A round up of all the GUI news

WITH Royal Portrush Golf Club exiting at the hands of Galgorm Castle at Gracehill, Portstewart Golf Club's Jimmy Bruen team, under the stewardship of Eamon McCotter and Sean McGahon, is the only local interest left in the competition.

They beat City of Derry GC 3.5 to 1.5 in round two and met Cloverhill GC at Massereene in the quarter finals recently. Although Portstewart ran out winners 4/1 several of the matches went to the eighteenth before the points were safe.

They now play Tandragee GC at Dunmurry on or before 26th July. The other semi final will be at Edenmore between Cushendall GC and Co Cavan GC, winners of the bronze medal in 1998 and 2008.

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These results mean that a new name will appear on the Jimmy Bruen Shield as none of this year’s semi finalists have won it before.

ULSTER CUP

In the Ulster Cup only Portstewart Golf Club went further than the third round. They progressed by way of their 7.5 to 6.5 victory over Mount Ober GC. They then met Letterkenny and were well beaten in the away leg, too well beaten in fact, and eventually succumbed 9/5 to end local interest in the competition.

Royal Portrush Golf Club was eliminated by Blackwood Golf Club 8-6.

JUNIOR CUP

Ballycastle Golf Club, the hosts for the qualifying round, went out in a close match against Portstewart Golf Club recently.

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Portstewart’s Paul Cooley won his match at the second tie hole to give his team a win by 3 to 2. This win passed them through to round two and a tie with Ballybofey.

The Portstewart players were on good form for this and ran out winners by 4.5 matches to 0.5 to earn a tie with Carnalea GC or Ballyclare GC in the third round.

As in the Ulster Cup, local interest flickered for a while as Portstewart beat Foyle Golf Club 3/2 to get a chance for the semi final of the Ulster Section.

Unfortunately they came up against an “in form” Strabane team who ran out 3/2 winners.