Young nerves withstood the strain of battle as Moate captured the Bulmers Irish Junior Cup for the first time at Lahinch yesterday. In fact there were two 17-year-old winners in the Co Westmeath side, which defeated Monkstown in a sparkling final.
It followed a national Jimmy Bruen Shield pennant in 1998 and emphasised the progressive nature of a club which extended from nine to 18 holes about five years ago. The inevitable financial burden of such development, however, meant that Moate had to stage a golf classic so as to fund this latest enterprise.
"We did it after winning Leinster," said club president Hugh Conlon. "The classic raised about u5,500 ££5,500 which put a bit of a hole in this week's costs. And wasn't it well worth it?"
Money was an even greater consideration for the Roe Park club from Limavady, who captured the Pierce Purcell Shield by beating Beech Park in the final. Established only seven years ago in a proprietary establishment, they raised u1,500 ££1,500 for the trip to Lahinch by running an open Stableford competition earlier this month.
"Club members and local businessmen also helped," said honorary secretary Gilbert Fallows. "But having won our first national pennant, we now plan to levy our members so as to raise funds for next year's competitions." The key match came at number four where they won the 14th and 15th in birdie, par, after superb, five-wood approach shots by Sammy Murphy and Bob Purcell.
Moate's success hinged on the second match where 17-year-old Thomas Fox had the battle of his young life. Three up after 12, he was eventually brought all the way by Monkstown's Andrew Fitzgerald.
Down the 19th, Fitzgerald had a chance of victory but was too aggressive with a delicate, downhill putt of three and a half feet. And after they had halved the second in par, the end came at the short 21st.
Fitzgerald pushed his tee-shot into one of the three bunkers guarding the right front of the green, but Fox nursed a seven iron onto the front edge. Though the Monkstown player made a fine recovery to seven feet, he missed the putt after Fox had left a superb effort of 45 feet within gimme distance of the hole.
His effort became a source of celebration for a considerable area of the Midlands, insofar as he is also a member of the Mount Temple and Glasson clubs. And as it happened, fellow 17-year-old Thomas Higgins was a member of the triumphant Bruen Shield team, along with the anchor man, Dominic Fitzpatrick.
Meanwhile, in fast-fading light, Padraig Hogan sank a 25-foot birdie putt on the last to give Elm Park victory over Co Sligo in the semi-finals of the Senior Cup. Their opponents in this morning's final are Shandon Park who are on course for the first category-one double in their history.
