NATIONAL QUARTER FINAL V BALLYBOFEY STRANORLAR PLAYED IN NORTH WEST GOLF CLUB, 26th AUGUST 2023

The Junior Foursomes squad had practised well and been up to North West for two rounds the week before our match. The commitment of the ladies was unquestionable. They had a Leinster Pennant and were determined to go all the way!

The Sutton Supporters arrived in Donegal in huge numbers, we reckon there were at least 70 supporters. The atmosphere was truly electric, pink being the prominent colour on course and very much admired by the locals. Unquestionably we were ready for the challenge that lay ahead.

Match 1 - Jeanne Mahony & Karen Keogh. The ladies won the first hole and then the opposition came right back at them, and we went to 1 down after the 6th. We seriously upped our game we never looked back and won 5 up on the 14th. We had won our first match.

Match 2 - Elisabeth Guinan & Ita Slattery. A tough start losing the first hole and their opposition never let them get ahead although the pairing was never more than 2 down, they eventually were beaten on the 17th . I would have to say the shot of the day had to go to Elisabeth Guinan, who’s tee shot arrived 2 feet from the pin on the 16th and they won the hole to stay in the match.

Match 3 – Alison Newman and Belinda Ennis. The ladies had a mixed first nine but ended up going into the back 9 one up. We won the 10th , 2 up now. Then Ballybofey never made another mistake for the entire match. Our ladies were beaten on the 17th .

The disappointment of the squad was very palpable, we did not want this journey to end. The comradery over the season was super. Friendships were made or deepened and the team had gone from strength to strength. Our Junior Foursomes ladies got better the more they practised and were in the top three prize winners nearly every week. We should reflect on our success and celebrate bringing a Leinster Pennant to the Club.

Everyone is a bit sore just now, but we know how to win matches and know that a Green Pennant is not a pipe dream but something we will achieve. I personally would like to thank the entire squad for their time, effort and true commitment to this team. They gave it their all.

Thank you: Alison Newman, Belinda Ennis, Bernadette O’Brien, Catherine Logan, Elisabeth Guinan, Ita Slattery, Jean Farrell, Jeanne Mahony, Joan Kelly and Orna Cassidy.

Marie Jones

MATCH REPORT NORTH LEINSTER FINAL V SKERRIES

SUTTON HAVE THEIR MOST DECISIVE WIN TO WIN THE NORTH LEINSTER PENNANT IN JUNIOR FOURSOMES. It was a long campaign with wins against Corrstown, The Island, Luttrelstown and Clontarf. We were facing Skerries on neutral territory in Westmanstown Golf Club.

Three pairings away but boy a very well prepared team went to play. We had numerous practice rounds, replicating our early start on Thursday so our routine was engrained for our match at 9am Sunday. It was a very different atmosphere to earlier rounds, with Golf Ireland running the show, the pennants on display, a very official match starter and a few referees on the course. The buzz around the first tee was fabulous with our pink very much in evidence. The pressure was on!

First out, Jeanne Mahony and Karen Keogh, whose first tee shot hit a tree and went out of bounds, not the start they were hoping for. The pressure let them get away and settle. They lost the first hole and thereafter were never down in the match. They played the great golf the pairing has delivered all season. They were all square by the 9th hole and thereafter the balance switched as it did in every match this pairing have played. They save the best for the back 9.

Meanwhile our second pairing Joan Kelly and Elisabeth Guinan who played very steady golf throughout the match. They started with a par on the first but so did their opposition. They won the 2nd, Elisabeth sinking a 15 foot putt. After 9 they were one up but then they won every hole to finish on the 14th , the excitement as the pairing behind and ahead were doing so well. It looked like we might have a very good win.

Our third pairing were Alison Newman and Belinda Ennis and they got off to a to a great start, 3 up through 4. They followed advice from Captain James and came out of the traps fighting getting ahead and keeping the foot down.

Meanwhile ahead, Jeanne and Karen were dormey 3 on the 16 th and Karen managed to sink the putt. Euphoria we have won! We had to call Alison and Belinda in 5 up on the 14th . There can be no denying that the emphatic win was spurred on by the sea of pink and the support from so many Members, male and female but we had a very big prize to bring home A BLUE PENNANT.

We now head into the National quarter finals which will be played in North West Golf Club near Buncrana in Donegal where we will face either Ballybofey/Stranorlar or Malone who have yet to play their regional final. The prize is a place in the semi finals and carrot at the end is a green pennant. Personally, I think we can do it. We have a very strong a dedicated team and our strategy in being very well prepared and knowing the course with lots of advance practise will be our strategy. Our home course is links. Advantage Sutton I say!

Quarter finals 10am on Saturday 26 th August in North West. Big ask but all support will be very appreciated by us.

Marie Jones

SEMI FINAL WIN V CLONTARF, JULY 2ND!

We had a late enough start at 3.30. with one match at home and two away. In a very windy Sutton, our home pairing Joan Kelly and Elisabeth Guinan got off to a flying start winning the first and second holes and by the end of the first 9 were 4 up.

Joan sank a 12 foot putt on the 10th with a birdie to go 5 up. Then managed to close the match finished on the 14th with a half . The pairing showed their experience in dealing with the strong winds on the day and showed no mercy to their opposition.

