Summerhill College

As usual Ballinrobe Golf Club proved to be a splendid Venue and fantastic Hosts for the 2010-11 'Abbey Hotel Roscommon' sponsored Connacht Under 19 Schools Matchplay Finals on Thursday October 14th .

Defending Champions, St. Muredach's Ballina were amongst the four semi-finalists and were joined on the Day by past Kingpins of the event, Summerhill College, Sligo, and Mercy College Woodford & Presentation College, Athenry.

The semi-finals pitted St. Muredach's Ballina versus Mercy College Woodford and what was perhaps unique about this match was that it could boast three Players who had won All-Ireland Junior Cup Medals in the past three years, Jonathan Kelly & Robert Dervin with Ballina in 2008 and Shane McHugo with Portumna in 2010. On paper the match looked like having just one outcome and it delivered this with Muredach's winning by 3-2, they did lose the top 2 matches, both on 18, however.

Summerhill with a combined handicap of 21 for their 5 Players were hot favourites to defeat Presentation Athenry despite the Athenry School being able to field three Players who had won an All-Ireland Pred daly Medal earlier this year. It was clear at the turn that Sumerhill were superior and they ran out easy victors by 4.5/0.5.

The Final then was always going to be close and as Sligo Grammar's double All-Ireland winning side discovered in 2009 the Mayo lads would fight all the way.

The Top match between Darragh O'Sullivan, 1 (Summerhill) and Jonathan Kelly, 5 (Muredach's) was pivotal to the final Result and after a great match with some excellent golf by both Players, the 2010 Connacht Boy Interprovincial sneaked accross the finishing line, winning 1up.

Summerhill quickly added the two remaining Match Points required when Alan Gaynor (8) in match 5 had a 6/5 win over Craig Doherty (8) and then Declan Reidy (4) beat Robert Dervin (5) 4/3; Thomas Finnegan (4) took a fourth match pint beating Jonathan Doherty (5) 2/1 with Ruairi O'Connor (4) getting a half despite being 1 Down with two to play when called in to Cian Burke (8).

(Summerhill College Names First)
Darrgah O'Sullivan (1) beat Jonathan Kelly (5) 1 Hole
Thomas Finnegan (4) beat Robert Dervin (5) 4/3
Declan Reidy (4) beat Jonathan Doherty (5) 2/1
Ruairi O'Connor (4) halved with Cian Burke (8) Called In
Alan Gaynor (8) beat Craig Doherty (8) 6/5.
Summerhill College shall now go forward to represent the Province in the National Finals next April at Seapoint Golf Club.
The "Plate" Final was also completed on the Day with ballinrobe Community School defeating St. Brigid's Loughrea 4-1, Results as follows:
(Ballinrobe Community School names first)
Michael Burke (6) lost to Brian Daniels (10) 2 Holes
Aaron darcy (8) beat Tommy Mottram (13) 3/1
James Quinn (11) beat Ryan Murray (15) 7/6
Joe Cooper (12) beat Stephen Cahalan (16) 3/2
Brendan Sheridan (18) beat Colm Hobbins (17) 2 Holes
Pictured:
Cathal McConn (Connacht GUI Junior Golf Convenor) presenting the Tony Kearney Cup to Donal Cronin (Teacher Summerhill College, Sligo).