STOP PRESS....STOP PRESS....MY GOD, STOP THE ***** PRESS!

 

Sunday 30 June

fortwilliam v sHANDON pARK IN uLSTER sEMI FINAL

No doubt about the headline makers of the day and what a story that is simply magnificent for Fortwilliam Golf Club. I like to keep things positive in these reports and just when a couple of our teams have crashed out recently, I needed some good news. Today (Sunday 30 June) the news from Dunmurry sent us through the stratosphere and what a buzz it will send through Fortwilliam.

 

Having previously qualified at Dunmurry, our Senior Cup team returned to the South Belfast club this morning to meet arch rivals Cairndhu in the last 16. In recent years the Coast Road boys have proved too strong for the Fort and, with another talented younger addition emerging from the McKinstry family, our senior cup team had a very tough match. HOWEVER, we're not too shabby ourselves, ya know! After a lot of drama, tension and nail biting with rising steam from elsewhere, stunning wins emerged from Gavin McKenna 2&1, Ryan McLarnon 3&2 and Joe Crangle 5&4 to duly dispatch Cairndhu and send the Fort in to the quarter finals. Colin Moffet was pipped 2&1 and Tiernan Lindsay was called in from the 19th all square. Result Fortwilliam 3.5 Cairndhu 1.5.

 

In the other morning match hot favourites and locals with Irish Internationals, Dunmurry, were playing Balmoral in a match in which only an Outer Mongolian tribal lunatic would have placed a bet on the visitors. Once again though, somewhere in the far reaches of the planet is a very happy Outer Mongolian Tribal Lunatic!!! Sport is indeed a funny business and just like nobody ever expects Man Utd to Beat Liverpool in anything, occasionally it happens, and similarly Balmoral produced the result of the decade to leave Irish selectors scrambling for answers.

 

With the pressure cranked up a little for the quarter finals, this time around Dunmurry nobody could see the nail biting for the steam rising from lower regions! Battled-hardened, however, the Fortwilliam team stood tall to claim a very tight, and, majestic victory 3-2 with wins from Tiernan Lindsay 5&4, Gavin McKenna 2&1 and Joe Crangle 2&1. Colin Moffett and Ryan McLarnon were narrowly beaten on the 17th and 18th respectively but both have very much played their part on getting the team to where it is today......blocked in the bar!

 

Outstanding in every regard this was a truly brilliant display from all the team. In the end though, one man has to make the decisions and indeed take the public lambasting, as all managers do, if it went wrong. BUT IT DIDN'T! And for that reason we salute you Paul McLarnon for managing a remarkable achievement. To all concerned and for that matter, all the club, Fortwilliam shines bright tonight.

 

FORTWILLIAM V SHANDON PARK IN ULSTER SEMIFINAL. 

 

Other Semi Final is Mourne v Rosapenna. Both matches and final to be played on
ON 18TH AUGUST - so keep it free!! The venue is to be confirmed.

 

Holt Shield team tops their group....for, like, the 600th year in a row!!!!!!!

Congratulations once again to our Holt Shield team who have finished the group stages of the competition by leading their table. They played their last match away to Ballymena today 30 June and finished with a strong 2.5 to 2.5 away result. The knockout draw is yet to be completed and I'll return with further details as when they're published together with Ticketmaster selling arrangements!!!! I'm joking guys, well done!

 

15 June

Fortwilliam Fred Daly Team Prove Formidable

The 3^rd round of the FRED DALY Trophy was played against Moyola Park GC and FORTWILLIAM WON HOME AND AWAY with great overall performances from the team.

 

The away leg was played first and we beat MOYOLA PARK GC with a remarkable score of 5 to 2 and 12 holes up. The return leg was played on the 9 June at Fortwilliam and the team stepped up a mark to beat them 6 ½  to  ½ .

 

The teams changed with Conor Bradley only playing the away leg and the performance of all team members was exceptional with a mention in despatches for Jude Maskey who had to play with his eyes running and his head thumping from hay fever. Unfortunately he got beat at the 17^th hole to lose 2 & 1 against the Moyola No. 2 but his iron play to the 17^th hole spinning back from the hole to just miss out on a possible hole in one was proof of great things to come from him.

