Hyland and Linehan take five titles between them -HISTORY was made at Howth Golf Club recently when two players combined to dominate the clubs matchplay competitions, with Eddie Hyland winning three titles and Kate Linehan two.
Six-handicapper Hyland won title number one when partnering John Costello to a 4 and 3 foursomes success over Tom O’Connor and Bernie Dillon.
The following morning, Hyland and Linehan combined to claim the mixed foursomes, beating Shane McLoughlin and Joan Burgess 5 and 4.
That afternoon Hyland and Peter OGorman beat Gerry Barry and Dave Keating 3 and 2 in the fourball. In winning three of the four club matchplay competitions in which men can compete, Eddie created a new club record.
After her mixed foursomes win, 17- handicapper Kinehan combined with Christina Knowles to win the Ladies foursomes, beating Joan Burgess and Mary Goode on the 19th for the John McGuirk Trophy.
Linehan’s hat-trick attempt was foiled by Veronica Baker who beat her in the final of the singles competition.
It has been a magnificent year for the Hyland family. In July Eddies son Philip, playing off five, set a new Howth course record with a six-under par 65, a round that included eight birdies and in July, Eddie and Philip were beaten finalists in the St Annes Father and Son competition.
Five clubs chasing AA doubles
FIVE clubs, Ballycastle, Douglas, Dublin City, Edenmore and Enniscorthy will be chasing All-Ireland doubles when the 2009 National Finals of the AA Insurance Ladies Golf Championships get under way at Royal Tara Golf Club, tomorrow.
Ballycastle, who meet Dublin City in the semi-final of the Junior Cup also contest the Senior Foursomes, where they meet the winners of The Island and Enniscrone in the semi-final.
The second semi-final sees Douglas, who also contest the Intermediate Cup, meet Carlow. And the southern champions, with former internationals Eavan Higgins and Kate McCann forming the backbone of the side, will start favourites to lift Senior title.
Dublin City’s second outing is in the Challenge Cup where they await the winners of Mullingar and Portumna, while Castletroy meet Belvoir Park in the second semi-final.
Enniscorthy get the four-day event underway in the Junior Cup quarter-final against Athenry, and will meet Galway Bay in the semi-final of the Intermediate Cup.
Edenmore are also in action tomorrow, with their Intermediate Cup team taking on The K Club. The winners to meet Douglas in the semi-final.
Edenmore play Mitchelstown in the Junior Foursomes quarter-final.
Delaney does the business at Carton
THE September outing of the Leinster Alliance was held on Sunday over the Montgomerie course at Carton House and a day of perfect playing conditions and an excellent course, produced some fantastic scoring.
Securing victory with an fantastic score of 43 points, off a handicap of three, was Arklows Paddy Delaney. He was closely followed by Paul Higgins, off seven, from Corrstown with 41 points and Hermitage’s Shay Fleming (5), who had the best of the 38s, helped in no small way by a hole in one at the 17th.
The gross prizes were dominated by Arklow players, with James Dempsey (3) the winner with 36 points and Niall Callanan (6) runner-up with 34 points.
The next outing of the Alliance is at Dun Laoghaire on Sunday, October 18th. The timesheet is with Michael Neary on 01-2827297, between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday.
Mixed fortunes suit Scannells
IT was a case of seniors to the fore when the scores were added up at the Pitch and Putt National Mixed Foursomes finals at Deerpark in Killarney. It was all so close as early leaders Siobhán Scannell and Chris Scannell (Collins) at +14 just got home ahead of Mary Murphy and Damien Fleming from the host club.
The home pair had a superb +8 on the last 18 and +7 on the last nine to edge out Linda and Ray Murphy from Templebreedy.
The Murphys won the gross while best on the first 18 were Tess Delaney and Stephen Needham (Lucan) and the second 18, Betty O’Brien and Robbie O’Brien from Deerpark.
All-Ireland joy for Portumna ladies
WESTERN District champions, Portumna (right), won the Miele All-Ireland Ladies Inter-club Fourball final with a 2½-1½ win over Cahir Park at Mullingar Golf Club.
The top match saw the experienced Suzanne Corcoran and partner Mary Madden score a fine 5 and 4 win over Caithlin Fitzgerald and Catherine Costigan. They edged ahead at the turn and took the 10th, 11th, 12th with pars. Corcoran produced a regulation par five at the 14th to seal the first point of the final.
Cahir Park looked as though they would even the points quickly, with the aunt and niece pairing of Helen O’Donoghue and Michelle Keating holding a commanding four holes lead with six to play. However, Anita Carey and Annette Cahalan won four of the next five holes to level the match with one hole remaining. Cahir Park eventually secured a much needed win through a par five from O’Donogue on the 18th.
However, Portumna went on to take the title when Anne Cassidy and Audrey McGrath beat Susan Carey and Joanne Noonan 3 and 2.
The last match of the final again saw Cahir Park mother and daughter partnership of Marie and Emma Keating share the point with Portumna’s Claire Callanan and Mary McElroy.
Claremorris reclaim GAA club crown
CLAREMORRIS are the FBD GAA Golf Challenge All-Ireland champions. Coming from third place overnight at Faithlegg Golf and Country House in Co Waterford, the quartet of captain Martin “Tar” Higgins, Des Griffith, Ger Noone and Mick Conway shot a spectacular 176 points to follow up on the clubs 2005 success.
Overnight leaders, Tipperarys Clonoulty-Rossmore, led by former hurling All Star Declan Ryan, slipped to third on 156 points, behind second placed St Judes of Dublin, on 161.
With Noone and Conway contributing a remarkable 48 points and Higgins and Griffith a marginally-less excellent 46, the Connacht champions claimed the Waterford Crystal trophy and All-Ireland medals.
Chicago victors Wolfe Tones, took fourth place with 146 points, one point ahead of Armagh footballer Stevie McDonnell’s Killeavy, in fifth with 145 points. New York stars, the Donegal club, were sixth.
