Balla
Last weekend a rumble competition sponsored by Hurst Heating and Plumbing was won by the team of Kitty O’Connor, Carmel Henry, and Marie Flanagan with a score of 78 winning out. Their scoring on the back three was just enough for them to see off the challenge of Dermot MacMahon, Martin Moylette, and Michael Neary. This weekend’s competition is a scramble sponsored by The Sheebeen golf society. A total of 28 players took part in the club outing to Mulranny, the winning team on the day was Fenton Barrett, Vinnie Gibbons, and Imelda Flatley, with the trio of Sean Kelly, Nora O’Reilly, and Aine MacSuibhne coming second.
Ballina
Last weekend’s single stableford competition was won by Michael Forde with a score of 43pts, John Bourke came second a point further back, with Robert McGinty taking third.
Ballina ladies’ challenge cup team gave a heroic performance in the All Ireland semi final of the competition before finally losing to Dun Laoghaire at Donabate on Saturday. The contest was tied at two games all and in the final match Ann McLoughlin had come from three down to just one down, playing the 18th. Her putt to win the hole and bring the match to the 19th was just inches short however.
Josephine O'Hora and Eithne Daly won for Ballina, while Marie McLoughlin and 15-year-old Shauna Smith put up gallant performances before finally losing out. Overall it was a wonderful effort by the Ballina ladies who had won the Connacht title in August and had put in weeks of preparation for the semi final. They were supported by more than 20 club members who made the journey to Donabate to cheer them on.
Ballyhaunis
Tom Dillon was the big winner at the stroke play competition last weekend in Ballyhaunis when he finished off with a score of 67. He just about held off the challenge of Diarmuid Finnegan in second place, with Martin Keane not too far behind in third. In the ladies’ competition Marriette Potgieter was the winner with a score of 76, winning out thanks to her back nine performance. Kay Keane came home in second place also on 76, with Jenny Glynn third on 77.
Claremorris
Last weekend’s competition, sponsored by Hennigans Centra, was won by Joe Leonard with a score of 42pts, the Cat 1 prize was won by Gary Brett with a score of 41pts, and Jim Egan took the Cat 2 prize with a score of 42pts. Austin Winston won the Cat 3 prize, while in the ladies’ competition Mary Walsh was the winner on 35pts, Emma Prenty came home in second, with Ina Hennelly third on 32 pts.
Westport
Following the closest lady golfer of the year competition in recent years, the final result could have come as no surprise to the members. Maureen Keane and Nuala Moody tied at the top of the leader board following the Jack Dylan competition on Sunday week last. The same cannot be said about the Sherry FitzGerald Crowley gents’ competition. The Top 30 final took place last Sunday and you could smell the tension on the first tee. Joe Kelly, who had had a magnificent season, had one more hurdle to jump before he could claim the title. The FEDEX format meant that any one of the other 29 finalists had a chance to grab victory from the jaws of defeat. Following 18 holes of stroke play there would only be 20pts between the gold and silver positions.
Michael Reddington, who began the day in 30th place, walked off the soon to be redesigned 18th green with a 68nett; a lifetime best score in competition, giving him a total of 2,710pts. However the number one seed, Joe Kelly, who had featured in 14 of the 15 qualifying rounds, secured a magical 230pts and was crowned champion with 20 points to spare.
