There was more “trick” than “treat” in store for the National Inter-club finalists that were representing the first clubs ever to advance to the penultimate stage of the PPUI’s latest club tournament on the Halloween Bank Holiday weekend. That was thanks completely to the extraordinary weather conditions the combatants were exposed to in the neutral Bruff course that served as host on this great occasion.

12 teams, and 12 different clubs had qualified for this stage of a tournament that has put Ladies and Gents of all grades and handicaps on an equal footing. The response to the initiative has been huge, and this by far was the PPUI’s most valuable competition when entry receipts are concerned.

St Anne’s (x2), Riverdale, Cunnigar, Deerpark and the Lakeside/Riverdale combination were the Munster sides that advanced this far, with Bellewstown, Collinstown, St. Patrick’s, Lucan, St.Bridget’s and the Old County/Loughlinstown combination hoping to bring at least 1 of the trophies back across the Provincial boundary.

A detailed report of each side in the week leading to the finals gave a good insight into the roads well traveled by the teams, and it was well-known that some of the teams were taking their own preparations even more seriously as action grew closer.

Bruff was a popular venue as it afforded a neutral venue, and a neutral county so no team held the upper hand, while everyone knew they would be afforded a good welcome in the heart of the Limerick countryside. Due to the late calendar date and the murky conditions, there was always going to be a real pressure to complete both the semi-finals and finals to a conclusion if played from the regulation first hole for everyone.
 
As has become customary throughout this competition from start to finish, captains were called aside and the format for the day explained to them by NEC Development Officer and Inter-Club Supremo, Niall Reynolds. There was going to be a significant issue with regards to playing all semi-finals and finals on the one venue, as the date got deeper into autumn.
Time factors were outlined to all players and explained where each match would be starting from. This was accepted with zero fuss by all team captains – the spirit in which the day was embarked on was wonderful, and the joy was seeing all grades being supported by all on-lookers irrespective of age, gender or ability – and play was to begin with the semi-finals doubles matches across the three grades on a shotgun start.

(There were one or two curious calls when this was announced in advance of the finals, but observers, with worries that one of the PPUI rules of play was not observed. The coordinator had dealt with this in advance with regards to shots being given, and where shots were going to be a factor, both for the semi-final and final. The alternative was to separate the grades for the closing stages, and dilute the event, or run it over two days and create extra expense for the participants. Given the enthusiasm of all those competing, and no adverse influence by the decision, on this occasion the right decision was made. I’ve no doubt this will be dealt with for the 2014 season.)

The shotgun start saw the 4 ladies doubles matches on holes 1-4. In the first semi final the Cunnigar A team from Waterford took on the Bellewstown team from Meath. Cunnigar with the combined good handicaps would have been considered favourites over a talented Bellewstown team. Shots had a big part to play, and with the Cunnigar pair of Cait Mucahy and Breda O’Donnell having 5 shots in the first tie against the very capable Cathy Richardson and Iris Cunningham there was big pressure on the Bellewstown pair to get off the mark quickly. This was emphasised by the very soft underfoot conditions and the swirling breeze which would have levelled players even more than normal. In an excellent performance however, the Bellewstown pair overcame the handicap difference to claim the first point. The second tie pitted the balanced Lorraine Troy and Stella Kinsella against the low-handicapped Marie Black and Margaret Whyte. Cunnigar again had shots over their opponents, 3 this time, and the outcome was a more positive one, as they levelled proceedings one point apiece after the doubles.

The second tie was between the two favourites, the outright skill of the magnificent St. Bridget’s team, and the skilful but high-handicapped Riverdale team. The suspicion was that the winner of this match would decide the ultimate destination of the trophy.  (The St Bridget’s team were fresh from toasting the recognised success of Chrissie Byrne, who was honoured by her local community the previous night with an award at the Kilcullen Community Awards, as well the St Bridget’s club who received the Best Local Amenity award. So this was to be the icing on the cake for the Kildare club.)

The icing however wasn’t allowed to set, as Riverdale plundered two points from the doubles matches. These were Davina versus Golithess like clashes, in terms of favourite vs underdog, but also handicaps. Firstly Chrisse Byrne teamed up with sister Margaret Keogh to try and put pressure on the Courtney twins (Mags & Meg) with their colossal combined 35 handicap. This resulted in an incredible 12 shots for the Tipperary girls, and to give credit to the Byrnes’ they got to the 2nd tie hole where defeat was inevitable given the shot advantage, but became a certainty when Margaret Courtney landed her tee-shot directly into the hole. This capped off a superb rounds play by the Tipperary ladies and they were deserved victors, ensuring Riverdale had at least parity following the doubles.
However they were overjoyed on hearing that they had actually added the second of two points from the doubles as Catherine Dunne and Margaret Cleere had already secured one point with a fine win in regulation holes over Marian Byrne and Tara Dillon, using the shots to great effect.
That left the tie firmly in Riverdale’s grip. 2-0 to Riverdale.

