Conway the heroine as Killymoon win Revive Active Fourball
Killymoon's Colleen Conway (right) with her partner Kathryn Kerr after holing the winning putt on the 18th green in the final of the 2017 Revive Active All Ireland Fourball Final at Royal Tara Golf Club. Picture by Pat Cashman
Colleen Conway clinched the winning point for the second day running Killymoon made history when they beat Ballybunion 3-2 to capture the Revive Active Fourball title and the club's first major honour at Royal Tara.
“It’s a great honour for our small club to win this event,” said team captain Catherine Irwin.
“It is our first win and I am so proud of this team for putting our small Cookstown club on the map!”
Carmel Hagan and Catherine Irwin sent Killymoon on their way in Sunday's final when they claimed their second win of the weekend with a 4 and 3 win over Susan Gilmore and Janice O’Connell.
Ballybunion pairing of Mary Sheehy and Louise Griffin had a point to prove in the top match, having lost their semi-final match-up on Saturday.
Colleen Conway (Killymoon) holes the winning putt on the 18th green in the final of the 2017 Revive Active All Ireland Fourball Final at Royal Tara Golf Club (08/10/2017). Picture by Pat Cashman
They were one up with one hole to play but lost it to Diane McIvor and Avril Marshall, who won a crucial second point on the 20th.
With two matches already finalised, Killymoon needed just one more point to claim victory.
Ballybunion's Catriona Corrigan and Pudge O’Reilly beat Anne MacMahon and Kate Lennon 3 and 1 to reduce the deficit, meaning the fourth match would be key.
And so it proved with 23-handicapper Conway making a birdie four at the 18th to give her and partner Kathryn Kerr a two-hole win over Patricia Joyce and Mary O’Donoghue.
It was Conway's second crucial contribution of the week as she had also two-putted from 20 feet on the 18th to give Killymoon a 3-2 win over Lucan in the semi-finals as Ballybunion beat Portumna 3.5-1.5
Revive Active will sponsor again in 2018, as ILGU President Vonnie Noonan confirmed at the presentation.
“The ILGU are delighted that Revive Active will sponsor the event for a third time again next year, it is great that such an outstanding product is associated with our Fourball Championship, we are greatly appreciative of all of our sponsors,” she said.
Revive Active Fourball National Final, Royal Tara
Final, Sunday, October 8
Ballybunion 2 Killymoon 3 (Ballybunion names first):
- Mary Sheehy & Louise Griffin lost to Diane McIvor & Avril Marshall 20th;
- Susan Gilmore & Janice O’Connell lost to Carmel Hagan & Catherine Irwin 4&3;
- Margaret McAuliffe & Lorraine Canty beat Heather Campbell & Donna Mulholland 2&1;
- Patricia Joyce & Mary O’Donoghue lost to Kathryn Kerr & Colleen Conway by 2 holes;
- Catriona Corrigan & Pudge O’Reilly beat Anne MacMahon & Kate Lennon 3&1
Semi-Finals, Saturday, October 7
Killymoon 3 Lucan 2 (Killymoon names first):
- Diane McIvor & Avril Marshall lost to Kate Whyte & Anne Seymour 4&3;
- Carmel Hagan & Catherine Irwin beat Ada Bowler & Una Murphy 1 hole;
- Heather Campbell & Donna Mulholland beat Molly Dowling & Paula Fay 1 hole;
- Kathryn Kerr & Colleen Conway beat Patricia Kelly & Sandra McCaffrey 2 holes;
- Anne MacMahon & Anne McCrea lost to Yvonne Barry & Cathy McEvoy 3&2
Portumna 1.5 Ballybunion 3.5 (Portumna names first):
- Suzanne Corcoran & Mary McElroy beat Mary Sheehy & Louise Griffin 3&2;
- Claire Callanan & Brid Kelly lost to Susan Gilmore & Janice O’Connell 3&2;
- Sinead Lohan & Carmel Cunningham halved with Margaret McAuliffe & Lorraine Canty (called-in);
- Anita Carey & Bernie Kilmartin lost to Patricia Joyce & Mary O’Donoghue 7&6;
- Anne Fahy & Mary Madden lost to Catriona Corrigan & Pudge O’Reilly 2&1.
