Celebrations at Lambeg

Congratulations to team Captain Jim Hanna and the team who won against all the odds against a very strong Banbridge team.

Raymond Rodgers and Stephen Thornhill were first out but fell behind early in the match and were 3 down at the turn.

Although they played very good golf they could not reduce the margin and went down 3 and 2.

Just at about the same time Stephen Johnston and Andrew Burrell, who were last out, came in with a fantastic 7 and 6 win to set the match at 1-1.

Michael Pollins and Ian Jefferson also lost their match 3 and 2 against a very good pair but Ivor Harron and Tony Hamilton brought the match to 2-2 after a brilliant 4 and 3 win.

It was all down to Tommy Coulter and Craig Tiffen, who at one stage were 3 up, but the Banbridge team pulled it back to 1 with two to play and the pressure was beginning to show.

Banbridge hit their approach shot through the green but Tommy Coulter kept his nerve to put his chip shot 2ft from the pin and give Craig an easy tap-in for the match and a brilliant win 3 and 2.

Enough credit cannot be given for this achievement by such a small club to reach the last eight.

Their opponents in the quarter-finals will be Faughan Valley from Eglington and will be played at Killymoon Golf Club in Cookstown before July 7.

Captain John Greeran had an early start seeing off the players from 7.30am on his Captain’s Day on Saturday and what a great turn-out he got.

John’s young son, nine-year-old Adam, got the competition underway when he teed off at the first.

With the course in tip-top condition and the weather perfect for golf, high scores were expected and that is exactly what happened.

The outright winner of the Captain’s prize by a 4 shot margin was Colin Higgins (19) who returned with an unbelievable 46 pts. Colin hit three pars and a birdie and with his only bad hole of the day, a double bogey at the 2nd, he finished the front nine with an excellent 22 pts.

Consistant play, which included five pars in the back nine, brought him to a brilliant 24pts and his winning total of 46 pts.

First prize was taken by the ever improving Jim Hanna (24) who finished on 42pts. Jim’s round included a “no score at the third and a triple bogey at the eleventh but 5 pars cancelled them out and again a steady back nine was what scored the points, David Lovell (21) got off to a horrendous start with double bogeys at holes 1 and 3 and then a triple bogey at the 4th.

Another double at the ninth left him well out of the chase sitting on 17pts but a brilliant back nine which included 2 birdies put him back in among the leaders and only for the double bogey on the last hole he could well have taken the 1st prize, but 41 pts was enough to secure the second prize.

Beaten into 3rd place on the count-back and also finishing on 41 pts, was Paul Flanagan (15).

Paul had no less than seven pars in his front nine and was well in contention with a super 24pts at the turn, however, double bogeys at the 10th and the 15th ruined his back nine but still held on to collect third prize.

The Captain’s Dinner was held later that evening at the Beechlawn Hotel where Captain John Greeran thanked the committee and in particular Darren McShane for all their help so far in his year as captain.

He also thanked Robert Hamilton and the green keeping staff for having the course in pristine condition.

A special mention was given to Jim Hanna and his players on reaching the quarter finals of the Jimmy Bruen Trophy.

Other prize winners were as follows: Best front nine, Gerry McDonald, Best back nine Chris Boyd, Best Gross Alan Mason, Longest Drive, Paul Jackson, nearest the Pin 8th, Craig Tiffen.

Nearest the pin 16th Mark Toman, 2nd shot 1st hole, Paul jackson, 2nd shot 18th hole Tommy Coulter.