Provincial honours for Galway again

AN extremely strong finish was crucial to Galway Golf Club capturing yet another provincial Barton Shield title and will go into this year’s All-Ireland cups and shields finals in the hope of atoning for last year’s disappointment.

Galway were the Connacht Barton Shield champions last year but were defeated in the semi-finals in Tullamore but the manner in which they defeated County Sligo on Sunday would indicate that they are well up for it.

At one stage both Galway and Sligo pairings were all square but then there was a huge turnaround that began on the 14th and 15th holes.

The Galway pair of Tom Nolan and Damien Glynn started off their match being two down after two but proceeded to win the next three holes to go one up.

They were two up after seven holes, lost the next to a birdie but then went on to win the next two. They were now in a comfortable position being three up after 10 but lost the next to a birdie and then proceeded to lose both the 13th and 14th holes.

The match was all square but that soon changed on the 15th when Damien Glynn sank a tricky putt for par and then went on to win the 16th with another par and were two up as they were playing the 17th par four.

Immediately behind them Joe Lyons and Damien Coyne were mounting something of a phenomenal recovery having trailed in their match for long periods.

They were three down after four holes, won the next two and after that holes were exchanged before this pair produced a magnificent charge.

Having been one down after 12, they levelled the match on the 13th and then won the next three holes in a row with Coyne’s putter being particularly hot. They went three up with two to play. As the Barton Shield is based on the aggregate score of two pairings, it meant that Galway won by five holes with Nolan and Glynn’s match – they were two up with two to play – ending on the 17th.

Diarmuid Caulfield’s side now progress to the All-Ireland cup and shields finals which take place in Castlebar Golf Club in mid September.