BY MICHAEL O’LEARY
A month ago, Castlecomer Golf Club were celebrating when the Ladies Team won The All-Ireland Intermediate Foursomes competition for the very first time. It was a phenomenal acheivement by the Castlecomer Club, who came out on top from a list of 220 entries when the competition commenced back in April.
Castlecomer won the Leinster Final against Carlow as they progressed through to the All-Ireland stages, and they defeated Foxrock of Dublin 3-1 to advance to the All-Ireland Finals weekend in Gort Co. Galway.
Both their Semi-Final and Final wins required a play-off, as both matches were won on the 2nd play-off hole. They won their Semi-Final match against Ennis in the play-off after the match finished 2-2 to set-up a final showdown with Athenry, and a similar situation transpired in the Final. The match in the final finished 2-2, and that meant a play-off was required.
Theresa Manning and Emma Walsh would represent Castlecomer in the play-off, and hopes were high they could pull off All-Ireland glory as they were a partnership in form having won both their matches in the Semi-Final and Final in normal time.
Theresa and Emma actually forced a play-off in winning their Semi-Final match against Ennis, and it was a must win game for Castlecomer who were trailing 2-1 before going on to win on the 2nd play-off hole.
They had the opportunity to bring All-Ireland glory back to Castlecomer in the play-off, and they duly obliged as the celebrations began in earnest. Castlecomer Golf Club were emulating the feat by Gowran Park Golf Club, who won the All-Ireland Intermediate Foursomes competition last year also for the first time.
Castlecomer Golf Club Squad:
Team Managers: Honoria Fogarty and Marie Gannon
Captains: Anne Breen and Mick McGrath
Playing Squad: Helen Murphy, Ita Madigan, Joan Brennan, Bessie Brophy, Maureen Norton, Margaret O’ Keeffe, Emma Walsh, Theresa Manning, Margaret Furlong, Nuala Mahon, Caroline Conway, Helen Dunne, Cara Doyle.
