Having secured their place in the All Ireland Senior Colleges final at Balmoral Golf Club; Rice College under the stewardship of local teacher Joe Cuddy, clinched the first national golfing pennant for Westport in more than 30 years. Jack Healy, Matthew Golden, Sam Gillivan, Joe Hastings, and Jack O'Donnell overcame tournament favourites Ulster with some determined play in the morning semi-finals and went on to defeat De La Salle, Waterford, in the final. With every player contributing a crucial point over the two matches the result could not have been any sweeter. All five team members play golf locally at Westport Golf Club and shortly after news came through from Belfast, Westport junior convenor Joe Carty congratulated all those involved in this tremendous victory for Rice College.
Balla
In last weekend’s stableford competition, Matt Lenoard was the winner on 37pts, with Austin Callaghan in second place and Vinny Gibbons finishing in third. The ladies competition was won by Rose O’Connor on 38pts, Margaret Walsh took second with Geraldine O’Malley in third.
Ballina
Brendan Kilgallon was last weekend’s gents’ competition winner on 41pts, James Hogan finished in second place with Pat Hopkins taking third place. The masters’ challenge competition was won by the team of Pauline Boland, Adam McGinty and Grainne Rowley.
Ballinrobe
Last Friday’s open competition was won by Justin Keady on a score of 39pts, with the weekend competition being won by Brian Fallon. Sean Mulryne took second place and Justin Keady third. Last weekend’s ladies’ competition saw Pat McDermott win the Centra sponsored competition, with Mary Daly finishing in second and Anne Galvin in third place.
Castlebar
Last weekend’s Dunnes Stores sponsored stableford competition was won by Islandeady man Padraig Gibbons with a score of 43pts. Tom Cresham took second place and Padraic McManamon third spot. In the ladies’ competition Aisiling Towey was the winner on 39pts, with Ann Gallagher coming home in second and Patty Merrick finishing off in third place.
Claremorris
Noel Crean was the winner of the credit union sponsored competition on 43pts, with Sean McGuinness in second place, Niall Maxwell finishing in third place, and the category prize going to Danny McHugh. The ladies’ competition was won by Norah Maloney on 33pts with Catherine McEveney in second place and the nine hole ladies’ competition won by Louise Grant.
Mulranny
Last weekend’s Horkan’s Garden Centre sponsored competition was won by Eugene Patten on 39pts. Second place went to John O’Leary on 37pts with Paddy Chambers taking third spot. This weekend’s competition is sponsored by TC Window Fitters and players can take part on Saturday or Sunday. The rescheduled Golfer of the Year competition has been scheduled for May 12, which is also the date by which the the club match-play fourball must be played.
Westport
Padraig Hughes won last Sunday’s gents’ competition, with Eugene Lavelle finishing in second place, Mick Higgins coming home in third, and Ronan Hehir in fourth place. A charity nine hole competition in aid of Western Alzheimers is scheduled to take place today, Friday April 26 with an entry fee of €10 per person. While on Tuesday next April 30 a fundraising 18 hole stableford for Rainbow Runners/Cancer Research will take place with entry costing €10 for members and €20 for non members.
