Published: Wednesday, 3rd September, 2008 12:00pm

Jimmy Bruen All-Ireland foresomes Ulster final

IN what turned out to be a 10th anniversary, the Co. Cavan Jimmy Bruen foresomes team secured the Ulster pennant when they convincingly beat a fancied Clandeboye team at Portadown Golf Club on Sunday last.

Captained by Donal Crotty, also team captain back in 1998 when the club first won this prestigious title, the five pairings on the day consisted of Sean O"Donnell and Conor O"Reilly, John Crotty and Philip McMahon, Padraig McEntee (Club Captain),Patrick Flynn, Ruairi Dunne, Edward O"Hanlon, Timmy Fitzpatrick and Ed Kellett.

Four out of the five pairings made good starts winning their opening holes. Club captain Padraig McEntee and Patrick Flynn were first home with a convincing 4 and 3 win on the 15th hole. They were quickly followed by the pairing of cousins,Dunne and O"Hanlon, who dispatched their opponents on the 14th hole with a 5 and 4 win. The first pairing out on the course consisting of O"Donnell and O"Reilly took their opponents on the 18th hole which they halved to win the match by 1 hole.

Meanwhile back on the course the final pairing of Fitzpatrick and Kellett were 1 up going down the 16th hole when they were called in. John Crotty and Philip McMahon suffered their first defeat of the campaign todate when they met a very hot combination on the day. This panel, comprising both youth and experience, completed their qualifying in Nuremore and beat Cloverhill in Nuremore, City of Derry in Armagh, Scrabo in Omagh, Lisburn in Tandragee and Clandeboye in Portadown on their way to the All-Ireland semi-finals which take place in Monkstown Golf Course, Cork on the weekend of 18th/19th September. Cavan will play Leinster champions Clontarf in the semi-final.