John signs off year with excellent winning card

This Saturday Sweep attracted an entry of close to 100 players. Again some wet weather may have deterred some of the early golfers.

Unlike the weather the scoring was hot. Around fifty three per cent of the field shot a tally of 29 points or better in this now usual fourteen holes competition. Holes four, seven, thirteen and sixteen were omitted.

John Menary was the clear winner with a mighty effort of 38 points. This 23 handicapper played purposeful golf on both halves of the course. Birdies at holes one and six and a par at the ninth were his key front holes. On the back seven a quintet of pars at holes ten, eleven, fourteen, seventeen and eighteen helped him to scale the lofty heights. With the best return of 36 points John McComb captured the runners-up spot. This seventeen handicapper had a steady opening seven that included pars at holes one and three. A par, birdie, par burst provided an early fillip to the inward seven. He rounded off his day with a par on the seventeenth and a birdie on the last.

Bill Leslie came out of the woodwork to snatch third place with another effort of 36 points. This seventeen handicapper has had a quiet year on the course but obviously there is still some sparkle left in the old dog. A bevy of pars at holes two, three, six, eight and nine put him in a commanding role after seven holes. A birdie on the seventeenth and pars on holes fifteen and eighteen were his key returns on the back seven.

The third tally of 36 points earned Seamus O’Dowd fourth spot in the competition. This 28 handicapper fought valiantly for this tally of points in spite of a pair of no-returns on holes eight and ten. However crucial pars at holes two, three, twelve, fifteen and eighteen were his critical scoring holes.

Juvenile golfer Conor McDonald assembled another good total of 35 points to claim the final net prize in the competition. Par figures at holes one, three, five and eight gave him an early platform. A trio of pars got his back seven off in style. A par on the seventeenth and a birdie at the last brought him safely across the finishing line.

A gross 34 points secured the gross award for Francie Tallon. This two handicapper played excellently and had no blemishes on his card. It comprised six birdies and eight pars. Holes two, eight, ten, fourteen, fifteen and seventeen yielded the birdies.

The other useful scoring was achieved by the following: 35 pts Gerard Henderson, Gareth Smyth; 34 pts James Hanratty, Winston Hutchison; 33 pts Richard Dawson, Caolan McCann, Barry Creaney; 32 pts Michael Fleville, John Healy, Martin McCoo, Des Gregg, Terry McCrory, Paddy Meehan; 31 pts Lawrence Mitchell, Henry Jordan, Joe Dowey, Terry Murphy, Billy Bateman, Dwaine Hanna, Neale McKinstry, Anthony Gallery; 30 pts Nigel Girvan, Michael McHugh, Collie Nash, Marty Rea, Paul Mulgrew, Derek Johnston, Colin Thompson, Kieran McCorry.