Bearna Golf Club’s Edel O’Donnell and Siobhán Morahan brought the Australian Spoons All-Ireland title back to Galway after a hard-fought victory in County Longford.
It was a resplendent morning in the midlands and while the weather broke in the afternoon, there was still quality scoring posted throughout the day.
The Killeen Golf Club duo of Fiona Behan and Siobhan Behan claimed the gross prize after their +6 total, which left them with five shots to spare over Eileen Rose Power and Valerie Hassett (Lahinch), Louise Hanratty and Margaret Carroll (Mannan Castle) and Andrea Dunican and Catherine Owens (Ballinasloe).
But the Behans could only finish seventh in the overall net final, with O’Donnell and Morahan sealing a win, ten years in the making, thanks to a -1 total.
Their score included 19 stableford points on their front nine and 18 on the back, for a 37 total, winning on a countback.
“We were very lucky for the front nine, we got off to a great start and the first four or five holes definitely went our way,” said Bearna Lady Captain Morahan.
“Then the rain and wind started but we battled on. The best thing about this competition is it is every second shot and your partner helps you.
“When you do a bad one she steps in. That’s how we played it today and that’s how we won.
“We had to dig deep for the 18th and it was one shot on and one putt and that’s what sealed the deal.”
The competition was fierce all day with Ann Dawson and Fionnuala MacCurtain (East Cork), Anne Black and Caterine Monaghan (Warrenpoint), and Lorraine Whelton and Mary Scannell (Clonakilty) finishing tied with their Bearna counterparts.
However, O’Donnell and Morahan clinched the silverware after their two-point haul from the 17th which swayed the countback in their favour.
“It’s fantastic for us, we have a great club in Bearna, a fantastic ladies club, they support us all the way,” said Morahan.
“We opened our phones when we got back to the car and there was 30 WhatsApp messages, they were all at home watching the live scoring.
“So we can’t wait to go back this evening to Bearna Golf Club with the Australian Spoons.”
View the final results here
