All-Ireland Cups and Shields: Less than 24 hours after losing to Sutton in the Barton Shield final, Ulster champions Ballyclare exacted revenge on their Leinster counterparts to reach the final of the Senior Cup on the second day of the All-Ireland Cup and Shields Finals, sponsored by Bulmers, at Shannon Golf Club.
Although there was little to choose between the sides in the early stages, the Antrim side eventually prevailed 3½-1½, and will meet Tramore in today's final after the Munster champions defeated Athenry by the same margin in the other semi-final.
Johnny Foster, who was never behind in his match, spearheaded Ballyclare's attack as the Irish international sent out a positive message to his teammates behind with a 4 and 3 win over Sutton's Paul Byrne in the top match.
"It was nice to convert this one and get the early point on the board, especially as Sutton had their day against us in the Barton Shield," said Foster. "I got it round in level par and several things went my way during the day.
"I chipped in for par to halve the second after scrambling my way up the hole. And I was happy to get up and down from 100 yards out to stay two-up at the 13th, before closing out the match with a couple of pars.
"Hopefully I'll be able to go out on a high and help the team win an All-Ireland title for the club," concluded Foster, referring to his decision to quit the amateur scene and join the professional ranks next Monday.
Ballyclare's other wins came from Robert Forsythe (3 and 2) against Mark Collins, Simon McConnell (2 and 1) against Séamus McMonagle, while Colin Steele and Alan Darbey halved in the last game. Derek Downie (5 and 3) was the only Sutton winner, against Steven Rea.
Tramore, who won the title in 1992, also had a relatively scare-free passage to the final. Veteran Irish selector Michael Burns beat Athenry's Mark King 3 and 1 in the top match, while John Mitchell (2 and 1) and Peter Power (4 and 3) also recorded respective wins over Conor Waters and Michael Lane.
Burns' son Derek, playing in the third match, was beaten 2 and 1 by Michael Mulryan, and rising star Clancy Bowe halved his match with Barry Donoghue, despite holing his second for eagle at the seventh.
The earlier action saw Leinster champions Lucan clinch their first senior All-Ireland title in the club's 107-year history with a 4-1 win over Portstewart in the Junior Cup final. The scoreline, however, didn't reflect the dramatic climax to the match.
Lucan's number one, Mark Clifford, won his match 2 and 1 against Andrew Stewart, and Emmet Condron quickly added a second from the fourth match with a 5 and 4 victory over Dan Henry. But Portstewart held the advantage in the three other matches and looked like they might repeat their win from 1973.
In one of those matches was Portstewart's 15-year-old-Paul Cutler, who was the hero in the semi-final when he won the all-important point at the 19th to beat Galway. In the final, the teenager was two-up with three to play against Lucan's Martin O'Toole.
However, the barrage of top-level golf O'Toole produced for a birdie-par-birdie finish to turn the match around verged on being cruel.
"At the 16th I hit my seven-iron approach to within a foot to get one back, and at the difficult par three 17th he (Cutler) three-putted, and all of a sudden the match was all-square going down the last," explained O'Toole, who produced another gem by reaching the par five 18th in two with a five-iron. Cutler had already played and found trouble in the trees beyond the green.
"I played two of the best iron shots of my life over the last few holes, and looking back I was only ever ahead in the match after the 18th," enthused O'Toole after his point secured Lucan's victory. "This win is unbelievable, a first for the club, you can be sure we'll be filling the cup when we get back to Lucan."
"Martin's finish, especially his approach to the 18th under so much pressure was one of the best I have seen," enthused Frank Short, Lucan's team manager. "I'm still in shock, it's quite an unbelievable achievement for the team and the club."
Ballinrobe also had good cause for celebrations as they, like Lucan, claimed their first senior All-Ireland title by winning the Pierce Purcell Shield 3½-1½ against Tralee.
"Just amazing," was team captain JJ Gannon's ebullient response after the win. "We lost to Shannon in the 1980 final, and my dad played on that team so this was extra special for and the lads to come here and win."
