SHORT GAME:LEINSTER champions St Brigid's of Dublin claimed their second FBD All-Ireland Golf Challenge in three years in impressive style in Faithlegg GC over the weekend.
Captained by the former Dublin footballer Martin Cahill and ably assisted by the former Dublin hurler Seán Duignan and brothers Cian and Donal O'Mahony, they amassed a total of 160 points to win by seven from Lismore, Waterford.
Roscommon GAA, New York carded 151; Milltown, Galway, 146; Wolfe Tones, Chicago, 144; and Cavan Gaels 137
St Brigid's, who last won the title in 2006, led by three points after the first round, Duignan and Cian O'Mahony shooting 43 points in Saturday's opening round and 38 in the second round, while Cahill and Donal O'Mahony added 39 on Saturday and 40 on Sunday.
The incessant rain made for very hard going on Sunday, but St Brigid's proved worthy winners when they held off a strong, late challenge from Waterford's Lismore.
A delighted Cahill quipped, "At least one All-Ireland title will be coming back to Dublin in 2008."
The FBD Golf Challenge was established in 2000 and is open to all GAA clubs in Ireland, provincial winners playing off over one weekend in September.
Darcy proves best of the left again
• IT was a third title in a row for Tullamore's Martin Darcy as he claimed victory at the recent Left Handers National Championships at Glasson. Over 70 left-handers turned out in good playing conditions and Darcy, a two- handicapper, won the Bob Charles Trophy for the best gross score for a third successive time, having also won in Tramore 12 months ago and Dromoland in 2006.
Darcy shot 29 points to win by one from Martin Quinlan (9) of Carton House, with Claremorris's James Prendergast (7) third on 27 points. Eamonn Clarke, a 12- handicapper from Moate, won the National Trophy title for the best nett score, his 37 points beating his club-mate Séamus Dolan (10) on countback, with Corballis's Tommy Buckley (17) third on 36 points. The Martin Quinlan Trophy for the best senior nett score was claimed by Mick Dunne from Westmanstown with 37 points.
The society's next outing is to Dundrum, Co Tipperary, on Saturday, October 18th.
Farrelly remembered at Naas
• ONE of Naas GC's most popular captains, Noel Farrelly, who passed away unexpectedly last February, was remembered recently when the Naas Junior Scratch Cup was named in his memory.
Farrelly's family and friends travelled from near and far to mark the occasion, and the competition found a nostalgic winner in Conor O'Rourke - Noel's Barton Cup partner in recent years.
O'Rourke is the current Junior Captain in Naas and a member of their Junior Cup team that will contest the Bulmers All-Ireland semi-final at Monkstown GC this week.
O'Rourke had rounds of 78 and 71 for a 149 total to win by one from Hermitage four-handicapper Eoin Buckley, who shot rounds 71 and 79.
Larry Long from the home club was a shot further back on 151.
The best nett was won by Naas club captain Jim Fennell, who shot 139 (71, 68) off a 10 handicap.
Ray Lynch was next on 140.
• CLOSE neighbours Laytown Bettystown and Co Louth competed for the Bobby Browne Trophy in Baltray last week in the fourth annual running of the event, an under-15 mixed-team matchplay competition, which rounds off the summer season for the junior members of both clubs.
Co Louth won 3-2, the results being decided on the last green of the final match.
Faithlegg and Castlecomer take national titles
• FAITHLEGG were crowned All-Ireland Ladies Fourball Champions following victory over Galway in the final of the 2008 Miele All-Ireland Interclub Fourball Championships at Mount Juliet Golf Club on Sunday.
Gerardine Neville and Olive Breen drew first blood for Galway when they closed out Aisling O'Shea and Siobhán Furlong 4 and 3.
Faithlegg's Valerie Power and Gillian Hogan then levelled the scores with an impressive 8 and 6 win over Jane Whiriskey and Raymonde Standun.
Jenny Gleeson and Eilis Strappe halved with Deirdre Costello and Mairéad O'Shaughnessy.
The final Faithlegg pairing, Lucy Fowler and Katherine Grant, brought the title across the Shannon with a 5 and 3 victory over Costello and O'Shaughnessy.
• CASTLECOMER GC were celebrating All-Ireland glory on Friday night when they defeated Thurles 3-1 at Carlow in the national final of the Irish Mixed Foursomes.
In the semi-finals Castlecomer had beaten Gort, while Thurles had accounted for Ardglass.
It was Castlecomer's first All-Ireland title in 25 years. The winning team was Victor Smyth, Mary Brophy, Jason Brennan, Joan Brennan, Michael Day, Honoria Fogarty, Ken Hovendon, Maria Downey, Martin Holohan and Theresa Manning. The subs were Séamus O'Connor, Betty Owens, Pat Byrne and Helen Murphy.
Munster Alliance taking shape
• THE Munster Senior Alliance season gets under way next month. The maximum handicap is five and there will be five outings between October and April. The Alliance will visit Fota Island (Oct 25th), Lee Valley (TBC), Cork (Jan 24th), Adare (Mar 21th) and Killarney (Apr 11th). The total cost is € 275 (to be paid up front) and the prize fund is €4,000. The Alliance is limited to 50 players. Details are available from David O'Donovan on 086-0459341 or Kieran Canty on 086-8252860.
Seniors aiming for international clean sweep
• HAVING captured the European Seniors at Shannon and the Boys Home International at Royal County Down in August before enjoying triple crown success in the men's equivalent at Muirfield last week, Ireland will bid for a clean sweep of Home International titles when the seniors tee up at Tenby Golf Club, Wales, from September 30th to October 2nd.
The six players that captured the European Seniors Team Championship at Shannon are joined by international newcomer Michael Coote from Castleisland, who finished second in the Seniors Order of Merit aided by fourth-place finishes in both the Ulster and Munster Seniors Championships.
The Irish team is: John Carroll (Bandon), Michael Coote (Castleisland), Maurice Kelly (Killeen), Liam McNamara (Woodbrook), Adrian Morrow (Portmarnock), Arthur Pierse (Tipperary), Hugh Smyth (Mourne).
The non-playing captain is Tommie Basquille from Strandhill GC.