We had home advantage in pervious rounds so knew we had to bring our A-Game to Clontarf, where we had two pairings. We have a wonderful panel and our first paring away in Clontarf were our President Jean Farrell partnered with Belinda Ennis. This pair have some form together, having won the Australian Spoons this year. They were 1 down after 9 with a very close contest the whole way. The pair then got into full stride and began to put some serious pressure on their opponents sinking long putts to win 3 in a row and managed to finish the match on 15, a very convincing win. They played very well together showcasing some great golf.

Jeanne Mahony and Karen Keogh faced a mother and daughter duo. Their front nine was petty even all the way. Clontarf stepped up the pace winning the 9,10 and 11, to go 3 up. Jeanne and Karen play their best golf when they feel pressure and went on to halve and win holes and were in full fight mode when thankfully they were called in on the 14th. Jeanne and Karen have won all their away games this year and I have no doubt if needed this would also have been a win!

We had great support both at home and in Clontarf and how lovely is it to see the Ladies in Pink, our opposition always comment. Our players have committed and practised and the work has definitely payed off. We are all euphoric to win the semi-final and be heading to a regional final with a Pennant very much within our grasp. Naturally we all went back to our beloved SGC to discuss strategy for the final. We have our date:

JULY 30TH V SKERRIES IN WESTMANSTOWN.

We would welcome as many of our members to support our team on JULY 30TH .

Marie Jones & Catherine Logan

Managers

Junior Foursomes Quarter Final - 8th June 2023

We played Luttrelstown in the Quarter Final of the Junior Foursomes on the 8th June and delighted to report that we had an amazing win. What an exciting, tense and nail-biting match to watch and follow on the App from the beginning.

At one stage it looked like we were losing all 3 matches, but thankfully the Ladies in Pink dug deep and turned it all around. Our first pairing at home were Joan Kelly and Elizabeth Guinan, they had a nip and tuck match all the way. On the turn they were 1 up, the turning point was winning the 15 th and 16 th hole, going 2 up, and securing a half to win the match on the 17th .

Our 2nd pairing at home were Alison Newman and Bernadette O’Brien, who met tough opposition, and were 3 down after the 9th . Alison sunk a long putt on the 10 th to win the hole, which was the turning point in their match as they went on to win the 11th . They were All Square after the 15th and were called in half way down the 16th hole, as we had secured the 2 wins.

Our away team were Jeanne Mahony and Karen Keogh, and after a challenging front 9, going 2 down, decided they were going to take control and win the match, which they did in style. They won the 10th and lost the 11th , and then would you believe won the match on the 16th with 5 pars in a row.

What a turn around!

Well done and thank you to all the players, subs and the panel for your continued commitment to the team. The Semi-Final has to be played by the 2nd July, Clontarf and Headfort meet each other on Saturday 10th in the Quarter Final.

We will wait and see?

Match Report: Sutton V The Island

Sutton ladies faced The Island with home advantage two matches in Sutton and one in the Island.

Our home players first out were Elisabeth Guinan and Joan Kelly. Their opposition were a sixteen year old girl Emma who hit the ball a mile and her partner who had an amazing short game. The girls had a tough first nine and were 4 down at the turn and then on the 10th went 5 down. They then went on to win the 12th , 13th and 14th a comeback was just awesome to watch. They halved the 15th , won the 16th , won the 17th . We are now 1 up going onto the 18 th . They had a tough 18 th and lost it were now heading down the 19th all square and halved the 19 th . Off the 20 th and the Island Ladies managed to win the hole.

Devastation for our girls they were disappointed. It was a very exciting match to watch and those watching on the app could not believe the comeback our ladies made. Meantime we knew we had one game at home and away were 2 up on the 13th. So still a a very good chance…

Alison Newman and Bernadette O’Brien showed no mercy in their match. They were steady and so focused and managed to achieve 8 up on the turn and won their match on the 10th , 9 Up !! The opposition were completely shell shocked. They are proving to be a very strong pairing. We had our first win and only needed one more but at this stage of the day Elisabeth and Joan were 5 down, the comeback came next…. Meanwhile our ladies away Jeanne Mahony and Karen Keogh started well in The Island going two up after 3 holes then went back to one down playing 9. They managed to par the 9th to go back to all square. The girls said this was their turning point. It was hard going as the match was very slow (5 hours for 16 holes) but they persevered and managed to win on the 16th, 4 and 2, a convincing victory.

The celebrations began …. A bonding glass or two was had by the team and Manager. Next is the quarter final v Luttrelstown in the next few weeks.

Match 1: Sutton V Corrstown

We were well prepared for our match today.  We have a dedicated team who worked hard and practised well over the past two months. 

Myself and Catherine felt very confident in our team selection, having home advantage gave us a feeling that we could do it even against Corrstown who have a very good track record. 

It’s a difficult format, as foursomes needs a very good relationship with likeminded pairings.  We had that today.  Our first home pairing Belinda Ennis and Orna Cassidy came up against very stiff opposition who never put a foot wrong for the entire match and although they did make a very good comeback on the back 9, they were then beaten on the 15th hole.

Our second home match was Alison Newman and Bernadette O'Brien who brought their ‘A Game’.  They won the first hole and were never down in their match, playing fabulous golf throughout.  They won on the 17th hole.

Our away match  was played by Karen Keogh and Jeanne Mahony who on returning to the club said they had stiff competition and they definitely won it on the greens, sinking some great putts. They had a start delay due to thunder and lightening and we had to wait for another hour after we finished for their result.
But it was the right one!   So proud of all our team, thank you players and to our subs Shirley Salveta and Elisabeth Guinan.

The next round is V The Island and will be played in the next three weeks.

Marie Jones