After a wonderfully dramatic climax, the Bulmers Pierce Purcell Shield embarked on a familiar journey yesterday from Royal Portrush, where it became the first national pennant for Galway Bay. It was also a notable occasion for the Douglas club, which claimed a third Bulmers Junior Cup victory after a lapse of 44 years.
But the current dominance of teams by the Lee, didn't extend to the holders from Cork GC, who were beaten 31/2 to 11/2 by Co Louth in the semi-finals of the Senior Cup. Appropriately, Barry Reddan maintained an unbeaten run in the series on his 52nd birthday, crushing junior international Mervyn Owens by 4 and 3.
In the other semi-final, Barton Shield winners Galway, stayed on course for a category-one double, which was achieved by fellow Westerners Co Sligo in 1996 and 1997. And Ken Kearney, who shared in those Rosses Point victories, made a further contribution to the Galway effort, beating Shandon Park's Philip Purdy by 2 and 1.
One down after nine, Kearney responded with four successive birdies for a winning lead of two up on the 14th tee. And his effort was complemented admirably by 18 year-old Mark O'Sullivan, who came from three down after 10, to beat former international Neil Anderson on the 18th.
After overnight rain, conditions brightened as the day progressed, though a few flashes of lightning held the brief threat of an electric storm in mid afternoon. Still, the celebrated Dunluce stretch remained a formidable test, especially with a fresh breeze sweeping out to sea and across the players on the finishing holes.
Reddan, who has won the West, East and South of Ireland championships, was also a member of the triumphant Co Louth Senior Cup teams of 1974 and `77. And enduring skills were very much in evidence when he started par, birdie, birdie to be two up on Owens after three.
He went on to be one under par for the 15 holes he needed for victory. "I'm playing really nicely and it's really special to be back competing for a Senior Cup medal, 25 years after my first one," he said afterwards. Meanwhile, another veteran, Val Smyth, who was 50 last month, won by the same margin though his approximate figures were a more modest three over par.
Warrenpoint, who scooped four pennants in a memorable dominance at Clandeboye in 1987, saw both their Purcell Shield and Junior Cup hopes scuppered on this occasion at the final stage. It meant that the Junior Cup continued to elude them at national level, while Damian Flanagan experienced the cruel face of a notoriously demanding game.
With a beautifully-struck 12 foot putt on the final hole for a win in his Purcell Shield match, Flanagan was sure it had found the target. Over the crucial closing inches, however, the ball veered onto the left edge and lipped out. Then, down the most difficult 19th in Irish golf, Flanagan pushed his drive out of bounds.
Almost predictably, he and the veteran Pat Lynchehaun, who was a member of Warrenpoint's victorious Purcell Shield team of 1987, conceded victory to Bernard Collins and Peter Melville, when they got within 15 feet of the hole in three. It crowned a splendid recovery for the Galway pair, who had been four down after eight and later drew level at the 15th.
Melville was particularly impressive in hitting a five-wood second shot of 220 yards from a path to the left of the 18th fairway, to within five yards of the green. And when Warrenpoint opened the door on the tie hole, his drive was solidly down the middle.
The chance of victory came from the efforts of pairings further up the order. Stuart Elwood, with Joe Donoghue as a second partner in the series, maintained an unbeaten record, while Ken Beatty and Liam McCallion produced admirable figures of four over par when winning by 9 and 7.
By the time Galway Bay came into existence in 1993, the Purcell Shield had been won on no fewer than five occasions by their city neighbours, Galway GC. Now the Renville club seem set to establish their own tradition in this, the most popular of the inter-club competitions.
Douglas team members Tom Collins and Michael Crowley, lent telling emphasis to the importance of a strong tail by coming through the entire Junior Cup campaign unbeaten. And credit was also due to team manager Mick O'Donovan who had the courage to retain the same order after a nerve-wrecking semi-final win over Galway on Thursday.
He was rewarded when Gary O'Herlihy parred seven of the last nine holes to beat Fergal McConaghy by one hole in the top match. They were level going down the formidable, 469-yard 18th where O'Herlihy reached the green with a five-iron second shot to set up a winning par.
Down the order, Collins gained a crucial point against 18-year-old Barrie Trainor. But the pennant was effectively secured by Crowley in a 5 and 3 win over Paul McCartan, a member of Down's Gaelic football All-Ireland winning panel of 1994. A measure of Crowley's overall play was the he covered the opening 11 holes in one over par.
In the process, the Cork bank official won the fourth, fifth, sixth and eighth in one under to be five up at that stage. And he attributed great credit to his caddie, the colourful Joe Hunter, who beat the great Fred Daly to win the Ulster Professional Championship at Clandeboye in 1961. "Joe was unbelievable in his clubbing and reading of putts," said Crowley. "I depended on him totally."
"After getting out of hell in the semi-final, we were determined to make the best of our chance," said O'Donovan. "We arrived here last Sunday and the the players got to grips with the course during practice." Interestingly, the present course manager at Douglas, Eamonn McSweeney, was a member of their last successful Junior Cup team, 44 years ago.
