Dunmore claim new provincial club title

Given that one of them is eight months pregnant, some may suggest that the team from Dunmore Golf Club - a nine-hole facility in Clonakilty, west Cork - had a little extra help in annexing the Munster title in the Musgrave Crumlin Children's Hospital provincial final at Beaufort.

Denise McCarthy, a bank official with AIB, who is due her baby in two weeks time, Noreen Fleming and Mary Scannell teamed-up for a superb 89 points in fending off the challenge from two other Co Cork teams to claim the first provincial final of this new interclub competition, which is editorially supported by The Irish Times. Whether or not Denise will be able to travel over to Portugal for next month's national final is another matter, though. "She'll be very disappointed if she can't make it," said team-mate Noreen Fleming, "especially after winning through from the club competition and then the Munster final. But it is something nobody really has any control over."

Just in case Denise can't make the trip, however, the players have put Ann O'Donovan, the fourth member of their regular four-ball, on stand-by to take her place should the need arise. Such a sensible course of action is entirely in keeping with the planning which the Cork women have shown in their march to the provincial title.

Prior to last weekend's final, the threesome paid a reconnaissance mission to the Killarney venue - and such foresight proved beneficial as Noreen, a 19-handicapper, Denise, who plays off 23, and Mary, who operates off 25, had two points to spare over the Lee Valley team of Willie Glavin, John Dynan and Liam Buckley in the rumble competition, with Fermoy (Terry McAuliffe, Brendan Keane and Michael O'Connor) back in third place.

The winning team all come from the same parish of Barryroe and took up the sport at the same time, five years ago. "This win was totally unexpected," admitted Noreen. "We're known as consistent golfers, without ever doing anything spectacular." However, Noreen and Mary did team up to win the Maureen O'Hara in the past, so they know how to win.

"This is fantastic for our club, which has a small base," said Noreen. "We each played well when it mattered and managed to claim a couple of birdies which made all the difference."

Dunmore will now be the Munster representatives in the national finals in Portugal next month, and their win has come as a nice boost to the lady captain Breda White, who will accompany them. Shortly after taking up office, Breda fell and broke her wrist which has meant she has played very little golf this season. Dunmore will be joined in the finals by the winners of the other provincial finals which take place this week. The Connacht and Ulster finals will be staged at Roscommon tomorrow, while the Leinster final will take place at Mullingar on Friday.

Paddy Gribben's recall to the Irish team for last year's Home Internationals ended in considerable pain when a foot blister caused by a new pair of shoes became badly infected and forced him out of action after the first day's play.

Since then, Gribben, a former professional who was re-instated as an amateur last year, has taken an upwardly mobile route as a player: last month, he became the first Irish winner of the European men's individual championship (which has earned him an invitation to next year's British Open at Carnoustie) and he also won the North of Ireland championship in July. And he is expected to play a key part in Ireland's bid to regain the Home International crown for the first time since 1992.

Last year, Ireland were denied the Raymond Trophy - awarded to the winners of the Home Internationals - on countback by England, who have won for the past five years. It was the second time in three years that England denied Ireland on points countback, but the Irish team carries strong hopes to this year's championship which starts at Royal Porthcawl tomorrow.

The Irish team features three new caps: Irish boys champion David Jones (City of Derry), Irish close semi-finalist Gary Cullen (Beaverstown) and South of Ireland champion Johnny Foster (Ballyclare). Gribben, Irish close champion Eddie Power (Kilkenny), Eamonn Brady (Royal Dublin), Noel Fox (Portmarnock), Ken Kearney (Co Sligo), Garth McGimpsey (Bangor), Andrew McCormick (Scrabo) and John Morris (Moorhead) complete the team which is captained by Malahide's Mick Craddock.

Meanwhile, Ireland's women are also in action in the Home Internationals this week where they'll be seeking to at least emulate last year's performance when they finished runners-up to England at Lahinch. The women's tests start in Burnham and Berrow tomorrow and the Irish team has two new caps, Oonagh Purfield of Co Louth and Trish Mangan of Ennis. Irish champion Lilian Behan (Curragh), Elaine Dowdall (UCD/Wexford), Hazel Kavanagh (Grange), Suzanne O'Brien (Milltown), Alison Coffey (Warrenpoint) and Michelle McGreevy (Rossmore) complete the team.

The teenage McDermott brothers, Michael and John, are hoping that their golfing talent will steer Stackstown to victory in the FBD Barton Cup for the first time in the club's history.

Michael, a member of the Irish team which won the European Boys' Championship during the summer, and his 15-year-old brother John are partners on a team which also includes Kilkenny Scratch Cup winner Ronan Flood and a three-time Leinster Seniors' champion Tom O'Donoghue.

Stackstown carry a 3-2 lead into the second leg of the final against Lucan next Saturday - and have home advantage for the culmination of this year's competition. Lucan, who have won the Barton Cup three times, also have two sets of brothers in their team: Johnny and Tommy Thompson, and Austin, Colm and William McLoughlin.