A fourball of that calibre would draw immense crowds these days. But while much has changed in the Royal and Ancient game over the past few years, Shannon remains a great venue for competitions of all levels, having hosted the Irish Men’s Amateur Close Championship, the European Ladies Junior Team Championships, the All Ireland Cups and Shields and a host of other major national and international events since it was founded 58 years ago.
This weekend the destiny of the titles in the AIG Jimmy Bruen Shield and the Women’s Minor Foursomes will be decided at the Co Clare parkland on the edge of the Shannon Estuary.
The signature 17th, measuring 224 yards from the very back tee, will surely play its part in proceedings again. And while this week’s participants will not face the terrifying 200-yard carry over the water, it’s a hole that’s sure to add an extra level of excitement to two of the most popular events in the Irish amateur golf calendar.
In the AIG Women’s Minor Foursomes, Ballina face Howth in the first of Friday’s semi-finals as home favourites Shannon take on Courtown in the other.
The Wexford ladies — boasting a line-up comprising of Mary O’Connor and Elaine Fitzgerald, Oonagh Grehan and Gay Gahan, Mary Cooper and Margaret Dooley and Kate Sheehan and Ann O’Shaughnessy — overcame Dun Laoghaire 3-1 in the quarter-finals on September 6.
Shannon beat Monkstown 3.5-0.5 as Pauline Nally and Dee O’Connell, Sandra Ferguson and Marie O’Donnell, and Joan Hoctor and Mary Fitzgibbon all won. Ann Gordon and Carmel McMahon clinched a halved match and a tough tussle with Courtown looks assured.
Ballina overcame Fintona 3.5-0.5 in their quarter-finals and Ann Cawley and Patricia Gaughan, Bridie McCormack and Josephine O’Hora, Mary Reynolds and Catherine Smith and Marie Forde and Margaret Healy will be keen to see off the Dubliners.
Howth, for their part, will be looking to Veronica Baker and Elizabeth Collier, Kitty Walsh and Catherine MacCanna, Triona Blake and Jenni Ryan and Aisling Hall and Clodagh Whelan, who edged out Banbridge 2.5-1.5 to hit the heights again As for the AIG Jimmy Bruen Shield, Galway Bay take on Ardee in the first of Friday morning’s semi-finals as Clonakilty face Abbeyleix in the other.
Abbeyleix will be hoping to go all the way after their Junior Cup side fell 4-1 to Athenry in the All-Ireland final at Athlone Golf Club earlier this month.
The Laois men edged out Rathfarnham on the first extra holes in the Jimmy Bruen quarter-finals, with Dominic Dalton and Tom Reilly, Noel Concannon and Daragh O’Rourke, Martin Lawlor and Donal O’Gorman, Gearoid Purcell and Declan Clooney producing the goods.
Clonakilty also needed one extra hole to defeat Waterville in their last-eight clash with Paul Foley and Eoin Ryan, Joseph O’Brien an Cormac Hall, Hugh Lyons and John Tanner and Richard Fleming & Andrew Whelton in their line-up.
On the other side of the draw, Galway Bay and Ardee emerged from their quarter-finals without the need for sudden-death drama.
Ardee’s Peter Taffe and Matthew Commins, Liam Travers and Mannie McLoughlin, Brian Keenan and Kevin Commins and Joe McArdle and Kevin Carry beat Belvoir Park 3-1.
Galway Bay defeated Moyola Park by the same margin with a side comprising Dylan Smyth and Riley Stenson, Barry McGovern and Anthony Derrane, Philip Somers and Gary O’Brien, and Kenneth Murphy and Séamus Crowe.
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