Ulster face Munster threat
Ulster’s Michael Sinclair will face Munster’s Pat Murray in what prove to be the match that decides this year’s Interprovincial title at Royal County Down.Munster and Ulster will meet tomorrow to decide the destination of the Interprovincial trophy for 2012, writes the GUI.
Munster’s 6-5 victory over Leinster made it two wins out of two, while Ulster coasted to victory for the second day in a row, beating Connacht by a margin of six points.
Munster took the initiative against Leinster in the foursomes, with Kevin Phelan and Alan Thomas beating Richard O’Donovan and Eugene Smyth in the top match by 3 and 2.
Shortly after, Pat Murray and Geoff Lenehan delivered another point thanks to a 2 and 1 win over Brian Casey and Rory McNamara.
Niall Gorey and Gary O’Flaherty dispatched Paul Dunne and Andrew Hogan by 3 and 2 to leave Munster with a three-point lead before Simon Ward and Jack Hume delivered Leinster’s first point with a two-hole victory over Gary Hurley and Ian O’Rourke.
In the singles, Leinster mounted a spirited comeback with victories coming from Dunne, McNamara, Casey and Ward, but wins for Munster from Hurley, O’Rourke, and Murray - who was three down at the turn to Hume before edging his win on the 18th - secured victory.
The second match followed the same pattern in the foursomes, with Ulster taking the lead when Chris Selfridge and Matt McAlpin beat Stephen Healy and Sean Cannon 4 and 3. They added to that surplus through Michael Sinclair and Colm Campbell, who were victorious over Eddie McCormack and Barry Anderson by 5 and 4.
Reeve Whitson and Harry Diamond made it 3-0 with victory over Gary McDermott and Steffan O’Hara at the 17th, but Michael Durcan and Joe Lyons gave Connacht something to cheer with victory by 2 and 1 over Nicky Grant and Dermot McElroy.
However, the home province turned in a clinical performance in the singles, winning six matches and claiming a half in another to end Connacht’s hopes of defending their title.
In the Boys Interprovincials, Ulster overturned a 2-1 foursomes deficit to beat Munster, while Leinster cruised to victory over Connacht.
Munster took a narrow 2-1 lead into the singles against Ulster with two victories at the final hole coming from the pairings of James Sugure and Paul McCarthy and Jack Leacy and Robin Dawson over John Ross Galbraith and Tim Jordan and William Russell and Matthew Kane respectively.
Earlier, Stephen Watts and Gareth Lappin had dispatched Conor Coyne and Daniel Brennan by 5 and 4.
In the singles, however, the home province came flying out of the blocks with wins coming from Galbraith, Jordan Hood, Kane and Watts. Russell, Lappin and Jordan all halved their matches to go unbeaten in the singles.
Leinster, meanwhile, hit the ground running against Connacht, taking all three of the opening foursomes thanks to victories from the pairings of Paul MCBride and Jack Walsh, Evan Farrell and David Foy and Alec Myles and Gavin Moynihan.
In the singles, they were just as clinical as Ulster had been in the Senior Interprovincials, with victories coming from McBride, Farrell, Walsh and Foy. O’Doherty was victorious for Connacht, as was Flanagan, who beat Irish Amateur Open champion Moynihan by 2 and 1.
SENIOR INTERPROVINCIAL MATCHES 2012 - Royal County Down Golf Club
Munster 6 Leinster 5 (Munster names first)
Foursomes
Kevin Phelan & Alan Thomas bt Richard O’Donovan & Eugene Smyth 3/2;
Pat Murray & Geoff Lenehan bt Rory McNamara & Brian Casey 2/1;
Ian O’Rourke & Gary Hurley lost to Simon Ward & Jack Hume 2 holes;
Niall Gorey & Gary O’Flaherty bt Paul Dunne & Andrew Hogan 3/2
Singles
Kevin Phelan lost to Paul Dunne 1 hole;
Geoff Lenehan lost to Rory McNamara 2 holes;
Gary Hurley bt Andrew Hogan 5/4;
Ian O’Rourke bt Richard O’Donovan 2/1;
Pat Murray bt Jack Hume 1 hole;
Niall Gorey lost to Brian Casey 1 hole;
Alan Thomas lost to Simon Ward 2/1
Ulster 8.5 Connacht 2.5 (Ulster names first)
Foursomes
Reeve Whitson & Harry Diamond bt Gary McDermott & Steffan O’Hara 2/1;
Nicky Grant & Dermot McElroy lost to Joe Lyons & Michael Durcan 2/1;
Chris Selfridge & Matt McAlpin bt Stephen Healy & Sean Cannon 4/3;
Michael Sinclair & Colm Campbell bt Eddie McCormack & Barry Anderson 5/4
Singles
Chris Selfridge bt Michael Durcan 1 hole;
Reeve Whitson bt Gary McDermott 2/1;
Harry Diamond bt Eddie McCormack 3/2;
Dermot McElroy halved with Joe Lyons;
Nicky Grant bt Stephen Healy 6/5;
Matt McAlpin lost to Steffan O’Hara 3/2;
Colm Campbell bt Barry Anderson 2/1.
