A GOOD WALK
CLOVERHILL
THE final 18 hole qualifying competition of the year the Champion of Champions Singles Stableford saw Ruairi Murchan (19) cruise to victory with a 45 point return.
Ruairi had 22 points on the front and consolidated his position with 23 points on the back and can look forward to 2019 playing off 17. With Martin Gill breathing down his neck only 2 points behind him in the race to win Category 3 of the SpillAssist Newry’s Martin Hollywood (25) responded in fighting fashion to the pressure, picking up runner-up spot on the countback with 40 points. Martin had 22 points over the back 9 to relegate Dundalk’s Brendan O Rourke (25) who had an even split on his points to third place.
The Annual Big Breakfast fundraiser will take place next Sunday. Breakfast will be served from 8.30 to 9.30 followed by a 4 person team scramble. The committee would like All members to support this venture which costs £20 per person - all proceeds towards the provision of a new putting green. To gauge numbers for food, anyone who is going to play must contact the club before Friday.
The third round of the Winter League on Thursday over Holes 1-6 &13-18 drew a good crowd of Seniors for the best 6 cards out of 8 considering that play had a delayed start until 11am because of the frost. The way that Raymond Kelly burned up the course the greens were never in danger from the white stuff as 31 points left him a clear winner from Charlie O Hare, Raymond McCumiskey and Brendan Hughes who took the minor placings. Week Four is this Thursday with holes 1-12 in play. The overall competition after 3 rounds is thus far a battle between the two Raymonds. McCumiskey currently holds the lead over Kelly.
COUNTY LOUTH
BANK Holiday Four Person Team Event: 1st Ken Meegan (18), Martin Healy (20), Gerry Boylan (23), Bernard Woods (15) 87pts, 2nd Declan Kearns (16), Cathal Kelly (18), Joe Shortt (18), John Fitzgerald (19) 86pts.
Saturday’s Winter League No 5 competition: Class 1 winner Padraig Duffy (12) 72, 2nd Brian Ronan (2) 74 ob9, Gross prize Nigel Beirth 78; Class 2 winner Thomas Garry (13) 75, 2nd Liam Cooney (18) 76 ob9, Gross prize Gerry Matthews 92 ob9. SSS 72. Team: Joseph McLaughlin (14), Kevin Walsh (15), Martin Walsh (20) & Michael Redmond (11) 61.
Saturday turkeys: Class 1 Paul Reilly (5) 34.5, Class 2 William Reilly (20) 39.
Mid-week turkeys: Class 1 Peter Walsh (9) 32.5, Class 2 Roy Conaghy (14) 34.
Nine-hole senior winner Michael Plunkett (22-2) 19pts.
Winners from Sunday’s turkey competition: Front nine stableford - Class 1 Paddy Lynch (12) 21pts, Class 2 Cathal Kelly (18) 25pts; Back nine stableford - Class 1 John Mullen (6-2) Bal 22pts, Class 2 Colman Carroll (18) 23pts ob6.
CO LOUTH LADIES
LADIES Winter League Turkey v Par competition, sponsored by Specsavers & Boylan Print Group and held on 30th October: Class 1 Mairead Duffy (18) 1 up, Class 2 Catherine O’ Brien (21) 1 up, Class 3 Norine Maher (31) 1 up.
DUNDALK
EOIN Murphy bowed out of boys golf last week with a super performance at the Ulster Boys Championship in Royal Portrush where he finished second to Thomas Higgins of Roscommon.
Higgins led from pillar to post after opening with a 66 and Murphy found himself 10 shots off the lead after shooting a five over par 76 in the first round.
However, he hauled himself back into contention with a bogey free seven under par 64 as he reeled off seven birdies to move up the leaderboard into fourth place, five shots behind Higgins.
In the final round Murphy had three birdies and one bogey for a two part 69 but, while that was enough to leapfrog into second place, it wasn’t enough to haul back Higgins who also shot 69 to keep his five shot margin over the Dundalk player.
Murphy went into the tournament with a plus one handicap and his two rounds under par were enough to push him out to plus two and see him achieve one of his major goals for the year.
Jim Dwyer (10) was the winner of Sunday’s Singles Stableford with an excellent score of 43pts.
He made full use of his 10 shots as he recorded seven three point pars out of an overall total of 15 pars while his three bogeys were each worth two points as he had shots on all three.
On the front nine, Dwyer had three point pars at the first, third and seventh as he went out in 21pts and on the way home he had three pointers at the 11th, 15th, 16th and 18th.
Hugh Reilly (21) took second place overall after shooting 41pts and edging out Charlie Monahan (10) on countback thanks to a fine back nine score of 22pts. Monaghan, however, took Category 1 while Dessie Ward (13) took Category 2 and Oliver McGinnity (20) claimed Category 3 for the second consecutive week. Eddie Rogers (3) had the best gross with 34pts.
Best wishes to Brendan Lawlor who heads for Australia this weekend to take part in next week’s Australian All Abilities Championships which will be part of the Australia Open in Sydney.
Sunday, November 4 - Singles Stableford – Overall: Jim Dwyer (10) 43pts, Hugh Reilly (21) 41/22pts. Category 1 (0-11): Charlie Monahan (10) 41pts. Category 2 (12-16): Dessie Ward (13) 40pts. Category 3 (17+): Oliver McGinnity (20) 39/23pts. Best Gross: Eddie Rogers (3) 34pts. CSS: Non Qualifying.
DUNDALK LADIES
WINTER League Results week 1: Class A - 1st Maureen Sheridan (14) 21pts, 2nd Brid Rocks (19) 18pts/14, 3rd Fionnuala Dullaghan 18pts; Class B - 1st Rita Moriarity (24) 20pts; 2nd Joan Sexton (22). 17pts, 3rd Theresa Oakes (28) 17pts; Class C 1st Brenda Rogers (36) 18/15pts, 2nd Mary Horan (35) 18pts, 3rd Joan Smith (29) 17/14pts.
GREENORE LADIES
THE midweek 12-hole stableford