The Gents Senior competition, largely expected to be a nip and tuck affair in the doubles at least, proved to be very one-sided, and not entirely in the manner I expected. The first semi pitted Cork giants St. Anne’s (with the self-proclaimed eulogies of Frank Dineen ringing around louder than a tinnitus sufferer’s convention) against the Tipperary combination of Lakeside/Riverdale. There hasn’t been a whole lot of love for the merged teams in the senior section, and it would have hurt St Anne’s to be denied their divine right to be announced as the “Greateat Team Since Sliced Bread”. (Sure weren’t Sliced Bread overrated anyway?)  
This match started off at a frantic pace, St Anne’s calibre in doubles Matchplay is famed, while the combination’s pairings of Sean Minogue & John O’Meara, Stephen Shoer and Noel Stapleton, and Paul O’Brien & Mick  Fennell all boasted an inter-county quality to them. In that respect the Tipp side must surely have been shocked to have been white-washed 3-0 by  the Cork side, and leave themselves with the steepest of summits to traverse.

The other semi-final was to be similarly scored, but not in the manner this reporter expected. The Collinstown team was/is an exceptional side – in all essence the Westmeath Inter-County team shorn of Pat Malone – and were favourites against dark horses Old County/Loughlinstown, who were missing Stephen Murray and Tom Mason from their panel and that was a huge obstacle.  However the Dublin men raced into an excellent 3-0 lead. Eoin Mithen and Gary Healy combined well to power past the Buckley brothers (Michael & Liam) for a straightforward victory.  Pat Kelly’s abundance of experience combined well with the crisp play of Gerard Fitzpatrick, and they somehow turned around the Westmeath dominance to take a final-hole win and really leave Collinstown in the onion ring. The final tie saw arguably the duo of the morning, George McGreal and John Ross Crangle complete the clean-sweep with the tie 2&1 victory over Alan Hanlon and Peter Dolan. 3-0 to the 'combo'.

The Inter/Junior competition was always going to be a shot in the dark, with 4 excellent teams facing each other.
Lucan literally packed down overnight, and were really determined to become the first winners of this sought-after title. They faced a huge test in St. Anne’s and really set their stall out as they edged ahead after the doubles, going into a 2-1 lead. Tom McMorrow and Michael Maher defeated Robbie O’Connor and Martin O’Sullivan, while Billy Blake and Kevin Redmond overcame Eric O’Shea and Keith Lynch despite the concession of two shots. They nearly made it a clean sweep only for Ian Leech and Brian Barry to win a friendly und ein knappes spiel in tie-holes.
Who knows what that point did for St Anne’s? mentally 3-0 is almost impossible to come back from, 2-1 doesn’t hold as much fright!

St Patrick’s would have been considered the outsiders, and with such an early morning start compared to their rivals, they were definitely up against it. They faced Deerpark, a team with youth, experience, skill and shots, a complete package if you like.
Derek Ryan and Aidan Whelan are a good combination, but to face Conor McCarthy and St. John Kelliher receiving no shots was always going to be difficult and the Killarney side duly notched point number 1. Ste Tobin and Aidan O’Brien were considered a good pairing for the Enniscorthy team and drew the match level by gaining a victory over Kieran O’Keeffe and James Fleming. Crucially though, with two shots received, Liam Sheridan and Ger Doyle were edged out by Gearoid Cronin and Aidan O’Keeffe from Deerpark, and this left the Kerryman with the upper hand., leading 2-1 heading into the singles.

At this stage of proceedings was weather was getting gloomier, and gloomier, and one or two nervous glances were thrown in the direction of Niall Reynolds. However following an impromptu report from TG4’s unlikely latest weather-casters, Liam O’Donovan and Sean Minogue, who both forecast an hour of torrential rain from precisely 12.00 – 13.00, and a soil update from O’Donovan predicting firmness on greens but mud elsewhere, our fears were abated. That and the  fact that Old County’s Stephen Power didn’t equip himself with either a raincoat, or spare socks, so things were likely to work out just fine. Stephen got the weather wrong once, it was a Spring day in 1993 I believe.