Mannan Castle knock locals out of the Rossmore Cup

BANBRIDGE are out of the Rossmore Cup, beaten in the quarter-final by Mannan Castle.

Team captain, Jim Matthews, was disappointed because he genuinely thought that he had a team capable of winning the cup.

But it was not to be and Jim sportingly admitted that, over the two legs, Mannan Castle were the stronger team.

This is how the match unfolded:

FIRST LEG - Alex Clarke and Joe Glass, considered by many to be a banker, got off to the worst possible start by losing the first five holes. They fought back tenaciously but still lost by 3 and 1.

Shane McCrory and Philip McCourt played very steady golf and they deserved to win by 2 and 1.

Eamon O’Hagan and Timothy Beattie have blended into a very strong partnership and they won by 2 holes up.

Everything was looking good at this stage. If Banbridge could win the final game and take a 3-1 lead to Mannan Castle, that would be the ideal scenario.

It was nip and tuck all the way but, sad to relate, Colin Smylie and Cameron Morton lost by one hole.

The first leg finished level, two points each. The advantage was certainly with Mannan Castle at this stage.

THE SECOND LEG - The second leg was played at Mannan Castle last Sunday. Banbridge needed to win at least two of the four games and, over a tricky course like Mannan Castle; it was never going to be easy.

Shane McCrory and Philip McCourt were out first and they lost by 5 and 3.

Eamon O’Hagan and Timothy Beattie got into difficulties once or twice and paid the price. They lost by 6 and 5.

Banbridge, after the home leg, had no advantage as far as holes up was concerned. After two games of the second leg they were 4-2 down in games and 11 holes down. Even if Banbridge won the last two games, it would not be good enough. They were destined to run out of holes.

Colin Smylie and Cameron Morton were one up after 14 holes and, at the same point, Joe Glass and Alex Clarke were two down. Mathematically, Banbridge could not win, so Jim Matthews sportingly acknowledged defeat.

The damage was done at home. A 2-2 draw was never going to be good enough going to a strange course like Mannan Castle. But, never mind, everyone did their best and there will be another day.

All we can do is congratulate the winners and wish them all the best in the semi-final.

Related topics: