Narin & Portnoo Golf Club Notes 8th June 2011

James Quinn’s senior team did just enough last Thursday to progress to the next round. Two and a half matches were obtained the previous week in Dunfanaghy and the away team really went for it in Narin. Matches were tight and the result was in the balance for some time. Frankie Kennedy and Mairtín Ó hIarnáin won their match for Narin and Portnoo, as did Hughie Moy and Conal Keeney. Willie Quinn and Eamon McGill got a vital half on the last to get the home team to an aggregate of five matches and with the holes situation so favourable, the last match was called in. The club will face Rosapenna in the next round.

The Am-Am was a mixed weather bag, with golfers getting sunburn on Saturday and soaked to the skin on Sunday. Bart Whelan, Hughie Moy, George Doherty and Seamus Ryan outlasted the field to win a narrow victory by virtue of a better second round score and theirs was a popular win. Their scores of 92 on Saturday and 93 on Sunday were phenomenal, but two other teams ran them very close. Patsy Harkin, Anthony Harkin, Lyle Taggart and our captain, Brian McGonagle finished on the same total, while overnight leaders, Eamon McGill, Don Earley, Shane Whittington and Gerard McCabe finished a shot further back. Eagles were recorded on the 13th over the two days by Finnian O’Doherty and Alan Elliott, helping their respective team scores considerably.

Conal McNelis won last Wednesday’s Open on a break-off-tie from Stephen Cullen in second. Conal’s score of 38 points was excellent considering the toughness of the day. Martin Regan’s hole-in-one at the 7th earned him his own slice of personal history and eight balls for his collection.

Our Donegal League side fared less well, losing 3.5 to 1.5 in the home leg. Ciaran O’Kane and Joseph McLoone won on seventeen, while Eamon McGill and Don Earley managed to extract a half out of their match. Team captain, Patrick Boyle will be hoping for an improvement in fortunes in the return and we wish the lads well.

Due to the inclement weather in May, the Dr. McCloskey Singles Matchplay will be re-drawn on July 1st. This is a club fundraiser. The entry fee of €10 per player and contact numbers should be given to the Pro Shop. The first prize is one year’s free membership.

Summer coaching for juniors resumed on Saturday last, with PGA professionals Connor Mallon and Daragh Lyons conducting lessons in three categories. These will continue every Saturday right through the summer. The time-slots are as follows: Under 10s from 2 to 3p.m.; Under 14s from 3 to 4p.m.; Under 18s from 4 to 5p.m. For Registration call 0749545107. The fee per lesson is only 5 euro per child.

Results:
May 25: Wednesday Open:
1. Conal McNelis (20) 38; 2. Stephen Cullen (15) 38 b.o.t.; 3. Ciaran Gallagher (19) 37; CSS 74; Twos: 2 balls; Hole-in-one for Martin Regan on 7.
May 29: Am-Am
1. Bart Whelan, Hughie Moy, George Doherty, Seamus Ryan 92/93 185 b.o.t.; 2. Patsy Harkin, Anthony Harkin, Lyle Taggart, Brian McGonagle 95/90 185; 3. Eamon McGill, Don Earley, Shane Whittington, Gerard McCabe 97/87 184; 4. A. Elliott, M. Sweeney, T. Barrett, H.F. Shovlin 176; 5. P. McGinley, S. McKelvey, F. McGinley, J. McGinley 174; 6. P. Breslin, S. Byrne, S. Cullen, K. Byrne 171; 7. C. Keeney, J. Molloy, T. Gildea, S. Connaughton 170 b.o.t.; N. Quinn, J. Quinn, W. Quinn, C. Quinn 170; Best Saturday: N. Shovlin, B. McDevitt, B. Tonry, M. Cunningham 93; Best Sunday: R. Hill, J. Kelly, D. McGinley, T. Patton 92; Closest to pin on 16th: David Barber; Longest drive by a lady on 4th: Marie Walsh; Longest drive by a gent on 4th: Finnian O’Doherty;

Fixtures:
June 12: Clock Tower Monthly Medal;
June 15: Wednesday Open, ladies and gents, single stableford, 20 euro entry for G.U.I. visitors, including green fee;