Kilkeel made up for their disappointment of withdrawing from the Pierce Purcell last week, due to a handicapping mistake, by reaching the final of the Jimmy Bruen Shield. The Mourne men beat Portumna 4-1 and will play Dundalk in today's final after the Louth side defeated Charleville 3-2.
CUPS AND SHIELDS NATIONAL FINALS
(at Shannon Golf Club)
Junior Cup - Final
Lucan 4 Portstewart 1 (Lucan names first) Mark Clifford bt Andrew Stewart 2 and 1; Martin O'Toole bt Paul Cutler 1 hole; Christy Fitzgerald halved with Niall McGahon; Emmet Condron bt Dan Henry 5 and 4; Alan Madden halved with Shane McCotter.
Jimmy Bruen Shield - Semi-finals
Kilkeel 4 Portumna 1 (Kilkeel names first) Rory Sloane, Kieran Poland bt Pat Quinlan, James Porter 6 and 5; Pascal Morgan, Johnny Aiken lost to Leslie O'Meara, Francis McClearn 2 holes; Anthony Ward, Ciarán Hartigan bt Joe Slattery, Dick Quinlivan 5 and 4; Trevor Weir, Graeme Morrow bt Matt Donohoe, Peadar Ryan 19th; Mark Trainor, Paul Higgins bt Michael McGivern, Seán Robinson 1 hole.
Dundalk 3 Charleville 2 (Dundalk names first) Ken Norton, Michael Coburn bt James Browne, Declan Mooney 4 and 3; Seán Reidy, Kevin Barry bt Seán McSweeney, Bill Hanley 2 and 1; Alan McCabe, Michael Gill bt Danny Deady, Mike Galligan 1 hole; Damien English, Ruairí Gogarty lost to Tom Allen, John Kavanagh 2 and 1; Jim Dwyer, Maurice Murphy lost to Anthony Fitzgerald, Eddie Barry 5 and 3.
Pierce Purcell Shield - Final
Ballinrobe 3½ Tralee 1½ (Ballinrobe names first) John Canty, Pat Malone bt Peter O'Driscoll, Maurice Laide 4 and 2; Pat Coyne, Noel Browne bt Seán Reidy, Patrick Curran 5 and 3; John O'Shea, Pat Nalty bt Michael Halloran, Richard Barrett 2 holes; Dave Fleming, Monty Heneghan lost to Michael O'Brien, Dominic Foley 5 and 4; Ray Darcy, John Joyce halved with Liam Hussey, Brian Lennon.
Senior Cup - Semi-finals
Tramore 3½ Athenry 1½ (Tramore names first) Michael Burns bt Mark King 3 and 1; Clancy Bowe halved with Barry Donoghue; Derek Burns lost to Michael Mulryan 2 and 1; John Mitchell bt Conor Waters 2 and 1; Peter Power bt Michael Lane 4 and 3.
Ballyclare 3½ Sutton 1½ (Sutton names first) John Foster bt Paul Byrne 4 and 3; Robert Forsythe bt Mark Collins 3 and 2; Steven Rea lost to Derek Downie 5 and 3; Simon McConnell bt Séamus McMonagle 2 and 1; Colin Steele halved with Alan Darbey.
TODAY
Senior Cup - Final
Tramore v Ballyclare (9.30, Tramore names first) Michael Burns v John Foster; Clancy Bowe v Robert Forsythe; Derek Burns v Steven Rea; John Mitchell v Simon McConnell; Peter Power v Colin Steele.
Jimmy Bruen Shield - Final
Kilkeel v Dundalk (10.30, Kilkeel names first) Rory Sloane, Kieran Poland v Ken Norton, Michael Coburn; Johnny Aiken, Pascal Morgan v Seán Reidy, Kevin Barry; Anthony Ward, Ciarán Hartigan v Alan McCabe, Michael Gill; Trevor Weir, Graeme Morrow v Damien English, Ruairí Gogarty; Paul Higgins, Mark Trainor v Gareth Duffy, Michael Hamilton.
