mcgailey comes from behind to win third captain's prize

Liam McGailey came through the field to win Michael O’Sullivan’s Captain’s Prize and capture the MJ Spillane Cup for the third time having previously lifted the club’s biggest major in 1994 and 1998.
He won by one shot from Paul O’Reilly with 12-year-old junior member Sean Tuite third, followed by Tommy Lennon and Noel McGuinness. Clem Walsh marked a significant birthday by taking the gross prize while Ollie McDermott claimed the veteran’s prize.
A first round score of 72 nett had left McGailey in 47th place, eight shots off the lead, and well outside the top 30 players who were given designated late tee-times for the second round.
But as the wind picked up in the afternoon McGailey’s early morning start delivered him better conditions to post a score and he shot a 66 nett to post the clubhouse lead at 138.
Playing off 16, McGailey shot 88 gross in the first round with three of his four pars coming in the opening seven holes and the other on the par five 10th. Apart from double bogeys at the fourth and 16th the rest of his scores were single bogeys as he went out in 43 gross and home in 45 gross for that nett 72.
A week later he started his second round with a par at the opening hole which was followed by back-to-back bogeys and a double bogey at the fourth. After parring the fifth, he bogeyed six and double bogeyed seven before finishing the front nine with successive pars for an outward nine of 43 gross, the same score as in his first round.
But, unlike his opening round, he burned up the back nine covering it in six less shots than the previous weekend. He opened with a par at the 10th and then had a birdie three at the 11th before embarking on a run of five consecutive pars. A triple bogey six at the par three 17th and a bogey at the last saw him cover the back nine in 39 gross and sign for 82 gross which off 16 was a 66 nett.
McGailey finished almost five hours before the leaders were due to tee off but he had set a formidable target because as the day went on, with the greens running at a speedy 12.5 on the stimpmeter and the wind strengthening, the challengers fell by the wayside.
Paul O’Reilly (19) who had started in 15th place after a first round 70 nett came closest as he posted a 69 nett to finish on 139 and was left to rue double bogeys at the 17th and 18th in a round that included a birdie at the first and six pars.
Tommy Lennon (30), who was playing the final group after a first round 65, finished with a 74 nett. A bogey five at the last would have given him the win but he ran into bunker trouble at the green and carded a treble bogey seven to finish fourth overall.
Twelve-year-old Sean Tuite (16) finished third overall after nett rounds of 66 and 70 and his overall score of 136 was the lowest over the two rounds. His status as a junior golfer meant he couldn’t quality for the first two overall places but he is certainly a name to watch out for in the years ahead.   
Kenneth Cairns (13) who had led the way after a first round 64 finished with a 78 nett but took the overall prize for Sunday, July 26 with Colm McCourt (37) taking the overall prize for Sunday, July 25 and John Morrison (19) winning the overall prize for Sunday, August 2.  
The prizes were presented on Sunday night in a packed Clubhouse with many tributes paid to Captain Michael O’Sullivan for his excellent leadership during the year while tenor David Martin entertained the crowd as the Tournament Committee finalised the results.  
Saturday, July 25, Sunday, July 26 and Sunday, August 2 - Michael O’Sullivan’s Captain’s Prize – Overall: 138 - Liam McGailey (16, 72/66), 139 – Paul O’Reilly (19, 70/69). 136 – Sean Tuite (Junior) (16, 66/70), 139 – Tommy Lennon (30, 65/74), 141 – Noel McGuinness (24, 68/73). Gross: 149 - Clem Walsh (75/77). Veteran: 140 – Oliver McDermott (20, 69/71). Division 1: 142 - Dennis Cunningham (10, 67/75). Division 2: 142 - Gareth Halpin (13, 70/72). Division 3: 142 - Trevor Singleton (28) 67/75. Saturday, July 25 – Overall: Colm McCourt (37) 67 (Back Nine). Division 1: Nicholas MacShane (12) 70 (Back Nine). Division 2: Brian McDonnell (15) 67. Division 3: Terry McCann (32) 70. Gross: Ben Cahill 72. Sunday, July 26 - Overall: Kenneth Cairns (13) 64. Division 1: Austin Shaw (10) 71. Division 2: Robert Lynch (14) 68. Division 3: Noel Sweeney (33) 70. Gross: Emmet McCabe Savage 70. Sunday, August 2 – Overall: John Morrison (19) 68 (Back Nine), Ciaran Daly 70. Division 1: Peter Durnin (3) 71 (Back Nine), Maurice Soraghan (11) 71 (Back Nine). Division 2: Eamon McEneaney (15) 68, Frank Byrne (14) 70. Division 3: Gavin McDonnell (25) 69, Cathal Lyons (20) 70.

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