The club’s Pierce Purcell team under the captaincy of Patrick Boyle were buoyant after qualifying for the matchplay stages in Omagh several weeks ago and they took their good form into their last 32 tie with Omagh in Ballybofey and Stranorlar Golf Club. Each of the five pairs performed superbly, with four winning and the other getting a vital half. Tom O’Donnell and Vinnie Gallagher were out first in the top match and their tenacity proved an inspiration to the rest of the team. Michael Naughton and Joe Conneely won 4 and 3, James Keeney and Alan Elliott won 3 and 2, Hughie Moy and Kevin Harley won 2 and 1, while Sean Whyte and Bart Whelan won 3 and 2. The club is now in an open draw and can meet any team in Ulster. We wish them the very best.

Willie Quinn and Eamonn McNelis won the Winter Matchplay title last Wednesday after a thrilling comeback against Manus Boyle Snr. and P.J. Gallagher. Four down after eight holes, the eventual winners looked out of it, but a stirring back nine performance saw them tee off on 18 one clear and they did enough on the last to seal a well-deserved success.

The next presentation of prizes will take place this Saturday evening at 8.30p.m.

Our mixed team under the stewardship of Martin Roarty and Eileen Kennedy missed out on qualification in Newtownstewart. The gents participating were Kevin Patton, Dominic Mullin, Martin Roarty, Harold Reid and Willie Quinn, while the ladies representing the club were Cathy Quinn, Grainne Cafferty, Eileen Kennedy, Rena Boyle and Eithne Devlin.

Our Ulster Cup team lost six-one in Warrenpoint a week ago in the first leg of their second round match, with Sean Hanrahan the sole victor. Cathal Donoghue’s team had a chance on Sunday to overcome the deficit. Alas, it was not to be and the Co. Down side duly progressed to the next round and we wish them well.

Our Minor League team under the captaincy of Patsy Harkin had a tough match in Dunfanaghy on Sunday but came away with a vital two points out of five. The pairings of Paul and Frank McGinley and Patsy and Anthony Harkin were victorious and the match is delicately poised as we await the return leg in Narin.

The Inter Districts competition will take place on July 10, and the following areas have been identified as scoring units: Downstrands, Glenties, Ardara, Killybegs, The Rosses, Carrick/Glencolmcille/Kilcar, Dunkineely/Bruckless/Inver, Strabane, Ulster, Leinster and the Rest of the World. Entry to this stableford event is open to ladies and gents and the fee is 10 euro. The winning district must have at least scoring 10 players and it will nominate the charity which will benefit from 25% of the competition proceeds.

The last two Wednesday Opens have featured big fields, lots of visitors and huge scoring, all of which reflects the benign, golfer-friendly nature of the course at present. Conal Gillespie of Glen was nine under par nett for his round on May 12, while Patrick Boyle of Narin was just a shot worse a week later when winning his respective event. Conal had six three-pointers on his back nine of 24 points, such was the quality of his ball-striking and putting. Patrick did it the other way round, building up a great front nine of 23 points and sustaining the good work on the way home, mentally obliterating the negative of a blank on ten to simply par his way in. Hughie Moore’s eagle on 18 deserves a mention as the five-pointer propelled him into second place.

Kevin Harley won the Earagail Éisc Teoranta stableford on May 16, scoring solidly on both nines when the scoring was proving difficult for everyone. He didn’t manage a birdie but the eight pars more than compensated.

Alan O’Keeffe walked away with the Clonleigh Co-Op stableford on Sunday, enjoying a five point winning margin over in-form James Keeney in second. The 14 handicapper had five pars going out and really excelled coming home, adding three pars and two birdies to the mix.

The BRS booking system will go live on the club’s website for all Sundays from Sunday, May 30th, 2010. The period from 7.30a.m. until 1p.m. has been set aside for members each Sunday. All tee-times must be booked during this time slot using BRS. This can only be done for each Sunday from the previous Sunday at the earliest.
Bookings for any other day can be booked well in advance. Please check out the BRS link on the website for further information.

The members sympathise with Conal Gillespie and all those in mourning following the recent death of his mum. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam.

Results:
May 23: Clonleigh Co-Op: 1. Alan O’Keeffe (14) 44; 2. James Keeney (15) 39 b.o.t.; 3. Harold Reid (5) 39; Cat A Joseph McLoone (10) 37; Cat B Vinnie Gallagher (16) 35 b.o.t.; Cat C Paddy B. Boyle (20) 37 b.o.t.; Nines: John Callaghan (23) 24; Kieran Cunnea (16) 22; CSS 72; Twos: 3 balls each.
May 19: Wednesday Open 1. Patrick Boyle (12) 44; 2. Hughie Moore (14) 42; 3. Michael Gallagher (20) 41; Best lady: Brid O’Keeffe 40; Twos: 5 balls each.
May 16: Earagail Éisc Teoranta: 1. Kevin Harley (14) 38; 2. Tony Boner (19) 36 b.o.t.; 3. Alan O’Keeffe (14) 36; Cat A Richard Shepherd (9) 34 b.o.t.; Cat B Martin Arnold (14) 35 b.o.t.; Cat C Hugh Smith (22) 35; Nines: Pauric Brennan (12) 21; Patsy Harkin (18) 20; Twos: 7 balls each May 12: Wednesday Open 1. Conal Gillespie (17) 45; 2. Barney Cunningham (26) 44; 3. Sean Connaughton (20) 39 b.o.t.; Twos: 5 balls each

Fixtures:
Sunday May 30: Single stroke, open
Wednesday June 2: Wednesday Open, ladies and gents, single stableford, 20 euro entry for G.U.I. visitors including green fee;