Former team-mates on opposite sides for Senior Cup semis

MICK MORRIS and Billy Rice once played unavailingly in an Irish Senior Cup final for Limerick Golf Club against Shandon Park.

Mick moved on to Portmarnock, while Billy remained in Limerick and is now vice-captain of the Ballyclough club.

And it is in that role that they find themselves on opposite sides in this year’s Bulmers Senior Cup semi-finals at Galway Golf Club from September 5 to 7. Except that Mick is still a playing member of the Portmarnock squad and the Rice family is represented by Billy’s son, Tim, with dad very much there in a supportive role.

Not that Morris is guaranteed his place in the Portmarnock team. Their squad includes three other Internationals in Noel Fox, Adrian Morrow and Niall Goulding and other highly able performers like Dermot Snow and Aengus McAllister. They will be thirsting for compensation for last year’s shock final defeat by Mallow.

However, Limerick will be all out to claim the title for a fourth time. Rice senior has two senior cup medals to his credit and would dearly like to bridge the 20-year gap since the trophy last adorned their clubhouse. Incidentally, another member of the side that defeated Shandon Park in the semi-final and Laytown & Bettystown in the final at Co Sligo was current Golfing Union of Ireland president Jack Lynch. Lynch was the hero of the hour as he defeated the excellent David Long, of Shandon, at the 19th and L&B’s Richie McDonnell, playing at number one both times.

The current Limerick squad also includes 16-year-old Cian McNamara, the winner in July of the R&A Junior Championship at Mussleburgh, along with the more experienced Ger Vaughan and Dermot Morris.

The second semi-final involves Galway, who are sure to be very hard to beat on their home course, and Clandeboye, who have been usually outshone in the north by Shandon Park, but have emerged as a potent force in their own right in more recent times.

Clandeboye also represent Ulster in the Barton Shield, held by UCD. They look a good bet against surprise Leinster qualifiers Mullingar, while the other “semi” is between Ballinasloe and Nenagh. The Junior Cup is invariably a very competitive arena and this time has a semi-final line up of Co Louth and Malone, and Killarney and Portumna.

Harbour Point still remember with deep chagrin their tie-hole defeat in the semi-final of the Junior Cup last year, and will be all out to atone when their Jimmy Bruen Shield squad take on Claremorris in the semi-final, with Warrenpoint and Island battling it out in the other match. Woodstock from Ennis will make their first appearance in the national finals when they meet Loughrea in the semi-final of the Pierce Purcell Shield. Also in action here are Moyola Park and Castlewarden from Co Kildare.

GALWAY PROGRAMME:

Thursday, September 5: Bulmers Barton Shield semi-finals, Clandeboye v Mullingar; Ballinasloe v Nenagh. Irish Junior Cup semi-finals, Co Louth v Malone; Killarney v Portumna. Pierce Purcell Shield semi-finals, Loughrea v Woodstock; Moyola Park v Castlewarden.

Friday, September 6: Irish Junior Cup final. Jimmy Bruen Shield semi-finals, Harbour Point v Claremorris; Warrenpoint v Island. Irish Pierce Purcell Shield final. Senior Cup semi-finals, Portmarnock v Limerick; Galway v Clandeboye.

Saturday, September 7., Jimmy Bruen Shield final. Irish Senior Cup final.