Loughrea Golf Club has forgiven one of its most enthusiastic members for his absence from their Bloomfield Cup final engagement with fellow-Galway club Portumna at Mullingar last Sunday.
As manager of the Offaly hurling team, six-handicapper Michael Bond was excused from duty - and Loughrea still managed to take the trophy, for the second time in six years, by accounting for Portumna 3 1/2 1 1/2 in a final that took place at the same time as the hurling action. However, the Bond family was represented on the winning side by Michael's brother, Gerry.
Gerry and partner Pat Gill were actually trailing in the bottom match against Pat Claffey and Adrian Herlihy when they were called in (and deemed a halved match) as Loughrea assured themselves of the silverware by taking the top two matches. Paddy Madden and Austin Clarke were 2 and 1 winners over Frank Kilkenny and Kevin Donnellan, while Gerry Madden and Ian Shannon were winners over Francis McClearne and Brendan Dixon.
One of the Loughrea players, John Counihan, actually made his last team appearance as an amateur a memorable one. Although Counihan and partner Frank Joyce lost to Ger Lynch and John Callanan by 2 and 1, the team's overall success ensured a sweet farewell to Counihan, who intends pursuing a career as a club professional in the spring when he becomes assistant to Declan Cunningham at Athenry Golf Club.
Loughrea emerged triumphant from an original entry of 32 clubs.
Following the success of the international Pro-Am at Portmarnock Links yesterday and the decision of the Stepaside public course to donate all green fees collected yesterday to the fund, Ireland's golfers are certainly rowing in behind the campaign to raise funds for the victims of the Omagh bombing. Another major fundraiser will take place at St Margaret's Golf and Country Club on October 8th when defeated All-Ireland hurling finalists Kilkenny will be present in force.
Kilkenny team manager Kevin Fennelly and St Margaret's chief executive Tony Judge came up with the idea for the golf classic and the plan is to have 20 teams participating (at a cost of £2,000 per team of three amateurs to be accompanied by a GAA personality). Judge can be contacted at 01864 0400.