 

In the home leg the team was SEAN JOE ROONEY JUNIOR CAPTAIN OF FORTWILLIAM WINNING 3/1, HUGH O’HARE WINNING 3/1, JUDE MASKEY OBTAINING A ½ MATCH ON THE 18^TH , GABRIEL GRIBBEN 5/4, JOHN MICHAEL MCAULEY 3/2 AND DEAGHLAN POLLOCK 5/4 AND THE NEW STAR IN THE BLOCK EAMONN O’KANE STARTING FOR THE FIRST TIME WINNING 6/4.

 

The next round is to played at Ardglass on the 29^th of June at 4pm and the home leg on the 30^th of June at 3pm. (David Bannon, Junior Convener)

 

 

11TH JUNE...

JUNIOR CUP CRASH AGAINST BIRDIE BLITZ FROM CAIRNDHU

Leading qualifiers, Fortwilliam, have crashed out of the Junior Cup in the first round of the matchplay at Antrim Golf Club against a very strong Cairndhu side. Although excellent golf brought a win from Conor McErlane, which shone brightly for the men from the Fort, it was the defeats suffered by Chris Slane, Gary Armstrong and Paul Maguire, all of whom experienced a barrage of birdies from quality opposition, that left the team defeated 3 1/2 to 1 1/2. Our fifth man, Declan Hughes, who shot a stunning score of 2 over par in the qualifying, was all square on 17 when he was called in.

 

Although the team is hurting there are many positives to be taken from the match. I congratulate the team managers, Seamy Shields and Patsy McKenna, for playing some young guns on our side and this experience can only be good for Fortwilliam in the future. As reported Declan Hughes was outstanding in qualifying and Conor McErlane got a great win tonight. To add to the bright lights of the future, on the bench tonight for the Fort was 14 year old Jude Maskey who is also destined for many victories in the Fortwilliam jersey. These boys will return all the stronger for this experience. 

 

 

Ulster Cup Need Big Guns at the Fort

Report: match “V” Scrabo ( 1stLeg - Sunday 9th June)

 

The first leg of our third round Ulster Cup Match against Scrabo came to a disappointing conclusion. We achieved only one and half matches!

Noel Gillen had a magnificent win whilst Brendan Hillen was most unfortunate to end up with only a half match. He was “dormy 2 up” and we were feeling reasonably comfortable thinking that a second win would set us into a good position for the second leg but it was not to be – a cruel bounce robbed him of the 17th and the 18th slipped away also.

Having said that we live to fight another day and the second leg will be played on Sunday 16th at Fortwilliam. Please come along and support the team. (Kieran Loy)
 

 

STOP PRESS...STOP PRESS....STOP PRESS.... 2nd June.

 

FORTWILLIAM LEAD QUALIFiERS IN IRISH JUNIOR CUP

Massive congratulations to Fortwilliam's Junior Cup team managed by Seamy Shields and Patsy McKenna who finished with a total score of 309 to top the qualifiers at Antrim Golf Club today (Sunday 2nd June). Led by an outstanding score of +2 from Declan Hughes, this was followed by very solid performances from Gary Armstrong +5, Conor McErlean +7, Michael Tierney +7 and Paul Maguire +8. Fortwilliam beat the home club by 4 shots and qualified with 11 shots to spare and now meet Cairndhu in the last 32 back at Antrim to be played by 24 June. Very well done lads on a brilliant team display.

 

The members of Cairndhu are a great bunch of people and, like our ourselves, they know how to enjoy themselves. There'll be ample opportunity to join them for a drink as we now play them in both the Junior Cup and Senior Cup! Watch this space!! 

 

The four qualifiers in our section were Fortwilliam 309, Antrim 313, Carrickfergus 316 and Cairndhu 320.

 

Super Senior Cup Performance at Dunmurry.

Congratulations to our Senior Cup squad who qualified at Dunmurry G.C. with a total score of 291. Individual scores were Joe Crangle 71, Gavin McKenna 72 (4 under back 9!!), Tiernan Lindsay 74, Colin Moffett 74 and Ryan McLarnon 75. Our Senior Cup team now meet Cairndhu G.C. on Sun 30th June to be played at Dunmurry. Finer details of the qualifying day are somewhat hazy, however, this is not unusual as by 10:00pm the entire day becomes hazy for them!!

 

Ulster Cup Success against Ballymena.  

