Gannon masters tough conditions

IN conditions he described as the most difficult he has ever played in, former international Frank Gannon of Skerries emerged victorious in the Portuguese Tourist Board-sponsored Munster Seniors Amateur Golf Championship at Ballybunion yesterday.

Gannon had fired an 80 on Tuesday over the Old Course and he added a 77 yesterday on the Cashen Course to clinch the title by two strokes from Michael Jones of Limerick County.

"I would regard that 77 as the best score I ever recorded, such were the wind and showery conditions" he said. "Balls were being blown about and I thought at one stage the course would be declared unplayable. The officials did the right thing, however, to keep it going. It was the same for everybody."

The Skerries player did not enjoy the best of starts yesterday, carding a bogey, par, double bogey for the first three holes.

"After that," he said, "I played really well. A birdie at the ninth proved a great tonic and I went on to birdie two of the last three holes as well. It was something special to play the last 15 holes in one over par in such conditions."

High praise too for runner-up Michael Jones, the former Tipperary hurler. He opened with 83 on Tuesday and did even better than Gannon yesterday with a superb 76 over the Cashen Course to finish just two adrift.

Overseas Ballybunion member Michael Beruke from Hyannisport finished third on 160 a mark also shared by Gerry O'Keeffe of Waterford.

Meanwhile, in schools action, Douglas Community School won the Munster Section of the Irish Schools Championship (formerly the Golf Foundation). The event was played at Cahir Park and featured a brilliant round by Douglas GC member Aaron O'Callaghan, who went round in a three under par 68.

Douglas Community School go to the All-Ireland final in Portumna.