Banbridge Ulster Cup team get a great result at Royal County Down

Brendan would have been happy to win two games out of the seven. He was elated when he won three.

John Gallagher won six and five, Neil Comiskey won four and three and Cathal O’Neill won two and one.

Peter Hillen, Roy Sipson, Alan Caughey and John McDowell all lost, albeit narrowly.

The second leg will be played at Banbridge on Sunday 25 May.

DOMINIC DISAPPOINTED WITH HIS PIERCE PURCELL TEAM.

Dominic Quinn took his Banbridge team the short journey to Tandragee for the Pierce Purcell qualifying round last week.

Dominic has a wonderful record in this competition. The last year that he failed to qualify was 2010.

David Cherry and Richard Coburn went round in 90 shots, which is quite commendable in the difficult foursomes format. Joe Glass and Kenny Arlow scored 92, as did P.J. Johnston and Colin Smylie.

One more good card, say a 92 or a 93, would do the trick. However, William McCandless and Fergie Cosgrove managed a 95. Cecil Wilson and Kevin McKay failed to break the 100 mark. It was just not good enough.

Banbridge came very close to qualifying, finishing in fifth place.

They were all bitterly disappointed, none more so than their captain Quinn. The team will get over it, though and will be back again next year.

DISAPPOINTING PERFORMANCE IN THE JIMMY CARROLL CUP

Captain Dougie Stevenson took a Banbridge veterans side to Rockmount Golf Club last Thursday with the aim of qualifying in the Jimmy Carroll Trophy.

The Rockmount course was in superb condition but unfortunately the Banbridge team were a little out of sorts.

Their four pairings were Brian Mulholland and Bobby Geddis, Dennis Lockhart and Tony Ewbanks, Dougie Stevenson and Norman Doak, Jack Bickerstaff and Harry Burnside.

Their average score was 33 points and they would have needed an average of around 36 or 37 points to make the top four.

As the saying goes, it was a bad day at the office.