Congratulations to our Ulster Cup team which overturned a 5-2 defeat at Ballymena by recording an impressive 6-1 win at home on Wednesday night 29 May. Every player in the team held his nerve admirably in the face of considerable pressure. The team management would like to record a huge vote of thanks to the Greens Manager for the superb presentation of the greens which played an important part in the victory. The team now plays Scrabo in the next round. (Kieran Loy, Team manager)

 

Holt Shield Champs in Control

It's the 50th Jubilee year of the Holt Shield and Fortwilliam hope to continue their great run of reaching seven finals since 2003 winning four of them which included last year.
 
This year Fortwilliam have drawn Ballymena, Carnalea and Ormeau in the sectional stage.
After two rounds Fortwilliam are leading their section by six points from Carnalea. To date we have played ten players and Aidan Hawkins, who is proving to be a strong match player  currently leads the O.O.M having played three matches without defeat.
 
Fortwilliam are presently in a strong position going into the final stages of the group matches and are looking good to once again progress into the match play stages of the competition.  (Paul Maguire / Tony Campbell Team Managers)

 

Matchplay Defeat Stuns Bruen Leading Qualifiers.

Fortwilliam hosted the Jimmy Bruen qualifying round on Sunday 5th May 2013 and were leading qualifiers with a total of 332 followed by Knock 339, Shandon Park 339 and Greenisland 344.
 
On Monday 27th May Fortwilliam met Greenisland at Dunmurry in the first round. Greenisland were very steady and consistent and were worthy winners on a night that play had to be suspended for an hour due to thunder and lighting and heavy rain. All five matches were close and the official result 4.5 to 0.5 didn't reflect how narrow Greenisland's victory was. Greenisland now meet Bushfoot at Ballymena in the second round.
 
Don and I would like to thank everyone on the team for their dedication to practice and acceptance of various changes to pairings throughout the campaign. All changes were difficult decisions but they were made for the good of the team and if any individuals feel at all aggrieved Don and I can only apologise as any offense caused was not intended.
 
Don and I have managed the Bruen for three years with little success. We have fulfilled our commitment  to manage the Bruen for three years and now feel it's time to step aside and give someone else the opportunity and honour to lead the Bruen team. Over the past three years we have tried many different pairings  and have gathered valuable information which we will be only too glad to pass on to our successors. Hopefully this will help   strengthen the 2014 Bruen squad and assist with the difficult task of team selection. (Tony Campbell/Don Potter Team Managers)

 

Pierce Purcell Agony at Qualifying venue

On a wet and windy morning our Pierce Purcell team failed to get past the qualifying hurdle at Cairndhu Golf Club on Sunday 12 May. After 15 holes completed we were still very much in the hunt, but the last 4 holes turned into a disaster for some of our team. We were still however lying 4th with only 3 teams to finish, but as conditions improved all 3 clubs bettered our score to leave us ending 7th.
I would like to thank all the team for their efforts and to everyone who turned up to practice. I would also like to thank Myles Campbell for his assistance in helping to run the team.
I believe our club with the amount of players in this handicap bracket should be hoping to qualify every year. I therefore would encourage as many members as possible to put themselves forward for selection next year. (Brendan Hillen, Team Manager)         

 

Fred Daly Team marches On .... and in style!

The Fred Daly boys do it again for Fortwilliam at Moyola Park Golf Club with a great AWAY victory of 5:2 and hopefully they can do the same at the home leg at Fortwilliam on the 9th of June.
 

The standard of golf from both teams was exceptional and it was a pleasure to watch young gentlemen excel in their game. The class of our Fortwilliam team led from the front and the stalwarts, Sean Joe Rooney and Conor Bradley, made sure that Moyola didn’t get it easy.

Hugh and Gabriel, the rat pack, got the team going with great wins which was quickly followed by Deaghlan Pollock coming in with a dog licence to win his match. While John Michael McAuley sometimes must wonder why they have made golf courses too short for his driver, Jude Maskey, with stinging eyes from hay fever, battled it out to the seventeenth hole where he got narrowly defeated but played an outstanding match. God help whoever draws him at Fortwilliam!!!

 

Once Again, we appreciate the great support from the Captain, Vice Captain and Jim Pollock.

And finally, a word of thanks for the superb hospitality of Moyola Park and in particular from their Captain and Jared their junior convenor. (David Bannon, Junior Convenor)