These are heady times for Portarlington Golf Club. Juvenile member Mark Kennedy won the under-16 Irish Boys Close Title at Kilkenny earlier in the summer and recently added the Portarlington Junior Scratch Cup with 153 gross for the 36 holes. He is also member of the club's Jimmy Bruen Shield team which will contest the Bulmer's All Ireland finals at Royal Portrush later this month. Portarlington's win over Beech Park in the Leinster decider provided them with their first pennant since taking the Barton Cup back in 1950 and Kennedy was one of four players aged under 18 on the team.

Another youngster at the club, Ivan Lalor, is too low in handicap to assist the Jimmy Bruen effort, but he grabbed his own slice of glory in the President's (Tom Hainsworth) Prize. The Laois minor football star scorched around in a course record of five under par 66 which saw him cut to three. In addition, Cam McGettrick (15 handicap) and Brian Ireland (17) won the finals of the Golf as Gaelige Holmpatrick Cup at Ceann Sibeal last Saturday. Their score of seven up was too good for pairs from Forrest Little, Woodstock and Co Longford.