no exceptions.
Tuesday, April 25, ladies’ Scotch foursomes sponsored by Lloyd’s Pharmacy, Gorey: 1, Mary Cooper (35), Ingrid Ashmore-Butler (36), 39 points (last nine); 2, Doris Doyle (22), Barbara Long (25), 39 points (last nine); 3, Frances Sinnott (27), Helen Mundow (30), 39 points.
Wednesday, April 26, gents’ open singles stableford (87 played; C.S.S. 35 points): 1, Alan McDonald (2), 40 points (last nine); 2, Diarmuid Kinsella (14), 40 points; 3, Mike Beetlestone (27), 39 points; 4, Mark McGrath (21), 38 points.
Ladies’ and gents’ singles, Saturday, April 29, sponsored by Robert O’Connor Woodturning Studio - gents: 1, Tony Crehan (11), 36 points; 2, Seamus Dempsey (16), 35 points (last nine); 3, Mike Power (13), 35 points; gross, Mick Morrissey (5), 29 points; ladies: 1, Nell Asple (23), 36 points (last nine); 2, Marie Farrell (32), 36 points.
Sunday, April 30, fourball any combination sponsored by Mossel Bay Catering: 1, Steven Doyle (16) and Donal Noonan (9), 43 points; 2, Donal Noonan (9) and Adrian Copeland (18), 42 points; 3, Pat Ruane (4, Rathdowney) and Malachy Travers (2), 41 points.
On Tuesday, May 2, the ladies club held an open day, and the format was fourball better ball. Walking into the clubhouse was like walking into a very luxurious garden centre. The display of flower baskets and tubs was a sight to behold.
The reason for this was that the sponsor was O’Connor’s Nurseries. Courtown ladies extend a huge thank you to Jim and Helen for their sponsorship.
Results: 1, Mary Cooper (34/31) and Ingrid Ashmore-Butler (36/32), 40 points (countback); 2, Sorcha Howell (4/4) and Katie O’Hart (8/7), 40 points; gross, Sarah Donnellan (7/6) and Mairéad Sunderland (19/17), 26 points; 3, Cecilia O’Riordan (25/23) and Frances Sinnott (27/24), 38 points; 4, Mary O’Connor (36/32) and Pauline Murphy (32/29), 36 points.
Well done to all our winners - the rest of us are green with envy.
Wednesday, May 3, gents’ open: 1, Shay Currivan (20), 37 points; 2, Joe Keegan (6), 35 points; 3, Luke Levingstone (21), 34 points (countback); eleven-hole: 1, Harry Poole (24), 23 points.
Thursday, May 4, gents’ Seniors open: overall, Vincent Kearney (24), 38 points (last nine); Cat. 1: 1, Patrick McNulty (12), 38 points; Cat. 2: , Peter McAteer (22), 37 points; Cat. 3: 1, Paddy O’Brien (22), 34 points.
Thursday, May 4, saw Pat Walters and her Minor Cup team head to Arklow to play Wicklow in the second round of the competition. Courtown ladies fought hard in very difficult windy conditions but were unfortunate to lose out to a strong Wicklow team.
Saturday, May 6, brought a ladies’ and gents’ singles competition. Where oh where did the lovely sunny weather go? It was a cold, windy day but it didn’t affect some of our golfers.
Gents: 1, Dave Maher (3), 38 points; 2, Declan O’Toole (19), 37 points; 3, Michael Hooke (18), 35 points (last nine); 4, Jack O’Sullivan (8), 35 points (last nine).
Ladies: 1, Eileen Moriarty (24), 37 points; 2, Clare Healy (27), 36 points.
Lady President Marcella Jones took her Challenge Cup team to Mount Wolseley on Saturday to play Kilkenny in the second round of the championship and emerged with a victory. Well done lady President and team.
On Tuesday, May 9, we have a v. par competition to look forward to. McCauley’s Pharmacy is the sponsor.
ENNISCORTHY
Nine-hole midweek, May 3, sponsored by Sanrose Ltd (93 played): overall, Liam Sheridan (9), 21 points (last six); Category A, Paul Lynch (4), 20 points; Category B, Anthony Byrne (14), 21 points; Category C, Ger Turner (17), 21 points; Category D, Jim Gahan (20), 20 points.
The presentation for all the May midweeks will be on May 31. Next week’s sponsor are the teachers.
Singles strokes (monthly medal), May 6-7, sponsored by David Garahy (137 played; S.S. 73 both days): 1, Jim Hogan (12), 68 (back nine); 2, Seán Hegarty (10), 68; gross, Graham Donohoe (+2), 70; 3, Cormac Martin (2), 69; 4, Mark Byrne (6), 69; 5, Paul Conroy (5), 70; Seniors, Brian Hogan (15), 70.
Two-person team, May 1, sponsored by The Logo Centre (Liam Spratt), 94 played: 1, Ray Hutchinson (16) and Tony Hutchinson (17), 50 points; 2, Jim Delaney (16) and Jim Gahan (20), 49 points; 3, Joe Kearns (13) and Tom O’Shea (14), 48 points.
Four-person team, May 5, sponsored by Enniscorthy G.C. (club fundraiser), 88 played: 1, Tommy Cooper (15), Jim Delaney (16), Joe (90) Murphy (10) and Billy Wallace, New Ross (15), 58.4 points; 2, Eunan Doyle (10), Frankie Morrissey (9), James Morrissey (6), Joe (90) Murphy (10) and Tommy Morrissey, Wexford (9), 58.6 points.
Our Barton Cup team progressed to a third round meeting against the European Club by defeating local rivals Bunclody on a scoreline of four games to one on Saturday, May 6.
Frankie and James Morrissey, and Paul Conroy and ‘Butch’ O’Connor, won in Bunclody. Shane Fortune/ and Martin Sludds, and Adam Jordan and Nicky Murphy, won at home, with our fifth pairing of Eddie Doyle and Lee Quigley putting in a great effort before eventually losing on the 16th. Congratulations and well played to all our players. The team is managed by Murt Mangan and ably assisted by Paul Connolly and Jason Rackard.
Our provincial Towns team played Wexford in the second round of the competition on a tough Wexford course in glorious sunshine and on very fast greens which were personally manicured by greenkeeper Joe Cashin.
There was a great performance in particular by our away team (Declan Byrne, Eamon Doyle, Denis Dunne, James Foley and Davy Murphy) as they won 4-1.
The home team (Eddie Doyle, Shane Fortune, Seán Hegarty and Jim Mackey) won 2-1 with the fourth match called in. They will play either Arklow or Ballymoney in the next round. Congratulations to all the players and the managers (John Byrne and vice-captain Tim Morrissey).
The gents’ open Seniors is on May 11 at 8 a.m., sponsored by Charlie Kavanagh.
The Enniscorthy Chamber of Commerce classic is on Friday, May 12, starting at 9 a.m.