Historic win for Spanish Point; Rosapenna next?

Eoghan O’Loughlin (Captain, Spanish Point Golf Club) and team members pictured with the Pierce Purcell Shield after their victory at the AIG sponsored GUI Cups and Shields National Finals at Royal Tara (20/09/2013). Picture by Pat CashmanOn a day when Ruaidhri McGee topped the tour school qualifiers in England, his former club booked their place in the final of the Senior Cup at the AIG Cups and Shields in Royal Tara, writes the GUI.

Eoghan O’Loughlin (Captain, Spanish Point Golf Club) and team members pictured with the Pierce Purcell Shield after their victory at the AIG sponsored GUI Cups and Shields National Finals at Royal Tara Golf Club today (20/09/2013). Picture by Pat Cashman In beating Leinster champions Carton House, Rosapenna are looking for the club’s second green pennant in just over a year having won the Irish Mixed Foursomes in 2012.

Rosapenna’s Martin McDermott lost the opening match to an in-form Shane McGlynn, but there were wins for Enda Kennedy, Donal Boyle and Frank Casey Jr in quick succession which gave them their first ever place in a Senior Cup final. Patrick Kennedy’s match with Colin Cunningham was declared a half.

Casey, who is also Director of Golf at Rosapenna was delighted afterwards with the team’s performance .

“It’s a fantastic achievement,” he said. “We’re a very small club and very proud to have come out of Ulster with the competition so strong. Then to beat the Leinster champions, who beat the Castle, who won it last year, that was great today.

“We just got one trip down to practice. With the guys having to take half a week off work this week it was tough. And we did that in a day trip and it’s quite a way, three-and-a-half hours from Rosapenna down.”

Rosapenna Celebrate……… Rosapenna Senior Cup team (from left) Patrick Kennedy, Martin McDermott, Frank Casey Jnr, Enda Kennedy and Donal Boyle celebrate their semi final win over Carton House at the GUI All Ireland AIG sponsored Cups & Shield National Finals at Royal Golf Club today (20/09/2013). Picture by Pat CashmanWith low expectations coming to Royal Tara, the Rosapenna team had made no accommodation arrangements for Friday night and when CEO of Carton House Hotel and Golf Resort Conor Mallaghan found out, he quickly arranged six rooms for the team that beat his own in the luxurious setting of Carton House.

Frank Casey Jnr (Rosapenna) driving at the 11th hole in the Senior Cup semi final at the GUI All Ireland AIG sponsored Cups & Shield National Finals at Royal Tara. Above Enda Kennedy (Rosapenna) driving at the 12th hole. Picture by Pat CashmanSleeping in the historic Carton House may well be the best preparation ahead of their clash with County Sligo on Saturday as the Rosses Point men overcame Cork to reach their second final this week.

Beaten by Clandeboye in the Barton Shield final on Thursday, County Sligo will be hoping to prevent an Ulster double in the top two Cups and Shields events.

Darragh Carmody and Joe Kennedy (Killorglin) show their delight after winning their Jimmy Bruen Shield semi final on the 20th green at the AIG sponsored GUI Cups and Shields National Finals at Royal Tara Golf Club today (20/09/2013). Picture by Pat Cashman In the Pierce Purcell Shield, Spanish Point of County Clare beat Claremorris of Mayo to win their first ever green pennant, while in the Jimmy Bruen Shield Tandragee are through to the final today after a cleear-cut win over Athlone. They meet Killorglin of Kerry, who saw off Castlecomer after tie holes in the other semi-final.

AIG Cups and Shields at Royal Tara

Friday 20 September

Senior Cup

Semi Finals

Rosapenna 3.5, Carton House 1.5

M McDermott lost to S McGlynn 4/3;

E Kennedy bt D Carey 21st;

D Boyle bt N McGlynn 3/1;

F Casey Jr bt S O’Connor 6/4;

P Kennedy halved with C Cunningham

Co Sligo 3, Cork 2

D Reidy bt I O’Flynn 1 hole;

G McDermott bt M Ford 6/4;

S Flanagan lost to G O’Flaherty 4/3;

M Morrissey lost to E Murphy 5/4;

S O’Hara bt J Hickey 1 hole.

Pierce Purcell Shield Final

Spanish Point 4, Claremorris 1

A Garrihy & A Sexton bt D Costello & P Kenna 4/2;

E Talty & Mervin Hehir halved with D Lambe & D Rattigan;

Michael Hehir & F Hehir bt K McDonagh & Martin O’Brien 4/3;

M Talty & S Guilfoyle bt M Conway & J Haverty 5/3;

C O’Loughlin & K Hynes halved with M Monaghan & P Coyne

Jimmy Bruen Shield - Semi Finals

Killorglin 3, Castlecomer 2

J Joy & D Bird lost to V Smyth & K Hovenden 2/1;

K O’Sullivan & C Foley bt J Doheny & P Comerford 1 hole;

R Kennedy & S Collins lost to T Coogan & P Campion 1 hole;

M Ashe & J McCarthy bt S Kennedy & A Dempsey 4/3;

J Kennedy & D Carmody bt D Breen & D Fogarty 20th;

Tandragee 4.5, Athlone 0.5

S Burns & J Rowe bt T Gilhooly & M Evans 2/1;

P Hedley & C Fearon bt C Rice & M Kelly 1 hole;

G Haire & M Bannerman bt T Corry & G Kelly 2/1;

W Jardine & W Small halved with C Quilty & M Ryan;

E Nixon & J Quinn bt J Rice & D Rushe 3/2

Saturday 21 September

Senior Cup - Final

0900 Rosapenna v Co Sligo (Rosapenna names first)

D Boyce v M Morrissey;

M McDermott v G McDermott;

E Kennedy v S Flanagan;

F Casey Jr v D Reidy;

P Kennedy v S O’Hara

Jimmy Bruen Shield - Final

1030 Killorglin v Tandragee (Killorglin names first)

J Joy & D Byrd v S Burns & J Campbell;

K O’Sullivan & C Foley v P Headley & C Fearon;

R Kennedy & S Collins v G Haire & M Bannerman;

M Ashe & J McCarthy v J Forde & B Fyffe;

J Kennedy & D Carmody v E Nixon & J Quinn.

Steffan O’Hara (Co Sligo) plays from the trees at the 18th hole on his way to winning his match and the semi final of the Senior Cup at the GUI All Ireland AIG sponsored Cups & Shield National Finals at Royal Tara (20/09/2013). Picture by Pat Cashman