Monkstown and Charleville win new Competition By Niall O’Shea

A brand new annual competition was started in Lee Valley last Friday as the first staging of the Captains Cup and Presidents Cup took place.  2013 Lee Valley President Patsy Ryan was the man behind the concept has he worked for some months to develop the concept.  Each competition see’s the Captain team up with the Captain’s prize winner in a fourball competition with the winners claiming the Captains Cup.  The same happens for the club President and his winner playing for the Presidents Cup.

After several months of planning, Lee Valley invited all local clubs to participate and had a great turn out when almost twenty clubs supported the event.  Although some clubs were unable to take part, every club responded highlighting the high level of interest in the novel new format.  In the Presidents Cup Monkstown 2013 President Denis Richardson and his Presidents prize winner Darren Hayes were victorious over Frankfield 2013 President Kevin Doyle and his prize winner Eugene Sheehan, while in 3^rd place were the host club Lee Valley with 2013 President Patsy Ryan and his prize winner Ger Halligan.  Charleville’s 2013 Captain Brendan Buckley playing with his 2013 prize winner Dave O’Connor with 42 points were the winners over Castlemartyr Captain Gary Quail and his prize winner Bryan McSwiny also on 42 points.  Cork Golf Club Captain 2013 Liam Walley and his prize winner Patrick Aherne were 3^rd overall.

The past Captains and Presidents of Lee Valley contributed to two new perpetual cups and Oakley sponsored the prizes for both competitions with some sunglasses and golf bags on offer for the top finishers.  The winners also received a specially commissioned medal as a memento of their win.  Lee Valley Captain Declan Ryan said that he was very happy with the response from the Cork clubs to this year’s inaugural event, “it is always difficult to get a new competition up and running, but the feedback from those who played and from clubs that were unable to make it on the day was that this unique event is a winner and will grow from strength to strength.  We in Lee Valley Golf Club believe that this competition will in the next 3 years expand into Munster and possibly all Ireland and certainly it is an exciting prospect for the club”, the Lee Valley Captain concluded.  Both Declan Ryan and Patsy Ryan were keen to learn from the inaugural staging and already they’re looking at holding the event for 2014 winner later this year in the Autumn.  The progressive club even have their sights on a national roll-out.  In time they hope for county and provincial competitions with the national finals taking place annually at Lee Valley.