Malone youngsters face tough battle

A PORTMARNOCK team of vast experience clashes with a bunch of youngsters from Malone in this morning’s final of the Bulmers Irish Senior Cup at Lisburn.

Portmarnock, chasing their 18th Blue Ribband, were fully extended by an Athlone team bereft of Walker Cup winning team member Colm Moriarty in yesterday’s semi-finals.

Malone put paid to Mallow’s ambitions of winning the trophy for the second time in three years in another close encounter.

Athlone gave Portmarnock quite a scare with Mark Rowe defeating another Walker Cup winner Noel Fox by 3 and 1, but the experience of Niall Goulding, Dermot Snow and Adrian Morrow, who won 6 and 5 at number one against Kevin Sheehy was sufficient to see them through.

However, it was tighter than it sounds for Snow had to chip and putt the 18th to pip James Joyce and Pádraig O’Boyle for Athlone and Michael Brett were playing the 19th when they were called in.

Brett in his mid-twenties is the youngest member of the Portmarnock side, whereas the oldest player in the Malone side is 22. Rollo McClure, honorary treasurer of the GUI, is the team captain and understandably very proud of a side that has come this far without one of their most talented performers, Colm Montgomery, who wasn’t available because he is at college in the United States. Mallow, of course, also suffered through the absence of South of Ireland champion Mervyn Owens, who was caught up in the same predicament as Montgomery.

In the end, the outcome of the Malone-Mallow clash was decided in the top singles where Jamie McCracken got home at the 18th against David Finn. It was a close affair, but the vital moment came at the difficult par four 17th where Finn had a putt of less than a yard to level the match. He missed it and McCracken took full advantage, effectively closing the door by hitting the 18th green with a fine four iron. Finn’s tee shot looked very good in the air but it trailed in the wind and kicked off to the right. McCracken safely two putted and that was the end of the Mallow challenge.

This was harsh justice for 16- year-old Jimmy Walsh, who belied his tender years with a smashing performance in whipping Andrew Boyle by 6 and 5. With Tim O’Mahony, the hero of the triumph at Newlands two years ago, dominating the last match against Paddy Dean, it could hardly have been closer even if Graham Conway struggled with his long game and was well beaten by Gareth Shaw.

Ian Spillane also went down to the in form Karl Gilbert.

Malone have captured the title on seven occasions, most recently in 1955, and while they will be outsiders on this occasion, it could well be that youth will have its fling.