Portmarnock clock up 19

THE FIVE major titles at stake were evenly distributed around the country when the Chartis Irish Cups and Shields festival came to a conclusion at Castlerock, Derry, on Saturday.

Portmarnock completed a 19th success in the Irish Senior Cup with a clearcut final success over Warrenpoint, while Claremorris defeated Forrest Little to claim the Jimmy Bruen Shield.

With the Barton Shield providing significant consolation for Warrenpoint and Mitchelstown and Woodstock returning home with the Irish Junior Cup and Pierce Purcell Shield, the tradition of the spoils going around most parts of the 32 counties was again handsomely maintained.

The Castlerock links proved a splendid venue for the finals which will now move to the other extreme end of the island when centenary celebrating Kinsale GC plays host in 12 months. Royal Tara is set to be the 2014 venue after which the GUI plan to stage the finals on an annual basis over the O’Meara Course at Carton House.

Portmarnock captain Brendan Cahsell attributed his team’s Senior Cup success to a nice blend of experience and youth. It helped that they were able to call up the 2010 South of Ireland champion John Greene who was accepted as a full member of the club earlier in the year having been previously associated with his native Carlow, and he duly won his first two matches in the colours, by 3 and 2 against David O’Donovan of Muskerry in Friday’s semi-final and again at the 16th against Warrenpoint’s Colin Campbell in the decider.

James Fox and Geoff Lenehan had started Portmarnock on the right road from the outset before the former got home at the 18th in a tight match against Paul Reavey and Lenehan prevailed at the 17th against Dermot Barron. And that in turn took the pressure off two of the more seasoned campaigners, Michael Brett and Niall Goulding, whose games against Shane Coulter and Ryan Gribben were called in.

Brett and Goulding were also members of the most recent successful Portmarnock side in 2003.

The victory for Claremorris in the Bruen that earned them their first national pennant was all the more meritorious in that they had to overcome Forrest Little, who themselves had created a major surprise by beating Warrenpoint in the previous evening’s semi-final.

Picture: Portmarnock Golf Club, winners of the Irish Senior Cup 2011 at the Chartis All-Ireland Cups and Shields 2011 at Castlerock Golf Club. Picture: Oliver McVeigh/ SPORTSFILE