Wild, biting winds failed to inhibit the sparkling play of a highly-motivated Co Sligo side, in their quest of an elusive "double-double" at Dundalk yesterday. With an impressive win over Portmarnock, the Westerners went through to face Limerick this morning in the final of the Bulmers Senior Cup.
Meanwhile, Laytown and Bettystown captured their first national pennant since the Barton Shield triumph of 1983, by beating Cork in the final of the Junior Cup. And Pierce Purcell Shield honours went to Thurles, who became the first Munster winners of the trophy since their neighbours, Nenagh, in 1991.
The double of the Senior Cup and Barton Shield is a formidable achievement in itself. But having retained the Barton Shield on Thursday, Co Sligo are now attempting to repeat their dual success of last year, which has not been done since Sutton won both trophies in 1949 and 1950.
In theory it takes only three successful players to win the Senior Cup, but it would be fanciful to expect success on that basis. Still, it is highly revealing that Co Sligo's Kenneth Kearney, David Dunne and Kevin Flanagan have each gone 11 matches without defeat since the start of last year's campaign.
Kearney set the Westerners on track when he came from one down after six against Dermot Snow to win the next five holes in two under par. The recently-crowned Irish champion then tied up the match with a birdie at the 14th where he pitched to eight feet.
Almost predictably, Dunne delivered their second win and Flanagan maintained his unbeaten record against David Kelleher. After a winning birdie on the second, Flanagan was always in front; he won the 15th in par to be two up with two to play and was then halved the next two holes in bogey, for the match.
Limerick's success was particularly interesting for the performances of US-based college friends. While Tim Rice was coasting to a 6 and 5 win at the top of the order, Ricky Elliott, at number two for Royal Portrush, surprisingly beat the reigning South of Ireland champion, Pat Collier, by 3 and 1.
So, while happily avoiding each other, the two players clearly justified the expense to their clubs of flying them home from Toledo for these tests. And Limerick earned a repeat of last year's final against Co Sligo, who edged through on that occasion with a tie-hole win in the last match.
Laytown and Bettystown had the ideal requirement of young players getting better, as they swept to their first Junior Cup triumph. And at the end of a tough campaign, 18-year-old Donal O'Brien in the anchor position had gone through all nine matches unbeaten.
Thurles were rewarded for an investment of £15,000 when beating Ballyclare in the final of the Pierce Purcell Shield to leave Ulster clubs without a trophy. Indeed the Co Tipperary club can now celebrate a double in view of their All-Ireland Mixed Foursomes success two weeks ago.
