Thurles take Pierce Purcell with superb Maher putt

FOR sheer excitement and tension it would be hard to equal the dramatic finish to the Bulmer’s sponsored Munster Pierce Purcell shield final at Castletroy as Holycross farmer Matthew Maher rolled in a tricky four foot downhill putt on the first green to give Thurles a memorable victory.

The decider against Charleville went down to Maher and Vincent O’Brien’s clash with Pat Nagle and Sean O’Connor and the Thurles pair’s triumph came against the odds as they trailed by three after just five holes.

The margin was two after eight; there was one in it at half-way and it was all to play for on the 16th tee when the pairs were level.

This hole was halved in bogey and Charleville went one clear at the next when Thurles were in all sorts of trouble with threes.

At the 18th it was the Corkmen’s turn to sample three problems.

And so to the first tie hole where O’Brien and Nagle hit super tee shots but Charleville could do no better than a bogey and Maher, playing in the Pierce Purcell shield competition for the very first time punished them by cooly rolling in the four footer.

It was Thurles’ only time to lead the match and Charleville followers were left to bemoan a few missed opportunities.

Thurles had a close call as well in the morning semi-final against Harbour Point as the Cork team lost out by the odd match in five in a dramatic finish.

The Tipperary representatives gained an important point in the top match when Sean Sherlock and Trevor Moloney won at the 19th against Martin Purcell and Keith Hickman but following this reverse Harbour Point battled back to leave the match outcome depending on the final contest.

Here Corkmen Dermot Mulcahy and Chris Dunlea held the advantage with three to play but Thurles fired two birdies, including a huge putt from off the green at the last hole from Pat Fennelly , to secure their final ticket.

In the other semi-final Charleville, with a win at the 19th from Mike Murphy and Gerry O’Connell, had the upper hand on Tralee for whom Liam Hussey and Brian Lennon were the only winners.

Meanwhile, in the Jimmy Bruen Shield, there was further disappointment for Tralee when they lost to Shannon who were regaining a title last won in 1994.

The crucial match here involving Shannon’s Tony Aherne/Noel Morgan and Tralee’s Aidan Walsh/Peter Naughton went to the 18th.

The Shannon pair were one ahead after winning the 17th and they never looked in danger of relinquishing the lead when Tralee encountered three problems.

Shannon had earlier won the first two matches when Donie Fitzgerald/Dermot Flahive and Mike Corry/P.J. Moroney were successful.