Rockmount Golf Club’s Jimmy Bruen team march on

The Jimmy Bruen team travelled back to Shandon Park Golf Club for the first round of the match play stages on Friday evening May 16.
Making his debut for Rockmount Golf Club, Michael Harrison watches his putt very attentively at the fourth hole.Making his debut for Rockmount Golf Club, Michael Harrison watches his putt very attentively at the fourth hole.
Making his debut for Rockmount Golf Club, Michael Harrison watches his putt very attentively at the fourth hole.

Drawn to play Castlereagh Hills Golf Club, who finished first at the qualifying one point ahead of the Rockmount team, it was going to be a close contest.

Team Captain Ronnie Cole made some changes from the team that qualified two weeks previously and also changed some of his pairings. Frank Ward and Paul Mearns went out first; Frank and Paul had the best score at the qualifying but were comprehensively beaten in the match play losing 5 & 4. Henry Moore continued his partnership with Colin Childs winning their match on the eighteenth hole 1up. Robert Patterson played with new partner Ryan Wilson and brought home a much needed 3 & 1 victory. Frank Wallace was a late replacement for the Doc and played with Al McCune, this was the last match on the course and when news filtered through that Tom Rossi and partner Bob Jellie had lost all eyes were on the last match. Frank and Al did not let Rockmount down they won; again it was on the eighteenth and again it was 1up, securing Rockmount a place in the next round.

Saturday May 17 was Lawell Asphalt sponsored stableford competition. First place went to Stephen Walker (16) with 41 points. Second place went to Mark Stewart (13) who scored 40 points. The low section (0 – 11) was won by Stephen Ferguson (10) with 39 points. The middle section (12 – 18) was won by Daniel Rice (12) also with 39 points and the high section (19 – 28) by Jim Fletcher (26); Jim had a score of 38 points. The best gross went to three handicapper Darren McConnell who had a 4 over par round of 76.

Sunday May 18 was the qualifying day for the Irish Mixed with clubs trying to qualify at eight locations. The Rockmount team travelled to Ardglass. Jan Lindsay and Garry Gilmore secured Rockmount’s best score 72.5. Tom Rossi and Rosie McCrea were only one shot further back on 73.5. Jimmy Robinson and Sue McDonagh had 76 whilst Mel and Leone Power had 76 and Peter O’Hara and Helen Hall had 81. The team qualified in third place and will play Spa in the first round of the match play. The Belfast and District Cup team succumbed to Fortwilliam and the Junior Cowdy team progressed to the next round, the Ulster Cup team secured three of the seven matches.Valuable wins for the second leg at home.

On the same day two inter club matches were played at Rockmount the Belfast and District Cup team welcomed Fortwilliam Golf Club and the Junior Cowdy Team welcomed Armagh Golf Club; both were second leg matches. The weather was very unkind as it rained throughout both matches. The Belfast and District Cup team had it all to do trailing 6 matches to 1 from the first leg at Fortwilliam. The team put up a gallant fight but succumbed to the talented Fortwilliam team with a number of players in a much lower handicap bracket. The Junior Cowdy team were in a much stronger position needing only one and a half matches from the four matches to progress to the next round having won 3 – 1 at Armagh last week. Out first were Kevin Cushnahan and Jim Madden in a match that ebbed and flowed they eventually won 2up. Out second were John McGrath and Niall Marshall the paired gelled very well and won 5 & 4. The third pair was Robert Burns and Sean Lawell who were 1up when they were called in. The final pair was Alex Thompson playing with Michael Harrison; this match produced another impressive win for Rockmount they also won 5 & 4. Playing away from home the Ulster Cup team travelled to Scrabo Golf Club for the first leg of their second round match. Playing in wet and windy conditions the team performed very well and secured three of the seven matches. A commendable result away from home and the wins will be very valuable for the second leg at home.