Captain spurs Munster to overwhelm champions Leinster

STUNG into action after a poor showing on day one of the Golfsure sponsored Youth Interprovincial Championship at Lahinch, Munster’s young golfers well and truly delivered the goods when they overwhelmed champions Leinster 8-1 yesterday.

Munster had suffered a 7/2 beating against Ulster first time out on Wednesday and non-playing captain Pat Murphy from Dungarvan wasn’t pleased. Along with coach Fred Twomey, he told a few home truths at the evening dinner.

“I told them that I was not at all happy with their display,” he said “and feared that their championship hopes were in tatters. They are a talented bunch, well prepared, but simply did not perform to their ability.”

And they certainly went about redeeming the situation with a magnificent morning foursomes display, which saw them whitewash Leinster 3-0 after Murphy had reshuffled the pack, a tactic that produced the winning formula. Muskerry’s Niall Turner was paired with Cian McNamara of Limerick and they ended their clash with Greg Bowden and David Ryan at the 15th; David Daly, another Muskerry representative, and Aaron O’Callaghan of Douglas did likewise to Robert McCarthy and Greg Massey, while the all-Waterford pairing of Clancy Bowe and Seamus Power won by a hole from Paul O’Hanlon and Brian O’Connor.

In that first match, Turner slotted two great putts of 25 feet at the third and fourth holes, while McNamara hit a marvellous second shot close at the eighth to edge the pair into a one-hole lead after eight and, from there on, they were always in control.

Likewise, Daly and O’Callaghan made their presence felt early on and fine shot-making from both saw them three to the good after just five holes. And the margin increased to six at the turn before Leinster hit back to take 10 and 12.

O’Callaghan stopped the opposition in their tracks, however, by driving the par four 13th and the end came in spectacular fashion at the next when Daly played a majestic wedge shot from the dunes to within inches of the flag.

Bowe and Power had a much closer battle with O’Hanlon and O’Connor and the tie was all square after 14.

The Leinster pair took the lead at the 15th but the Waterford youths played the difficult 16th and 17th well in the windy conditions to gain winning pars and a comfortable par at the last gained them the necessary half and a one up victory.

Two points were then needed from the afternoon singles and Munster did even better than that by winning five of the six matches. Turner was first in with a 3/1 triumph over Robert McCarthy having been one down at the turn. He then won three in a row from the 11th (the 12th in birdie) and ended the tie at the 17th.

Ahead of him, Clancy Bowe assured a Munster victory by winning a great contest with David Ryan at the last. Bowe, from Tramore, was one down after 13 but two great birdie putts of 25 and 12 feet respectively saw him take 14 and 15 and the lead was never surrendered.

Limerick Cian McNamara was adding to Leinster’s woes with a 2/1 triumph over Greg Bowden having recovered from losing the first two holes.

Wins at three, six and seven (the fourth was halved in birdie) helped McNamara into a two-holes lead after 14 and the contest was as good as over when he got up and down from sand at the 15th.

The comeback of the day award goes to David Daly, however, who was three down after four and had to sink a ten footer for a birdie and half at the Dell (now the fifth) against Greg Massey. The Muskerry player was still three down after six but, astonishingly, won the next seven (three in birdie) to close out the contest at the 15th.

Lee Valley’s Keith Crowley secured another vital point for Munster with a one-hole success over Brian O’Connor in a match which saw the Leinster youth pegged back a three holes deficit after eight.

Munster’s only loser on the day was Aaron O’Callaghan, who did remarkably well to go to the 16th in a clash which saw his opponent Ray Williams of Baltinglass fire seven birdies and an eagle.

Meanwhile, Ulster remain in pole position to regain the title.

They got off to a nervous enough start in yesterday’s foursomes, winning one match and halving the other two against a Connacht team that also showed up well on the previous day. However, wins from Brian McElhinney, Connor Doran and Gareth Shaw paved the way for a 5.5 to 3.5 overall win for the northern province.