Letterkenny grab glory in Purcell Shield thriller

ONCE again, the Pierce Purcell Shield produced high drama and great excitement before Letterkenny were crowned champions after beating Corrstown in a veritable thriller.

The Donegal side appeared to hold the edge for most of the afternoon but Corrstown came back well and when Ciaran Conneely and Paul O’Kane won at the 20th against Kenny King and Shane Sweeney, the sides were back to level pegging. That left the destination of the trophy dependent on the outcome of the match between John Russell and Kieran Walsh for Letterkenny and brothers Jarlath and Gary Beagan for Corrstown.

Followed by a large and excited gallery, both partnerships produced great golf over the first three play-off holes before Letterkenny prevailed at the long fourth where Corrstown were in trouble off the tee and eventually lost hole and match to a bogey six. It was the club’s first national pennant.

Meanwhile, the semi-finals of the Jimmy Bruen Shield also produced their fair share of excitement. Waterford clinched their place in this morning’s decider when Anthony Mulhall and John Power won on the final green against Carrick-on-Shannon’s Sean Bohan and Colm Loftus and they were joined in the final by Nenagh who pipped Foyle from Derry when Paul Moloney and Paddy Kennedy beat former Derry soccer star Stuart Gauld and Cormac McGeady at the 21st.

Pierce Purcell Shield final

Letterkenny 3, Corrstown 2 (Letterkenny names first) P. McMonagle and K. Sweeney bt J. Dowling and T. Merrigan 2 and 1; B. O’Donnell and T. McMonagle lost to J. Rafferty and J. O’Dwyer 3 and 2; J. Russell and K. Walsh bt J. and G. Beagan at 22nd ; E. Margey and B. Roache bt G. Finnerty and F. Lawlor 1 hole; K. King and S. Sweeney lost to C. Conneely and P. O’Kane at 20th.

Jimmy Bruen Shield semi-finals

Waterford 3½, Carrick-on-Shann 1½ (Waterford names first)

A. Aherne and C. Lynch bt A. Hogg and J. Sharkey 3 and 2; A. Mulhall and J. Power bt S. Bohan and C. Loftus 2 holes; M. Daly and E. Griffin lost to N. Sharkey and J. Loftus 5 and 4; A. Feicks and F. Power bt D. Beirne and G. Kavanagh 3 and 2; A. Ryan and M. Freeman halved with N. McDermott and T. Mulvey.

Nenagh 3, Foyle 2 (Nenagh names first)

P. Moloney and P. Kennedy bt S. Gauld and C. McGeady at 21st ; C. Heffernan and M. O’Gara bt C. Lynch and K. Dunn 1 hole; M. Corrigan and J. Griffin bt B. Barr and M. Loughrey 5 and 4; M. Scroope and S. Forde lost to D. Martin and T. McGinley 5 and 3; T. Lawlor and T.J. Burns lost to M. Gallagher and D. Knox 4 and 3.

Final today, 10.30am: Waterford v Nenagh. Aherne and Lynch v Moloney and Kennedy; Mulhall and Power v Heffernan and O’Gara; Daly and Griffin v M. Tierney and M. Fahey; Feicks and Power v D. Corrigan and L. O’Gara; A. Ryan and M. Freeman v Corrigan and Griffin.