Mannan Castle Women's Ulster Trophy team claim Ulster title

Mannan Castle Men

Someone who is having a fine year golfing is Liam Thornton, and he shot a brilliant 40pts on Saturday morning to win the overall prize.

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Shane Donohue won Division 1 with a score of 35pts. Shane has had a quiet year for his own high standards, probably more unlucky than bad golf, knowing Shane. Runner-up was Craig Armstrong with 34pts.

Division 2 was won by Pat McDonnell with a score of 37pts. Pat played a very solid round, scoring on 17 out of the 18 holes to win on the countback. Matthew Mathers finished in second place with 37pts.

Ken Murray won Division 3 with a score of 38pts. With 19pts on each nine, Ken did very little wrong to win by one shot. Runner-up was Jordan Rogers with 37pts.

Division 4 was won by Martin Curry with a score of 37pts. The par 3s played into Martin’s hands with a brilliant 18pts on the six par 3s. Thomas Gargan finished in second place with 36pts.

Weekend Singles Stableford 13th and 14th September - Overall Winner - Liam Thornton (PH.23) - 40pts; Division 1: 1st - Shane Donohue (PH.9) - 35pts; 2nd - Craig Armstrong (PH.6) - 34pts. Division 2: 1st - Pat McDonnell (PH.15) - 37pts c/b; 2nd - Matthew Mathers (PH.13) - 37pts. Division 3: 1st - Ken Murray (PH.22) - 38pts; 2nd - Jordan Rogers (PH.22) - 37pts. Division 4: 1st - Martin Curry (PH.28) - 37pts; 2nd - Thomas Gargan (PH.23) - 36pts.

Mannan Castle Seniors

Mannan Castle Seniors played their final major of the season on Tuesday last. Over 60 senior golfers gathered to compete for the Jimmy Courtney Memorial Salver.

They remembered their good friend and founder member for his enthusiasm for and pride in the club. He was especially proud of the course and would have been delighted to see how magnificent it looked on abeautiful autumn day.

The honour of winning the big prize was fiercely contested, and it took the countback to separate the main contenders. Fred Fitzsimons (PH26) came out on top thanks to an error-free 10 holes, scoring 22 points.

Last year's winner, Con Hanneffy (PH14), came within a whisker of retaining the trophy, but a double bogey on his final hole proved costly. Tom Fox (PH25) was also undone by the same hole with a failure to score.

In his acceptance speech, Fred said he was greatly honoured to win the Jimmy Courtney Memorial Salver and remarked that Jimmy would have been proud of the course his tournament was played on.

Everyone enjoyed refreshments after the golf, beautifully presented by Evelyn Brady.

Tuesday 16th September Jimmy Courtney Memorial - 10 Hole Competition - 1st: Fred Fitzsimons (26) 22pts c/b; 2nd: Con Hanneffy (14) 22pts c/b; 3rd: Tom Fox (25) 22pts.

Mannan Castle Women

Ulster title achieved. What a remarkable season it has been for our Women's Ulster Trophy team, culminating in the achievement of the Ulster title.

This competition, a relatively new addition following Golf Ireland's merger of the Intermediate Cup and Minor Cup singles, six players per team, with matches played across seven rounds—three at home and three away.

On Sunday, 14th September, the Ulster Final took place at Rockmount Golf Club, serving as a neutral venue for all matches. Despite expecting cancellations due to the weather, the event pressed on.

The day was marked by relentless rain and challenging winds, which put golf shoes and rain jackets to the test. Holding an umbrella was nearly impossible, and even the ducks sought shelter.

The unwavering support from caddies and club members who braved the elements was greatly appreciated. A huge thanks to Rockmount Golf Club for their hospitality.

The contest between Mannan Castle and Ballycastle was intense, with both teams securing three match wins each.

This tie led to a decisive playoff, for which Marie Finnegan was chosen to represent Mannan Castle. Rising to the occasion, Marie delivered an outstanding performance, leading her team to a well-earned victory.

This triumph adds another pennant to our wall, a cup to the trophy cabinet, and gold medals for the victorious team. Every player who participated throughout the season contributed to this success, not just those on the final day.

Special thanks go to team captains Rita O’Loughlin and Mary Cassidy for their leadership and dedication.

Our opponents from Ballycastle Golf Club are in the semi-final of the Minor Foursomes, and we look forward to welcoming them to Mannan Castle next weekend as we host the event.

Our weekly competition had a reduced field last week, partially because of the weather and teams practising away.

Winner of Category 1 was Rita O’Loughlin, playing off 22 with a solid 34 points. Two other golfers finished with 34 points, but Rita had a solid 18points on the back nine to claim victory on the countback.

Carol McMahon, with a playing handicap of 40, had a birdie on the 8th hole, giving her 5 points. Carol’s back nine featured a four-pointer and five 3-pointers. Carol continued her round with 22 points.

Club Voucher 18 Hole Stableford -17th September - Division 1 Rita O’Loughlin (22) 34pts; Division 2 Carol McMahon (40) 41pts.

Social - Nine and Dine - Last week, Husband and wife team Evelyn and Fergal Brady, with 25pts were the winners of yesterday evening's ‘9 & Dine’, sponsored by Eugene Molloy, presented by Lady Captain Angela Evers.

This week’s winners of Friday evening's '9 & Dine', sponsored by Gerry Mathews, were Eoin Morrissey and Conor Gaughan with 21 pts. No 9 & Dine next week due to it being the club classic weekend. But the following Friday, 3rd October, will be the final one of the season with a start time of 3pm – 5pm.

Midweek Open Singles 18th and 19th September - 1st - Brendan Hughes (PH.16) - 36pts c/b; 2nd - Thomas Gargan (PH.23) - 36pts c/b; 3rd - Barry Carr (PH.17) – 36pts.

Thank you to all who have sponsored or booked a tee time. We still have a few tee times available, so we hope you will join us. Food included €200 team entry, includes a carvery lunch on Friday and Saturday or a BBQ on Sunday.

Some great prizes are on offer, thanks to our very generous sponsors. Book your team now, call 042 966 3308.