Galway crush Laytown dream
Galway’s Damien Glynn slotted home a crucial 15 footer at the 19th to clinch a Bulmers Irish Senior Cup final showdown with West Waterford at Tramore today.
The 23-year old electrician produced a spark of brilliance to beat Laytown & Bettystown’s Russell Durnin with a stunning birdie three to give them Connacht champions a heart-stopping 3-2 win over the Meath men.
Glynn said. “It was certainly a relief to see the putt go in. I was never behind in the match so it was nice to finish it off that way.”
Galway will be hotly fancied to take the title against a young West Waterford side that cruised to an emphatic 4-1 win over Castlerock.
The average age of the Munster champions is just 20 compared to 34 for the Galwaymen but Gary Hurley (16), Philip Spratt (19), David Curran (20) and Philip Walsh (18) are all former winners of the Irish Junior Foursomes, which West Waterford have captured three times since 2005.
In the Pierce Purcell Shield, Letterkenny captured their first green pennant with a nail-biting 3-2 over Corrstown.
Ciaran Conneely and Paul O’Kane made it 2-2 when they beat Kenny King and Shane Sweeney with a bogey four at the 179-yard 20th.
But Letterkenny were celebrating at the end of a marathon six-hour encounter when John Russell and Kieran Walsh beat the Beagan brothers Jarlath and Gary with a bogey six at the 22nd.
In the Jimmy Bruen Shield, Waterford beat Carrick-on-Shannon 3.5 - 1.5 and will take on Nenagh in today’s final bidding for just their third major success following wins in the 1990 Junior Cup and 1993 Irish Mixed Foursomes.
Former Derry City centre half Stuart Gauld couldn't prevent Foyle from going down 3-2 to the Tipperary club.
With the match tied at 2-2, the winner of two League of Ireland championships and two FAI Cups with Derry City lost at the 21st with partner Cormac McGeady to a par four from Nenagh's Paul Moloney and Paddy Kennedy
Bulmers Irish Cups and Shields, National Finals, Tullamore Golf Club
Senior Cup
Semi Finals:
Galway 3 Laytown & Bettystown 2
(Galway names first) Dave Scully lost to Robert Cannon 1 hole; Eddie McCormack bt John McGinn 5/4; Damien Coyne lost to Stephen Barry 19th; Damien Glynn bt Russell Durnin 19th; Joe Lyons bt Padraig Rafferty 5/4
West Waterford 4 Castlerock 1
(West Waterford names first) Mark Shanahan bt David Mulholland 6/5; Gary Hurley bt Dan Beattie 2 holes; Philip Spratt bt Gordon Forbes 2/1; David Curran halved with Aaron Kearney; Philip Walsh halved with Donal Mulholland
Pierce Purcell Shield
Final:
Letterkenny 3 Corrstown 2
(Letterkenny names first) Pat McMonagle & Kieran Sweeney bt John Dowling & Tony Merrigan 2/1; Brian O'Donnell & Tony McMonagle lost to John Rafferty & Joe O'Dwyer 3/2; John Russell & Kieran Walsh bt Jarlath Beagan & Gary Beagan 22nd; Ed Margey & Brendan Roache bt Gerry Finnerty & Fran Lawlor 2 holes; Kenny King & Shane Sweeney lost to Ciaran Conneely & Paul O'Kane 20th
Jimmy Bruen Shield
Semi Finals
Waterford 3.5 Carrick on Shannon 1.5
(Waterford names first) Anthony Aherne & Colin Lynch bt Albert Hogg & Jack Sharkey 3/2; Anthony Mulhall & John Power bt Sean Bohan & Colm Loftus 2 holes; Mark Daly & Eanna Griffin lost to Noel Sharkey & Jason Loftus 5/4; Anthony Feicks & Francis Power bt Des Beirne & Gordon Kavanagh 3/2; Andy Ryan & Martin Freeman halved with Noel McDermott & Tommy Mulvey
Nenagh 3 Foyle 2
(Nenagh names first) Paul Moloney & Paddy Kennedy bt Stuart Gauld & Cormac McGeady 21st; Cian Heffernan & Matthew O'Gara bt Chris Lynch & Kevin Dunn 1 hole; Michael Corrigan & Jimmy Griffin bt Brendan Barr & Martin Loughrey 5/4; Michael Scroope & Sean Forde lost to Damien Martin & Tony McGinley 5/3; Tom Lawor & TJ Burns lost to Michael Gallagher & David Knox 4/3
Today
(0900)
Senior Cup Final
Galway v West Waterford
(Galway names first) Dave Scully v Mark Shanahan; Eddie McCormack v Gary Hurley; Damien Coyne v Philip Spratt; Damien Glynn v David Curran; Joe Lyons v Philip Walsh
(1030)
Jimmy Bruen Shield Final
Waterford v Nenagh
(Waterford names first) Anthony Aherne & Colin Lynch v Paul Moloney & Paddy Kennedy; Anthony Mulhall & John Power v Cian Heffernan & Matthew O'Gara; Mark Daly & Eanna Griffin v Michael Tierney & Michael Fahey ; Anthony Feicks & Francis Power v Dennis Corrigan & Liam O'Gara ; Andy Ryan & Martin Freeman v Michael Corrigan & Jimmy Griffin