Narin & Portnoo Golf Notes 26th May 2009

The two club teams in action last weekend both came a cropper, with Bart and Eamon’s Ulster Fourball going down against Portsalon, while Michael Naughton’s boys fell to local rivals, Cruit Island. The former needed three matches in the away return and bravely managed two, with the pairings of Patrick P. Gallagher and Connell Gavigan and Paddy B. Boyle and Hugh F. Shovlin both delivering the goods. The other pairings tried gamely but to no avail. They included Michael Glynn and Sean Houston, Frank McGinley and Paul McGinley and Hugh Smith and Sean McGinley.

Narin and Portnoo had picked up a match and half in Cruit in midweek in the first leg of their Donegal League encounter, with Dominic Mullin and Conal Keeney winning and Donie McCole and Eamon McGill snatching a half. But captain, Michael Naughton’s warriors slumped to a home loss to Cruit Island four days later. Harold Reid sank a forty-footer to halve the top match for the pairing of himself and John Molloy and Cathal Donaghue and Joseph McLoone won their match in some style, but not enough points were secured by the team as a whole and the rest of the pairings were called in. The other pairings included Conal Keeney and Mairtín Ó hIarnáin (who were two up in their match), Donie McCole and Francie Cunningham and Declan Gallagher and James P. Byrne. We wish Portsalon and Cruit Island well in their next matches.

Sean McGinley had a special day with the putter on Wednesday last, as four birdies will attest. His card as a whole was a mixed bag but the four nuggets were achieved through fine play on the 2nd, 14th, 16th and 18th. His winning margin was slim over Paddy Boyle, but richly deserved nonetheless.

Sunday’s competition was sponsored by Mickey’s Express Stop in Narin and a large field played in breezy conditions. Tullyillion’s finest, Owen Boner showed a clean pair of heels to the rest with a superb 40 points. His round was a promising one at the turn, with a birdie already recorded on the third. The Tom Watson clone stepped on the accelerator coming home, birdieing 14 and 16 to leave him two points ahead of Sean Hanrahan in second.

Results:
May 18: Pierce Purcell playoff in Narin: Gaoth Dobhair 4.5 Newtownstewart 0.5

May 20: Club Fundraiser 1. Sean McGinley (18) 38 b.o.t; 2. Paddy Boyle (18) 38; 3. Gerard McCabe (15) 37 b.o.t.; Twos: 4 balls each C.S.S. 73

May 20: Donegal League 1st leg: Cruit Island 3.5 Narin & Portnoo 1.5.

May 24: Donegal League 2nd leg: Narin & Portnoo lose to Cruit on holes.

May 24: Mickey’s Express Stop:1. Owen Boner (12) 40; 2. Sean Hanrahan (12) 38; 3. Finnian O’Doherty 98) 37 b.o.t.; Cat A James Quinn (9) 35; Cat B Patrick Boyle (13) 33; Cat C John M. Kelly (22) 37; Nines: Mickey Campbell (13) 20 b.o.t.; Eddie Gregg (9) 16; Twos: 3 balls each; CSS 75;

May 24: Ulster Fourball: Portsalon 3 Narin & Portnoo 2; Portsalon win on aggregate

Fixtures:
The details of upcoming competitions may be viewed on the club website, which is currently being renovated.

May 31: Dolmen Centre, single stableford, open

June 1: McElhinney’s Stores Fourball Scramble, open, ladies and gents

June 3: Wednesday Open, ladies and gents, single stableford, 15 euro entry for G.U.I. visitors including green fee