Sonearandyetso farforgolfers
All-Ireland golf titles in these parts are as rare as hens’ teeth. To underline that fact Dundalk golf club which is 113 years old has captured just one men’s team green pennant, which is presented to All-Ireland inter club team champions.
That was achieved the year before the club’s centenary in 2004 when the the inter club foursomes competition named after the legendary Jimmy Bruen, one of the greatest golfers the country produced.
The event is for middle handicap players – then between six and 11 handicap, and the club prevailed in dramatic fashion in the final at Shannon.
A member of that winning team was Alan McCabe who also played a leading role in guiding the club to the national final of the Barton Shield the week before last at Thurles golf club.
Alan along with another local golfer John Conlon jointly managed the team which made history in lifting a Leinster blue pennant at the elite level of the amateur game for the first time at Mount Wolseley and thereby qualified for the All-Ireland finals as Leinster’s representatives in which the champions from the other three provinces compete.
The Barton Shield like the Jimmy Bruen Shield is also a foursomes competition, with pairings playing one ball and hitting it alternatively.
Dundalk beat the Munster champions Kinsale in the semi-final, only then to succumb to Athenry, the kingpins of Connacht in the final.
This undoubtedly was a big disappointment, but the players achieved what no other senior team came near to in the history of the club, which seems to be on the right track towards a national breakthrough at the highest level of amateur team golf.
The way has been paved in a large way through the club’s juvenile scheme with the panel comprised mainly of players who have come through their youth ranks, with three of the players Conor Curran, Aaron Grant and Eoghan Murphy who performed in Thurles all having graduated from the under age section, while attachment with the club but played and represented Greenore until recent years. Plus the joint mangers also are products of the juvenile section.
This augurs well that the club can reap the ultimate reward from developing their own talent and that hopefully will be soon.