MEANINGFUL competition was restored to the annual golf Colours Match yesterday, despite a record sixth successive win for UCD. In the first official amateur fixture to be staged at the Portmarnock Hotel and Golf the Belfield students edged into victory over Dublin University by 61/2 to 51/2 quite a change from their 10-2 triumphs of the two years normal venue, Portmarnock GC, unavailable, the students went to the neighbouring links. And there was general delight at the quality of this, new, Bernhard Langer designed venue where they played off the medal tees with an overall length, of 6,500 yards.
Benign morning conditions brought some spectacular scoring, in the foursomes, which ended with the sides level at 2-2. But a fresh and chilly north east wind made for a demanding afternoon, when Trinity staged a marvellous if unavailing singles rally. The greens were relatively fast and testing, while the 389 yard 16th and the 402 yard 18th, provided a searching finish into the wind.
A feature of the foursomes was the opening win for UCD by Newlands youth international Peter Lawrie and Ronan Flood. One down to Dermot McArdle and David Lynch after seven, the UCD pair won the next five holes in birdie, birdie, birdie, par, par to be four up.
The Trinity partnership of Ivor Leahy and John Carroll also played impressively when winning their match on the 16th. Three down after nine to Liam Brady and Jim Geraghty, they eagled the 514 yard 10th, where Carroll hit a glorious, three iron second shot to six feet and Leahy sank the putt.
Lawrie, who is studying commerce on a golf scholarship, restored UCD's lead in the opening singles of.the afternoon when he had four birdies on the way to a 5 and 4 win over McArdle, the Trinity skipper. Indeed the Belfield students also won the next three matches to secure an unbeatable, position with four matches still on the course.
As it happened Trinity, whose handicaps ranged from three to as high as nine, almost snatched a draw. They were deprived only by the stubborn resistance of Woodbrooks, Eoghan, Slye in a halved fifth singles against Leahy. It was a fine effort from the five handicapper.
