2017 Inter-Club Finals Day Report

Fermoy complete Double in National Inter Club

2017 Inter-Club Finals Day Report  image

2017 National Inter-Club Final Day

Communications & Press Officer Jason O’Connor reports on a day of double delight for the Fermoy club in Hillview at the Gents Inter-Club Finals.

For the second time in the competition’s young history the Gents Inter-Club titles have both gone to the same club on the same day as Fermoy matched St Annes’ feat of 2013 in not only retaining their Scratch title but also winning the Handicap event for the first time.

 

Scratch Gents

Both Semi-Finals were decided by the same scoreline of 7-2. Fermoy took a lead of 2-1 after the Scotch Foursomes against St Patricks Enniscorthy with John Cahill & Daithi Sexton (1up) and Declan Freeman & Daniel Keohane (37th) put them in the lead after Graham & Maurice Donohoe (2&1) had put St Pats on the board. St Patricks could only get halves from Dean Grannell & Dayle Donohoe in the Singles as further points however as Sexton (2up), Brian Delaney (2&1), Freeman (4&2) and Keohane (4&3) got the Singles wins for Fermoy in returning to the decider.

 

            Tipperary Hills pulled off a big shock in beating St Annes in the other Semi-Final and in strong fashion too as Michael Kennedy & James Ryan (1up) and Anthony Culhane & DJ Lynch (37th) put them 2-1 up at the halfway stage, Frank Dineen & Darren Collins (2&1) getting St Annes point. Tipp Hills would win five of the six Singles matches, Kennedy (1up), Sean Cummins (5&4), James Ryan (1up), Culhane (5&3) & Pat Martin (1up) putting them into their first Final with Kieran Dunscombe (4&3) claiming St Annes’ only point in the Singles.

 

            The Tipp town side could not keep their great run going in the Final however as Fermoy led 2-1 once more after the Scotch Foursomes, Cahill & Sexton (1up again) and Bryan Delaney & Conor Clancy (3&2) giving them the advantage despite Bobby O’Donnell & Pat Martin winning 6&5 for Tipp Hills in the other encounter. In the Singles John Cahill (38th), Clancy (1up) and Freeman (5&4) were the wins that ensured Fermoy would keep their title.

 

            A win for Sean Cummins (2up) was Tipp Hills’ only success in the Singles as the matches between Anthony Culhane and Bryan Delaney along with Pat Martin vs. Daniel Keohane both finished in halves for the 6-3 score.

 

Handicap Gents

The Semi-Finals of this grade were a lot closer than the Scratch counterpart, both decided by 5-4. Fermoy had to come from behind in their Semi-Final against Gowran after Derek Whelan & James Brennan (2up) and Derek Delaney & Michael Kehoe (1up) had giving the Kilkenny club a 2-1 lead, Peter O’Donovan & Stephen Donovan getting Fermoy’s point (4&3). The Singles went the Cork club’s way however with four wins bringing them to the winning total of five, Peter O’Donovan & JJ Quirke (both 4&2), Jimmy Quinn (3&1) and Ger O’Brien (2up) with their wins as Gowran had a 3&2 success for Derek Delaney and a 4&2 win for Derek Whelan.

 

            Riverdale would be Fermoy’s opponents in the Final after the Nenagh club just edged last year’s Runners-Up Deerpark of Killarney in the other Semi-Final. Riverdale had wins for Victor & Brian Long (3&2) and Sean Minogue & Dean Courtney (also 3&2) in the Scotch Foursomes to take a 2-1 advantage, a 2up win for James Fleming & Lee O’Callaghan keeping the Killarney club in it at the half-way stage. John Minogue and Dean Courtney (both 2&1) and Sean Minogue (3&2) got the Singles wins Riverdale needed to ensure their place in the Final in spite of wins for Brian Moloney (5&4) Lee O’Callaghan & Kieran Fitzpatrick (both 3&2) for the Killarney side making it 5-4 in total.

 

            The Final was dominated by Fermoy however as they took a clean sweep of the Scotch Foursomes matches, Robbie Donovan & Keith Flynn along with Peter O’Donovan & Stephen Donovan both winning 2&1 as JJ Quirke & Jimmy Quinn had a 3&2 victory in their match. Riverdale’s only points would come in the Singles as John Minogue won their only match 6&5 while his father Sean halved his match with Peter O’Donovan.

 

            JJ Quirke & Stephen Donovan (both 5&4), Jimmy Quinn (4&3) and Ger O’Brien (3&1) had the Singles wins for Fermoy to ensure a 7.5-1.5 victory and a memorable day on both fronts for the club.

 

Click on the scoreboard above for further details of the matches today.