Junior Cup team wins leinster north pennant

Dundalk Golf Club captured the Leinster North Junior Cup title and a place in the All-Ireland series with a hard-fought win over The Island in Greenore on Saturday.
It was second time in three years that Dundalk have won the Leinster North Junior Cup pennant having secured it in 2022.
The match was decided on the 19th when player-manager Brian Óg Renaghan beat Mark Smith to secure the winning point much to the delight of the large crowd of Dundalk supporters.
Renaghan exemplified the fighting qualities and strong character of the Dundalk team who hung in when things weren’t going their way and they eventually prevailed in a match where the standard of golf was of the highest quality.
On their way to the final Dundalk had beaten Ardee, Kilcock, Beaverstown and Corballis but The Island gave them their toughest test to date with two matches decided on the 19th, one on the 18th , one of the 17th and one on the 16th.
In the top match Conor Murphy led the way perfectly for Dundalk. Three up after five holes against Cillian Hurley he always maintained at least a two-shot lead and was dormie three when he lost the 16th. However, he eventually put the first point on the board when he halved the 17th to win 2&1.
The Island’s Damian Rogers also managed to get his nose front early against Fergal Harte and never relinquished his lead despite the best efforts of the Dundalk man. They eventually shook hands on the 16th as Rogers claimed a 3&2 win in the fourth match.
At that stage the overall match was very much in the balance.
In the second match teenager Odhran MacShane was involved a high quality scrap with Adam McGettrick and there was never more than hole between them as they moved around the excellent Greenore links.
McGettrick had his nose in front for much of the back nine before MacShane won 16 and 17 to take a one shot lead down the last. But he over-cooked his approach to the 18th and ended having to take a penalty drop for an unplayable lie which cost him the hole and sent the match down the 19th.
But, MacShane showed tremendous character to bounce back from that setback and win the first play-off hole to leave Dundalk with two chances to secure victory.
In the third match Brian Óg Reneaghan had found himself three down after five holes against mark Smith who was the lowest handicap player on the Dublin team. But a win on the par three sixth got him back to two down and he was one down by the time they turned for home.
A dogged Reneaghan continued to hang in until the 17th when one to bring the match to all square for the first time and after halving the 18th he won the 19th to find himself for the first time and the most important time.
Seconds before Renaghan sealed the deal on 19, Clem Walshe had lost on the 18th to the big hitting Matthew Burke after a tremendous battle. There was never more than a hole between the pair but when Burke got up and down to win 16th and then smashed a drive down the 17th he looked to be in driving seat.
However, Walshe responded with an eagle to win the 17th but another monster drive on the last set up Burke  for a par and a one hole win but it proved to be a consolation point for The Island as Renaghan delivered the winning point for Dundalk.
The Leinster North pennant was presented to Dundalk’s assistant manager Des McKeown by the Chairperson of the Leinster Regional Executive Siobhan O'Donnell-Murphy.
Dundalk now head for the All-Ireland finals which will be held in Athlone on Friday, September 6 and Saturday, September 7 where they will face either Rossmore or Royal County Down in the quarter-Finals.
Dundalk 3 The Island 2 – (Dundalk names first): Conor Murphy bt Cillian Hurley 3&2, Odhran MacShane bt Adam McGettrick 19th, Brian Óg Renaghan bt Mark Smith 19th, Fergal Harte lost to Damian Rogers 3&2, Clem Walshe lost to Matthew Burke 1 hole.