GOLF/CUPS AND SHIELDS FINALS:YOU CAN'T beat a bit of family rivalry, a fact of which Eddie Power – a three-time Irish Close champion in his heyday – is aware. More recently, he has been the one doing the back-slapping rather than the other way round, as his wife and son have taken it in turn to conquer the fairways.
His wife, former Curtis Cup player Eileen Rose, recently led Kilkenny to success in the ILGU Senior Cup and, two weeks ago, his nine-year-old son, Mark, captured the HSBC Wee Wonders tournament at St Andrews.
If those feats were hard to follow, at least 44-year-old Eddie showed he had lost none of his competitive instincts as he back-boned Kilkenny to victory over Youghal in yesterday’s semi-final of the Barton Shield.
As the four-day festival that is the Bulmers Irish Cups and Shields finals at Tullamore started in ideal conditions in the midlands, Kilkenny outgunned Youghal by three holes in this unique foursomes event. In the other semi-final, Banbridge emerged victors over an experienced Galway team by two holes.
And, on a day which acted as a fine appetiser for a festival that runs on this pristine, tree-lined course – “It’s faultless, the best conditioned parkland course I’ve played,” remarked Banbridge’s Rory Leonard – until its culmination on Saturday, Oughterard caused something of an upset by overcoming a young Castle team in the Irish Junior Cup semi-finals to set up a final showdown today with Malone, who accounted for Co Tipperary.
In his day, Power was a terrier on the course, especially in matchplay. He has those Irish Close titles to prove it (in 1987, 1993 and 1998), and although he is some 10 years away from the cut and thrust of championship golf on the domestic circuit apart from the annual appearance in the South of Ireland, the native of Tramore enjoys getting the competitive juices flowing again in these inter-club finals.
“I’ve always been a trier, to win any title is nice,” remarked Power, who partnered Richie Walsh to the decisive foursomes victory that kept alive the dream of another national title.
Youghal’s Willie Jones and Darren O’Sullivan claimed a five holes win over Paul O’Hara and Graham Nugent in the top match, but the bottom foursomes proved to be decisive in determining the outcome where the two match scores are combined. As such, Power’s partnership with Walsh resulted in an eight holes win over Tommy Kennefick and Stephen Prendergast, giving Kilkenny a three holes victory overall.
Power and Walsh birdied the first, fourth and 10th to move into a five-hole lead, but word had drifted back from in front that Youghal had the upper hand in the top match.
“We heard, but you’ve got to focus on winning your own game,” remarked Power.
And they did, setting up a showdown with a Banbridge team who last won the Barton Shield in 2003.
In yesterday’s semi-final, Banbridge’s top pair of Rory Leonard and Ciarán McAleavey, who has completed a scholarship at the University of Toledo in Ohio, provided some magnificent golf to see off Galway’s Joe Lyons and Dave Scully by seven holes.
In the other foursomes, Irish international Connor Doran and Alastair McCully were on the wrong end of a five holes beating by Eddie McCormack and Damien Glynn, but Banbridge’s superiority in the top foursomes proved significant.
Leonard and McAleavey put down an early marker, going birdie-birdie-eagle from the second hole to claim the initiative. It was perfect team-work, Leonard hitting a seven-iron approach to three feet on the second; McAleavey holing a 70-footer from just off the green on the third, and then cutting a three-wood approach around trees to 10 feet for an eagle on the fourth.
Although the Galwaymen held on, the Ulstermen finished matters off with a string of birdies down the stretch – on the 15th, 16th and 17th – to ensure their place in the final against Kilkenny, who have altered their line-up by bringing in Leinster interprovincial Craig Martin for Graham Nugent.
Oughterard’s Frank Ford proved to be his side’s hero in the Junior Cup win over Dublin club Castle. After falling behind for the first time when losing the 15th, Ford’s response was to birdie the 419-yard 16th where he hit a seven-iron approach in to 10 feet to square with Fergal Walsh.
The seven-iron again proved to be Ford’s magic wand on the 179-yards 17th as he hit his tee-shot in to 20 feet and then saw his opponent get into trouble by over-shooting the green, resulting in him gaining a one-hole lead going to the 18th which was halved in bogeys. Ford’s win, along with those of Cathair Coneely and Máirtín Ó Cearra, gave Oughterard a place in today’s final against Malone, who were 3½ – 1½ winners over Co Tipperary.
Tullamore details
YESTERDAY’S RESULTS
Barton Shield Semi-finals
Banbridge bt Galway 2 holes (Banbridge names first): R Leonard, C McAleavey bt J Lyons, D Scully by 7 holes; C Doran, A McCully lost to E McCormack, D Glynn by 5 holes.
Kilkenny bt Youghal by 3 holes (Kilkenny names first): P O’Hara, G Nugent lost to W Jones, D O’Sullivan by 5 holes; E Power, R Walsh bt T Kennefick, S Prendergast by 8 holes.
Irish Junior Cup Semi-finals
Oughterard 3 Castle 2
(Oughterard names first): F Ford bt F Walsh 1 hole; A Grimes lost to A Gleeson 2 and 1; C Conneely bt S Williams 4 and 3; M Ó Cearra bt H Scott 3 and 2; N Faherty lost to F Costelloe 6 and 5.
Malone 3½ Co Tipperary 1½ (Malone names first): Barry Brennan bt M McGrath 3 and 1; D McCrea bt R Wade 7 and 5; Ben Brennan lost to C Crowe 1 hole; A Montgomery bt M Moloney 3 and 2; J Gilbert halved with M O’Grady.
TODAY’S DRAW
Pierce Purcell Shield Semi-finals Corrstown v Douglas (Corrstown names first): 8.0: J Dowling, T Merrigan v R Lonergan, K O’Sullivan. 8.10: N Hubbard, J Lowe v M Lucey, J Scannell. 8.20: J Beagan, G Beagan v E Cogan, F Walsh. 8.30: G Finnerty, F Lawlor v T Barry, P Herlihy. 8.40: C Conneely, P O’Kane v F Mackey, P O’Driscoll.
Letterkenny v Loughrea (Letterkenny names first): 8.50: B O’Donnell, T McMonagle v B Dunne, P Hynes. 9.0: P McMonagle, K Sweeney v J Greally, G Fahy. 9.10: J Russell, K Walsh v N Maher, L McGahon. 9.20: E Margey, B Roache v U Finn, C Murray. 9.30: K King, S Sweeney, T Slevin, J Creavin.
Junior Cup Final
Oughterard v Malone (Oughterard names first): 11.0: F Ford v Barry Brennan. 11.10: A Grimes v D McCrea. 11.20: C Conneely v J Thompson. 11.30: M Ó Cearra v A Montgomery. 11.40: N Faherty v J Gilbert.
Barton Shield Final
Banbridge v Kilkenny (Banbridge names first) – 12.0: R Leonard, C McAleavey v P O’Hara, C Martin. 12.10: C Doran, A McCully v E Power, R Walsh.