Thursday 26 July
Leinster v Connacht (Leinster names first)
Foursomes (0800)
Simon Ward & Jack Hume v Joe Lyons & Michael Durcan;
Paul Dunne & Brian Casey v Eddie McCormack & Steffan O’Hara;
Richard O’Donovan & Rory McNamara v Gary McDermott & Barry Anderson;
Eugene Smith & Andrew Hogan v Stephen Healy & Sean Cannon
Singles (1300)
Simon Ward v Michael Durcan;
Paul Dunne v Gary McDermott;
Richard O’Donovan v Joe Lyons;
Jack Hume v Eddie McCormack;
Rory McNamara v Steffan O’Hara;
Eugene Smith v Sean Cannon;
Brian Casey v Barry Anderson
Ulster v Munster (Ulster names first)
Foursomes (0836)
Reeve Whitson & Harry Diamond v Kevin Phelan & Alan Thomas;
Chris Selfridge & Matt McAlpin v Ian O’Rourke & Gary Hurley;
Nicky Grant & Dermot McElroy v Gary O’Flaherty & Niall Gorey;
Michael Sinclair & Colm Campbell v Pat Murray & Geoff Lenehan
Singles (1352)
Reeve Whitson v Niall Gorey;
Harry Diamond v Gary Hurley;
Chris Selfridge v Kevin Phelan;
Dermot McElroy v Geoff Lenehan;
Nicky Grant v Ian O’Rourke;
Colm Campbell v Gary O’Flaherty;
Michael Sinclair v Pat Murray
BOYS INTERPROVINCIAL MATCHES 2012 Wednesday 25 July
Ulster 6.5 Munster 3.5
Foursomes
John Ross Galbraith & Tim Jordan lost to James Sugrue & Paul McCarthy 2 holes;
William Russell & Matthew Kane lost to Jack Leacy & Robin Dawson 2 holes;
Stephen Watts & Gareth Lappin bt Conor Coyne & Daniel Brennan 5/4.
Singles
William Russell halved with Paul McCarthy;
John Ross Galbraith bt Robin Dawson;
Jordan Hood bt Jack Leacy 3/1;
Gareth Lappin halved with James Sugrue;
Tim Jordan halved with Daniel Brennan;
Matthew Kane bt David Whitty 4/2;
Stephen Watts bt Conor Coyne 4/3.
Leinster 8 Connacht 2 (Leinster names first)
Foursomes
Paul McBride & Jack Walsh bt Sean Flanagan & Alex Gleeson 2/1;
Evan Farrell & David Foy bt Jonathan Doherty & John Igoe 1 hole;
Alec Myles & Gavin Moynihan bt Ronan Mullarney & Cathal O’Byrne 3/2
Singles (1334)
Niall Foley lost to Ryan O’Doherty 3/1;
Paul McBride bt Alex Gleeson 1 hole;
Evan Farrell bt Cathal O’Byrne 5/3;
Gavin Moynihan lost to Sean Flanagan 2/1;
Jack Walsh bt Jonathan Doherty 3/2;
David Foy bt John Igoe 6/4;
Alec Myles bt Ronan Mullarney 4/2
Ulster v Connacht (Ulster names first)
Foursomes (0800)
John Ross Galbraith & Tim Jordan v Alex Gleeson & Sean Flanagan;
William Russell & Jordan Hood v Ryan O’Doherty & Jonathan Doherty;
Stephen Watts & Gareth Lappin v Cathal O’Byrne & Ronan Mullarney
Singles (1300)
William Russell v Alex Gleeson;
John Ross Galbraith v Sean Flanagan;
Jordan Hood v Ronan Mullarney;
Gareth Lappin v John Igoe;
Tim Jordan v Cathal O’Byrne;
Matthew Kane v Ryan O’Doherty;
Stephen Watts v Jonathan Doherty
Leinster v Munster (Leinster names first)
Foursomes (0827)
Gavin Moynihan & Alec Myles v Conor Coyne & Daniel Brennan;
David Foy & Evan Farrell v James Sugrue & Paul McCarthy;
Paul McBride & Jack Walsh v Jack Leacy & Robin Dawson
Singles (1349)
Gavin Moynihan v James Sugrue;
Evan Farrell v Conor Coyne;
Niall Foley v Robin Dawson;
Jack Walsh v David Whitty;
David Foy v Jack Leacy;
Paul McBride v Daniel Brennan;
Alec Myles v Paul McCarthy.