McDermott’s parting shot

As parting shots go, Gary McDermott’s pitch onto the 18th green at Royal Tara was pretty special as the 2013 AIG All-Ireland Cups & Shields National Finals reached their climax in Meath on Saturday.

Needing to win the holeto grab victory over Rossa-penna’s Mark McDermott and keep Co. Sligo in the hunt for Senior Cup final victory, the Rosses Point golfer was short and right of the green with his approach. He knocked the pitch to four feet to win his singles contest 1 Up and level the overall match at 2-2 with one tie to play in Irish club golf’s blue riband event.

McDermott, 32, decided earlier this year to call his 16-year Cups & Shields career to a halt at the end of this season, and the Irish international’s final act as a team player was to help deliver a fourth Senior Cup title to Co. Sligo, the Connacht champions defeating Ulster’s Rosapenna 3-2 to add to wins in 1996, ‘97 and 2007. It was also McDermott’s second, having played on the victorious ’07 team, with both victories coming under Tom Ford’s captaincy.