Elm Park, Dun Laoghaire and Kinsale were the winners of the final day of the AIG Cups and Shield Finals at Shandon Park in Belfast.
Elm Park defeated Moate in the AIG Men’s Barton Shield Final, with both matches being won by five holes, to give the Dublin 4 club a resounding win. The champions had to defeat The Island in the morning to advance, with Portumna falling to Moate in the other Semi-Final
Elm Park team captain Niall O’Connor said the win caps off a fine period for the club, after they recently won the AIG Women’s Senior Cup too. “It’s been a tremendous few weeks for the club. That Women’s team inspired us coming into the week
“We haven’t won many green pennants in the club’s history. This group of lads have been playing for 20 years together. The camaraderie is great between them, and they deserve this win!”
Dun Laoghaire were crowned AIG Women’s Senior Foursomes champions, after a 2.5-0.5 win over Limerick in the week’s final event. Caroline Hewitt and Laura Ryan beat Fiona McGann and Ann O’Mahony 2&1 in the final match to win the title for the club.
“We had an idea it would come down to us when we got to the last three holes”, Hewitt said after the win. “There was full belief in what we could do”, added Ryan. “We have not lost a match together in three seasons together. We have had a lot of matches come down to us, and we felt confident.”
Kinsale won the first event of the day, with a 2-1 win over Dun Laoghaire in the AIG Women’s Junior Foursomes. Niamh Mason and Helena O’Sullivan won the top match and Final, beating Lillian O’Brien and Liz Murphy on the second extra hole, after the other two matches in the final were shared.
Speaking moments after the win, Mason admitted they got some motivation from a fellow Kinsale member and Walker Cup star ahead of the Final. “John Murphy sent us a message last night at dinner. We were delighted with it and were thinking about his words throughout the day.
O’Sullivan added that the win will be a major boost for the female players in the club. “It’s the first time our Women have ever won an All-Ireland title. It’s huge for us. The lads won the Jimmy Bruen a few years ago. We haven’t come close before. It’s only the start for us though.”
The AIG Cups and Shield Finals conclude next week in Limerick GC with the AIG Women’s Intermediate Cup, the AIG Men’s Pierce Purcell Shield, the AIG Women’s Junior Cup and the AIG Men’s Junior Cup all set to be played to conclusion.
AIG Men’s Barton Shield Final
Elm Park beat Moate
Aidan Claffey and John Cleary beat Jamal Sabir and Jamie Colgan by 5 holes
James Kelly and Cian Poland beat Oliver Grogan and Adrian Hiney by 5 holes
AIG Women’s Senior Foursomes Final
Dun Laoghaire 2.5-0.5 Limerick
Fionnuala Halpin and Aoife Quinn beat Emily Walsh and Siobhan Conway 2 holes
Jenny Sykes and Helen McGovern halved with Orla Barry and Alix Fitzgerald
Caroline Hewitt and Laura Ryan beat Fiona McGann and Ann O’Mahony 2&1
AIG Women’s Junior Foursomes Final
Dun Laoghaire 1-2 Kinsale
Lillian O’Brien and Liz Murphy lost to Niamh Mason and Helena O’Sullivan 20th hole
Fiona Quinn and Marie Edwards beat Orla Buckley and Paula Goggins 1 hole
Niamh McCarthy and Liz Hogan lost to Carol Deeney and Cathy McGuinness 4&3
AIG Men’s Barton Shield Semi-Finals
The Island lost to Elm Park
Joseph Hanney and Fergal Kennedy lost to Aidan Claffey and John Cleary by 4 holes
Jack Blake and Kevin LeBlanc beat James Kelly and Cian Poland by 2 holes
Portumna lost to Moate
James McLaughlin and Damien Burke beat Jamal Sabir and Jamie Colgan by 3 holes
Billy McGarry and Adrian Hogan lost to Oliver Grogan and Adrian Hiney 22nd hole
AIG Women’s Senior Foursomes Semi-Finals
Headfort 0.5-2.5 Dun Laoghaire
Orla Foley and Orla O’Rorke lost to Fionnuala Halpin and Aoife Quinn 5&4
Maria O’Reilly and Patricia Black halved with Jenny Sykes and Helen McGoohan
Pauline Walsh and Clare Martyn lost to Caroline Hewitt and Laura Ryan 1 hole
Roscommon 1-2 Limerick
Olivia Costello and Orla Quinn beat Emily Walsh and Siobhan Conway 5&4
Paula Quinn and Rosemary O’Brien lost to Orla Barry and Alix Fitzgerald 7&6
Sinead Benedetti and Anne Timothy lost to Mary Conlon and Cliona Finucane 19th hole
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