Short putts

Athlone

Alice Maher won the women’s weekly 12-hole Stableford, played on Saturday (January 28th), Sunday (29th) and Tuesday (31st) with 26 points. Yvonne Walsh was runner-up with 24 points, and Evelyn Wright was third, also with 24.

It was Evelyn who won the 97 Club competition last week with 21 points. Kay Shevlin (21 points) was second, and Deirdre Connolly (20) was third.

Carrick

Mary Molloy’s Team 12 (93 points) lead the Flynn’s Bar Spring League following the opening round last week. Team 6 (Chris Lowe), Team 13 (Patricia O’Hara) and Team 9 (John Coffey) aren’t too far behind on 90 points. Congratulations to Patricia O’Hara in the Ladies’ section who had a score of 22 points and Cathal Dowd in the Gents’ section who had 25.

Meanwhile, club captains Sheila and Brendan have appointed the inter-club captains for the coming year. Best of luck to all for 2023.

Roscommon

Well done to Simon Walker who won the R&A Student Tour Series at Troia Golf in Portugal recently. Simon led the way after a second round 70 and a very solid back nine saw him shoot a final round of 71 for a level par total as he shook off Switzerland’s Noah Brunner in a pulsating final round battle.

Closer to home, Pat Harrison won the Men’s 15-hole competition last weekend with 37 points while there were also wins for N Sharkey (36 points) and D Cox in the Senior Gents’ and Ladies’ respectively.

Finally, the Ladies’ Winter League has reached the matchplay stages with the following teams still in contention: Team 4 (Jackie Maxwell, June Halliday and Marina Cribbon) will play Team 6 (Sandra Crean, Colette Glynn and Nuala Costello) in the first semi-final. Team 7 (Mary Lalor, Noreen O’Grady and Helen Earley) face Team 2 (Kay Condon, Bernie Maher and Catherine Waldron) in the second semi-final.

by Tom Red

ridden by his nephew when Townend got it wrong again with the very disappointing Facile Vega.

The penultimate handicap hurdle was won by Gaelic Warrior and Townend and the closing bumper by Fun, Fun, Fun ridden by son Patrick. Elliott and Davy Russell won 2 including the other Grade I with Mighty Potter and the handicap chase with The Goffer with Liz Foyle winning the opener with Ballybawn Belter ridden by Simon Torrens.

Henry de Bromhead’s star mare the 9-Y-O Honeysuckle will have one more run (following her second defeat last Sunday) before being retired to stud.

Willie Mullins’ new kid on the block State Man, winner of the County Hurdle at Cheltenham last year, proved too good for the mare in the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown where she was beaten by 4¾l. Connections have decided she will run in the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle and will not attempt to win a 4th Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. State Man will be Mullins’ representative in the Champion Hurdle, according to the trainer.

Jack on way back?

Jack Kennedy is hoping to be fit in time to return before the Cheltenham Festival but admits it will come “down to the wire”. Kerry native Kennedy has been out since breaking a leg in January.

Derek’s milestone

Galwegian Derek O’Connor, all-time leading point to point rider, made history again last weekend by becoming the first person to ride 1,300 winners between the flags aboard the Sam Curling-trained Longhouse Legacy, at Bellharbour.