Mourne Golf Club News

15/04/2025

By Paul Gallagher

The Mourne Golf Club Pierce Purcell team put on a display of resilience and determination to progress to the next round after a strong showing both home and away against Temple Golf Club.

Brendan Forde and Micheal Hazzard set the pace at home with a 5&4 win, while Francis McGrillen and Michael Murphy secured an impressive 4&3 victory away to give Mourne the early advantage.

Sean Murray and Declan Burns faced intense competition against Temple’s Pierce Purcell captain. All square at the turn, Temple pulled ahead with wins at 10 and 11. However, the Mourne men fought back to take the match all the way to 18, where their attempt to secure a halved match fell agonisingly short to hand Temple a vital point.

Back in Newcastle Daniel O’Rourke and Michael Keane were pushed all the way before some high drama on the 18th green meant extra holes were required.

Just needing a half point to secure the overall win, Keane had a putt from around 12 inches to seal the deal, but the golfing gods conspired against him and somehow he missed. Keane was so rocked he thought he’d lost the tie for his team, but little did he know it meant sudden death. Forde and Hazzard saddled up once more and headed down the first playoff hole which was halved, before the Mourne men secured the team win at the second hole.

It was a nail-biting evening all round, and while Keane will be mightily relieved, he gets to fight another day with either Knock or Rockmount the opponents in the next round.

“There was drama to the very end,” said Darryl Northrop, Mourne Pierce Purcell captain. “No one could believe what happened on 18! I’m glad for Michael because he thought he’d lost the match for the team. Brendan and Michael were fantastic to get the job done in the play-off.”

In the weekly club competitions, there was a logjam at the top of last Thursday’s leaderboard. Alan Cousins, John Cummins, Sean O’Higgins and Eddie O’Hare all returned 40 points with Cousins finishing on top on a count back.

On a day of great scoring Matthew Davey and Paul McArdle signed for 39 points with James Rodgers and Rowland Byrne both on 38.

As the season gets into full flow, Denis and Trevor Orr begin their Thursday evening food at the Mourne clubhouse for members to enjoy a great bite to eat before or after their round. The Sunday Carvery has also been a great success for members and their families.

Mourne Golf Club Pierce Purcell Team (Home and Away)
Photos courtesy: Danny Hillen

L-R Mourne Golf Club captain Paul Mullan, Daniel O’Rourke, Brendan Forde, Michael Hazzard and Michael Keane at Royal County Down

L-R Michael Murphy, Declan Burns, Mourne Pierce Purcell Captain Darryl Northrop, Sean Murray and Francis McGrillen at Temple Golf Club