Suttons annual match versus Cork Golf Club was held last Saturday in Sutton. The match which originates from the friendship of Corks Jimmy Bruen and our own Joe Carr was first contested in 1963 and originally was a seasons warm up match for the clubs Senior Cup teams.

Sindy Moran and Corks Robin and Val Turnbull invested lots of time in recent years to keep the event moving forward and lots of credit is due to them for keeping its profile high on the annual calendar of both clubs . This year the match was played on the second anniversary of Sindy’s passing and although Aubrey did not manage to wear his trademark red trousers Sindy’s memory and contribution to the event and Sutton Golf Club was well marked including a `Sindy Sorbet’ served at the dinner on Saturday night.

Cork arrived on the Friday gunning for victory as we had won the match the previous year in Cork Golf Club. They decided not to practice in Sutton and played other courses in the area... A fatal mistake in our opinion! Having enjoyed the finest hospitality Howth has to offer on Friday night our guests arrived to Sutton Golf Club on Saturday morning and were served coffee on the balcony in magnificent sunshine. Pat Bowen and Ronan O’Driscoll then took our guests on a tour of the Joe Carr room which all were very appreciative of.

Come tee off time the weather had turned to the more familiar Sutton weather of strong winds and our guests met a very chilly first tee box. Two teams of 16 lined up for 8 matches. Cork had brought a very strong team with an average handicap of 10.3 and were determined to return The Hayling Island Trophy to Cork Golf Club this year. Sutton were led out by Captain James and Vice-Captain Cian and while they may have lulled the Cork team into a false sense of security over the first few holes they demolished the opposition on the back nine and set the trend for the day. Of the 8 matches Sutton won 6, halved 1 and only lost 1 match. A resounding victory.

Following the match a magnificent dinner was served in the Golf Club with Cork promising during their Captains speech that when we return to Cork next year we will not be leaving with the trophy!! Roll on 2024.

David Jones