Defeat for Pierce Purcell team while ladies play competition

Banbridge are out of the Pierce Purcell Shield, beaten very narrowly by County Armagh Golf Club.
Lady Captain Robena McCandless presented The Challenge Cup to winner Fionnuala Crossey, included is runner up Susan Magennis © Edward Byrne Photography INBL28-207EBLady Captain Robena McCandless presented The Challenge Cup to winner Fionnuala Crossey, included is runner up Susan Magennis © Edward Byrne Photography INBL28-207EB
Lady Captain Robena McCandless presented The Challenge Cup to winner Fionnuala Crossey, included is runner up Susan Magennis © Edward Byrne Photography INBL28-207EB

This was an Ulster section quarterfinal so the stakes were very high.

The neutral venue for the match was Loughgall, a course that would have been more familiar to the Co. Armagh players.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Dominic Quinn, the captain of the Banbridge team, wasn’t making this an excuse.

“It was very close,” said Dominic. “And we could so easily have won.

DROPPED

“If a putt had dropped instead of sitting at the edge of the hole or if a drive, well hit, had not drifted out of bounds, it might have been a different story.”

Everyone felt a little sorry for Dominic as he has put so much time and effort into the Pierce Purcell campaign over the last number of years.

If anyone deserves to reach an Ulster final, it is Dominic.

STORY OF THE MATCH

Here’s what happened at Loughgall:

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Brian Grimes and Kevin McKay, last year’s winners of the President’s Prize, lost 4 and 3.

Paul McDonald and Cathal McNiff lost at the second extra hole.

Joe Glass and Jim Matthews won 1 up.

Hugh and Damian Dunne lost 4 and 3.

Gary McCormick and Jonathan Kerr, 2 up after 15 holes, were all square after 18.

That was when they were told that the match was over.

So it’s another case of what might have been. That’s golf for you.

LADIES NEWS

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Challenge Cup certainly lived up to its name last Tuesday as the ladies were faced with challenging, wet conditions.

However the winners seemed to negotiate the course with little bother unlike the majority of the rest of the field.

Winner - Fionnuala Crossey on countback from Susan Magennis.

Runner-up - Susan Magennis.

There were three two’s: Mary Longmore at the 18th and Susan Magennis at the eighth and 15th.

Golfer of the Year points: 6, Fionnuala Crossey; 5, Susan Magennis; 4, Marlene Nelson; 3, Mary Longmore; 2, Mary Dooher; 1, Margaret Russell