Dundalk on track in Barton Shield; Nenagh face Athlone for Pierce Purcell
Friendships will be put on hold for a few hours at Thurles today when Dundalk take on some familiar Athenry faces as they seek the club's first green pennant in the AIG Barton Shield final.
Dundalk thrashed a disappointing Kinsale by 10 holes as Athenry's young guns despatched Clandeboye by seven holes in yesterday's semifinals.
Aaron Grant and Conor Curran were approximately two-over par as they beat Gary Ward and Keith Fitzpatrick by five holes before senior international Caolan Rafferty and former Boys international Eoin Murphy went around the leafy Tipperary venue in regulation figures to beat Cathal Butler and Eric Rumley by the same margin.
Despite the absence of David Kitt, who is on duty for Ireland in the Youth Olympic Games in Argentina, Athenry were too strong for Clandeboye at a tricky Thurles track.
Joe Bernie Jnr and Louis O’Hara beat William Russell and Karl Eccles by five holes as Darren Leufer and Boys international Allan Hill beat Graeme Laird and Scott Miller by two holes.
Having lost to Tramore in the semi-finals in 2011 and Muskerry in 2014, the Galway men were thrilled to make it to their first Barton Shield final, where they will seek the club's fifth green pennant following wins in the 2004 Irish Youths, the 2008 Ladies Challenge Cup and Fred Daly Trophy wins on 2010 and 2017
"We came out here today with a job to do," said a delighted Hill, who had a steady partner in Leufer, especially on the greens. "I think we played pretty well even if it was kind of a scrambling round.
"It’s tricky out there, you have to be hitting a lot of fairways and a lot of greens as well, you just take what you can get really – keep the pars on the scorecard and take your chances when you can really.
"It’s great to be back at the finals there’s been a lot of hard work from the lads on the squad. It’s a great achievement for us and hopefully, we can do well for the club tomorrow.
He's looking forward now to taking on two friends in Rafferty and former Irish boys teammate Murphy in this morning's final as Grant and Curran meet O’Hara and Bernie Jnr.
"I know the two lads well," Hill said. "We get on great. It would be a great match and great scoring so I'm looking forward to it hopefully."
Without Louisville based international John Murphy, Dundalk made light work of Kinsale with Rafferty and Murphy a strong partnership thanks to their close friendship.
"We gel really well as a team which is needed to get to these levels," Rafferty said. "We are so comfortable playing with each other, especially myself and Eoin."
"Hopefully we keep going and do what we have been doing, playing our own game which is the big thing. It is very hard to do in foursomes at times.
"It’s a hard game to gel at the best of times but if you are playing for your best mate it’s so easy to do it; a laugh and a joke and you can slag each other at times when you know it is appropriate."
Nenagh to face “ageless” Athlone
In the Pierce Purcell Shield, Nenagh will be bidding to give Munster golf an eighth successive green pennant in the event when they face Athlone in today's final.
The Tipperary men knocked out hosts Thurles in the Munster semifinals and their local knowledge proved crucial as they won three matches inside the distance to clinch a 4-1 win over Newbridge as Athlone saw off Ballyclare 3-2 in a thriller that went to the 19th.
"We are neighbours here and Thurles Golf Club has been very good to us," said Nenagh captain Paddy Peters. "They invited us over for a practice match and gave us information about the places to come in from and how to play the course.
"Some of the lads have played the course five or six times by coming here for the Open days."
Nenagh are seeking their fourth win in the event and there's no mystery to their success.
"It's all about matchplay in our club," Peter said. "We run a Winter Leauge at home and there is murder. It is competitive? Is it what! Everybody is used to playing matches."
Athlone pipped Ballyclare when Declan Corcoran and Paul Burke beat Charlie Thompson and Jordan Hagan with a solid, two-putt par five at the 19th.
Team captain John Burns was thrilled with his veteran team and insisted his team of veterans will be going for glory today.
"We’ve been called the ‘ageless team’ up to now because they are all nearly in their 70s," he said. "We’re going out to win it and we want to win it."
“Declan would be a great matchplay golfer, he’s 40 years playing for Athlone, they weren’t playing last for nothing.”
AIG Cups & Shields Finals, at Thurles GC
AIG Barton Shield Semi Finals
Dundalk bt Kinsale 10 holes
Aaron Grant & Conor Curran bt Gary Ward & Keith Fitzpatrick 5 holes;
Caolan Rafferty & Eoin Murphy bt Cathal Butler & Eric Rumley 5 holes.
Athenry bt Clandeboye 7 holes
Joe Bernie Jnr & Louis O’Hara bt William Russell & Karl Eccles 5 holes;
Darren Leufer & Allan Hill bt Graeme Laird & Scott Miller 2 holes.
AIG Pierce Purcell Shield Semi Finals
Athlone 3 Ballyclare 2
Ian Holmes & Eamonn Higgins lost to Jason Thompson & David Carmichael 3&2;
Michael Ryan & Denis Earley bt John Greer & Gerry McCullough 1 hole;
Liam Browne & Denis Hellen bt James Scott & Colin McGookin 1 hole;
Shane Connaughton & John Costello lost to Philip McIntyre & Alan Clelland 4&3;
Declan Corcoran & Paul Burke bt Charlie Thompson & Jordan Hagan 19th
Nenagh 4 Newbridge 1
Denis Corrigan & Martin Fogarty bt Robbie Brennan & Thomas Behan 4&2;
Gerard Clifford & Tom Quinlisk bt Joseph Byrne & Lorcan Quinlan 4&2;
Mark O’Dwyer & Pat Ryan halved with Jason Thorpe & John Lonergan;
David Hickey & Martin Reddan bt Michael Donnelly & Francis Mackey 6&5;
James Reddan & Pat J Hogan halved with Gavin O’Brien & Ollie McGuinness.
Today
AIG Jimmy Bruen Shield Semi-Finals
0830 Lisburn v Kinsale
Chris Budd & Stephen Stewart v Robert Walsh Jnr & Keith Webb;
Mark Jamison & Ben Kirkwood v Kevin Crowley & James Walsh;
Trevor Murphy & Rodney Scott v Brian O’Neill & Barry Dwyer;
Richard Leathem & Stuart Macdonald v Paul Shanahan & Rhys Reynolds;
Mark Stewart & Brian Houston v Aidan Cremin & Ruari Dwyer
0920 Hermitage v Tuam
Sean Pardy & Hugh Chambers v Peter Ryan & Ben Carty;
Niall Callanan & Shaun Blackburn v Jack Davin & Michael Mulryan;
Sean Casey & Garry Beagan v Shane Quinn & Donal Cunningham;
Richard Gladney & Louis Hemeryck v Seamus Kelly & Thomas Monaghan;
Evan Lester & Fergus O’Herlihy v Rory Donnellan & David Burke
AIG Barton Shield Final
1015 Dundalk v Athenry
Aaron Grant & Conor Curran v Louis O’Hara & Joe Bernie Jnr;
Caolan Rafferty & Eoin Murphy v Darren Leufer & Allan Hill
AIG Pierce Purcell Shield Final
1035 Athlone v Nenagh
Ciaran O’Connor & Tadg Mannion v Denis Corrigan & Martin Fogarty;
Michael Ryan & Denis Earley v Gerard Clifford & Tom Quinlisk;
Liam Browne & Denis Hellen v Pat Ryan & Mark O’Dwyer;
Aidan O’Driscoll & John Galvin v David Hickey & Martin Reddan;
Paul Burke & Declan Corcoran v James Reddan & Pat J Hogan.
