Nenagh gave vibrant expression to the heart of club golf by capturing the Bulmers Pierce Purcell Shield in delightful sunshine at Athlone yesterday. And at categoryone level, Shandon Park moved a step closer their 13th Senior Cup triumph with a tense semi-final win over the favourites, Portmarnock.

Against the backdrop of a shimmering Lough Ree, the air was filled late in the afternoon by a rousing rendition of Slievenamon. It was the presentation ceremony for the Pierce Purcell, and old hands Nenagh were doing their thing, having previously won this event on two occasions, followed by a Jimmy Bruen Shield victory last year.

Given the highly competitive nature of these tests, recent experience became a priceless asset for Old Conna, who added the Junior Cup to their Jimmy Bruen Shield victory of 1993. "I never sweated as much in a rugby match," said former Munster flanker Diarmuid Leonard, who holed the decisive putt in the final against Tuam.

The day's heightened tension was exemplified by the climactic stages of the second Senior Cup semi-final in which Portmarnock battled in vain for the critical third point.

In the anchor position, Shandon's Barry Hobson had come from one down with three to play to be all square with Paul Byrne going down the 18th. Here, Hobson's chance seemed to have slipped away when he drove behind trees.

But he needn't have worried: a bogey was enough to take the match. His opponent was considerably right of the 18th green in two; pitched about 18 feet short of the target and then three-putted, sending his first effort five feet past.

By that stage, Colin Cassidy, recent winner of the Athlone Scratch Cup, had gone into sudden-death with Shandon's Gary Lynas in the fourth match. The end came at the 21st which Lynas looked destined to lose when he missed the elevated green on the right, whereas Cassidy was 12 feet from the pin in two.

As his colleague had done minutes earlier, Cassidy raced his first putt anxiously past the hole. Lynas, meanwhile, pitched to seven feet, and when he holed for a brave if improbable par, Cassidy missed the three-footer back.

So, Shandon went through to the decider against Cork, who were generally in command against Connemara in the other semi-final.

Highlight of the clash was the performance of 17-year-old Mervyn Owens, a member of Ireland's triumphant European Boys' Championship team two months ago. One up after 12 in his match against fellow teenager Kenneth Fahey, the Cork player covered the next three holes in two, three, three - eagle, birdie, par, including holing a 130-yard nine-iron approach at the 13th.

For Old Conna, Leonard, one down with three to play in his match with Bill Cunniffe, was putting first for a par at the difficult 16th, two feet further away than his opponent. And when the 12-footer found the target, Cunniffe missed from 10 feet.

Down the 18th, the Tuam member was in the right rough off the tee and 10 feet left of the pin in three. Leonard was putting for a birdie from 40 feet but he did well to stroke his first effort within three-and-a-half feet from the hole. Cunniffe's par effort tantalisingly lipped out before Leonard, with the determination of an experienced competitor, sank the winning putt.

Tony Kelly and Michael Mee gave Woodbrook a superb start in the Pierce Purcell by winning five in a row from the sixth, all in par. And when the end came on the 13th green, they were only four over.

But Nenagh dominated the middle order to lead 2-1 when former Nottingham Forest striker Tommy Gaynor partnered Paddy Martin to a 4 and 3 win at number three.

So, the fourth pairing of Paul Maloney and John Hickey were in a position to secure victory. One down after 16, where David Marsh sank a winning par putt of 15 feet, they levelled with a par at the short 17th.

Twice in trouble in the left rough down the last, Woodbrook were forced to settle for a six. Nenagh, meanwhile, were nine feet from the pin in four, needing the putt for the title. Hickey, a Clareman from Parteen, considered it to be "fairly straight".

Either way he succeeded in willing the ball into the hole. The trophy was won and the heart of golf had new heroes.