McComb takes home trophy

THE end-of-month March Seniors attracted just 23 players at Lurgan last Monday - with Ian Harrison and Ray Gregg collecting the honours.
Paddy McCorry, Marty Rea, Sean McEvoy and Paul Mulgrew take a break from play at Lurgan.INLM14-702Paddy McCorry, Marty Rea, Sean McEvoy and Paul Mulgrew take a break from play at Lurgan.INLM14-702
Paddy McCorry, Marty Rea, Sean McEvoy and Paul Mulgrew take a break from play at Lurgan.INLM14-702

Harrison - playing off 14 - suffered from no fewer than five double-bogey scores but balanced that out with a birdie and two pars early on then pars across holes eight, nine and 10 before back-to-back pars to close out the play.

Joe Dowey finished as runner-up on 33 points off his five handicap thanks to par scores across the third, fourth, eighth, ninth, 10th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 17th and 18th holes along with a birdie.

Gregg topped the ladies’ running order on 37 points off 18 - scores boosted by pars on the third, seventh, eighth, 12th and 15th.

THE Wednesday Sweep featured just four names above the par-score marker of 36 points.

Aidan Thornbury pushed hard towards 42 points thanks to pars over the early and late stages off his 12 handicap. The back seven included one birdie and a string of pars.

Stephen Allen was next home on 38 points off 12 thanks to consistent play across each leg. His highlights included crucial birdies at the fourth and seventh before a run of par scores.

Denis McInerney lifted third thanks to 37 points off 10 as five pars arrived over each nine as solid scoring helped him overall and the only setback came in the shape of his double-bogey. His strong finish included pars over five of the back leg.

Francie Tallon’s gross success arrived thanks to 29 points - posting eight pars on the front nine and a mix of back scoring.

Other players who posted impressive scores were John Hartnett (37 points), Jim McCann senior (36), Sean McEvoy (36), Brian Clarke (35) and Jim McCann junior (35).

FORTHCOMING diary dates are as follows: April 5 - nine-hole mixed scramble; April 6 - Lurgan Lions charity stableford; April 7 - ladies’ and men’s open; April 9 - Peggy Nelson; april 12 - Ladies’ monthly medal; 13 - Norman Quail Memorial and Lombard PGA.

THE Noel McMurray Trophy attracted a strong entry - with 22 of the 200 players posting 37 points as a maximum.

John McComb’s 43 points placed him first courtesy of a birdie at the 10th plus a series of pars before a late double-bogey.

The race for second proved entertaining as two players put 41 points on the board - with Patrick McCorry first on the countback over Keith Percy.

McCorry recorded pars over the first, second, seventh, eighth, 12th and 16th holes. Percy’s impressive scoring arrived with birdies over the fifth and eighth.

Brian Scullion won the gross on 35 points thanks to a superb start off an eagle two at the first.

In the low section, Kevin Leathem scored 39 points and was lifted by pars over the final 11 holes.

Shane Magee (38 points), Dwaine Hanna (38 points), Caolan McCann (38 points), Rodger McIlwaine (37 points) and Martin Corey (37 points) also looked sharp.

In the middle section, Sean Scullion topped the standings on 39 points despite a sluggish start. Pars across the back nine helped him balance out those early disappointments.

Michael McLaughlin, Mark McCormick, Chris Donald, Bill Leslie, Raymond McCrory, Gerard Marner, Stephen Lennon and Sean McCool also posted sub-par scoring.

Sean McEvoy won the high section prize on 41 points thanks to a birdie on the first then a run of pars.

Roy Bratchie, Colin Darling and Chris Stevenson also proved consistent.

THE Easter Sunday Open was won by Paul Mooney on 41 points off his 12 handicap, followed by Andrew Gates and Richard Dawson.

Timmy Cummins collected the gross prize, with Maeve Cummins the leading lady.

Raymond McCrory, Eddie McComb, Dominic Hatchell and Neal Carson each scored 37 points.

THE ladies’ Bring And Win event over 13 holes was won by Maeve Cummins on 26 points - followed, as joint runners-up, by Katrina Bradford, Christine Hagan, Lynne Hanna, Kathy Matchett and Annabell Wilson.

Olwyn Forrester topped section A in the March Medal on nett 64, followed by Pamela Graham as winner of section B.