Shay Keenanjoined in the fun and some keen competition on the Algarve for a very worthy cause

FOR THE second successive year the destination of the Musgrave Crumlin Children's Hospital All Ireland Golf Challenge in the Algarve last week went down to the wire. In the end it was the last putt of a four-day tournament that finally decided the outcome in favour of Ulster champions Castleblayney GC.

Needing seven points from their team of Dermot McBride, Eugene McGuigan and Noel Flanagan (but they were not to know) at the last hole to ease out Rathbane GC from Limerick, they were not found wanting.

After McBride had secured an excellent point when rolling a 30-foot putt dead after some bunker trouble and McGuigan rolled in an 18-foot putt for birdie, it was left to Flanagan to hole from six feet to take the title to Ulster for the first time. He did just that with the calmness of a professional which kicked off celebrations that lasted long into the night.

The tournament, in its 11th year, attracted entries from over 100 clubs, with the winners of the four provincial titles securing a trip to the Algarve for the four-day tournament to decide the All-Ireland champions.

The purpose of the competition was to raise funds for Crumlin Children's Hospital with every euro raised by the clubs going directly to the hospital burns unit thanks to the generous sponsorship of the Musgrave Group. Since its inception some 11 years ago the competition has raised € 1.2 million for the burns unit.

By securing plane tickets for Portugal, the four provincial champions were winners already given the quality of the prize, which included superb accommodation at the Tivoli Almansor Hotel in Carvoeiro and the opportunity to play four top-class course at Silves GC, Boavista GC, Palmares GC and the championship layout at Penina.

It was Boyle - Colm Loftus, Peggy Feely and Gerry Emmett - who started the tournament best in Sunday's team event with one score to count at Silves GC. Only four points separated the teams with the Connacht champions edging one point clear with an opening 50 points from Rathbane, Castleblayney and The Heath.

However, Boyle's joy was to be short-lived the next day at Penina GC, the grandfather of courses in the Algarve and a permanent living memory to its architect Henry Cotton. Something short of half a million shrubs and trees were planted on the original layout and as the fairways are flat Cotton introduced strategically placed water hazards to catch the unwary long hitter.

It was here the lead changed hands with Rathbane's Tom Ryan coming into his own, shooting a magnificent 41 points and John O'Neill adding 33 and Billy O'Doherty 29 to claim a one-shot lead over Castleblayney, for whom McBride and Flanagan both shot 36 points.

The Heath kept ther hopes alive with Joe Keenan shooting 36 off a 10 handicap and both Paul Curran and Gus Hayes adding 28 points as first-round leaders Boyle slipped to third place with Loftus and Feely adding 32 and 31 points respectively.

After a day's rest, day three saw more change as the 12 players took on Boavista GC, which offers a variety of attractive and interesting holes. From the first to the last putt on the 18th green it promises a sensible game for the average player.

Umbrella pines, blossoming almond, fig, palm and Olive trees line the rolling fairways, weaving their way between water hazards and carefully placed bunkers.

And here Castleblayney were the team to impress with 82 points on the day with Flanagan and Eugene McGuigan adding an excellent 41 points apiece to take them three points clear of Rathbane for whom Ryan again excelled with 42 points with John O'Neill pitching in with 34.

The Heath kept in the hunt on 111 points after Paul Curran, who has only been playing golf for two years, finally overcoming his nervousness to shoot a best of the tournament 43 points with Keenan and Hayes both carding 34. First-round leaders Boyle lost further ground on the top two in shooting just 60 points - Emmett carding 32 and Loftus 28.

Leonard Fitzgerald, the competition's secretary at Rathbane was a comfortable winner of the club representatives section with a total of 113 points (best three from four) from Castleblayney captain Andy Whelan, who opened with a very creditable 41 points at Silves GC and the effervescent Eddie Costello from Rathbane.

Despite his social duties, Musgrave's Michael Kelleher produced excellent golf to win the guests section while Seán Malone from Castleblayney won the retailers section from Jim Kearney, Michael Doran and Pat McNamara.

If there were points for singing Gus Hayes from The Heath and Kieran Allen from Musgraves would be high on the order of merit.

Stuart Musgarve, in presenting the pennant to the Castleblayney team, said: "The tournament continues to grow and this year was no exception. We would hope that even more clubs will get involved in the years to come."