Mahon Golf Club won the Harbour Shield last week after a hard fought win over East Cork.  Monkstown was the venue for the final, with only two teams remaining from the summer long junior golf competition that saw ten clubs compete over three months.  Monkstown was in great condition on Sunday and although it was breezy it stayed dry for the afternoon.  This is Mahon’s second time to win the competition, having won the inaugural in 2009.  The competition has grown from the initial five clubs taking part, and there are now three inter-club junior golf competitions available to Cork clubs. 

Mahon and East Cork were evenly matches with Mahon receiving 11 shots and East Cork receiving 9.  The format is six singles matches and two foursomes matches.  Mahon won the first point when Sean Foley beat Conor Whyte but East Cork levelled with Gerard O’Mahony beating Mahon’s Eoghan O’Shea.  The city club took control of the final when they won three matches on the trot with James Daly, Stephen Jermyn and Aidan Power accounting for Dylan Murphy, Ross O’Connor and Eoin Cashman respectively.  Mahon held a 4/1 lead but East Cork came back when Eoin Cashman had a good in over Jack Bolster in the final singles match.  With the foursomes set to decide the match, East Cork’s Niall O’Mahony and Micheal Cosgrove beat Simon Lougheed and Liam Foley.

The score was 4/3 to Mahon when they closed out the final with the last match.  Cathal Browne and Daniel Dunphy beat Mark Crotty and Cormac Beausang.  It was a great final and a huge credit to both clubs for the strength and depth of their junior golf programmes.  Mahon junior co-ordinators Matt Bennett and Pat Bradley have put in a huge effort over the summer and they were quick to mention two team members who weren’t available, Sean Green and Donagh Gribbin.  The presentation day takes place next Wednesday when all clubs will return to Mahon for golf and a mixed competition.

Niall Turner continued his good run of form in Taiwan last weekend.  He finished second in the Chang HWA Open on the Asian Development Tour.  It’s his third thp thee finish and he hasn’t finished outside the top 15 in his last 6 events.  Turner was in second place entering the final round and couldn’t catch the leader but fended off challengers and took home a cheque for over €8,500.  Turner has now won €33,000 in 11 events.  He’s currently third in the Order of Merit and looks like he’s on course to earn a full card on the main Asian Tour.  Turner is back in action next week in Bengaluru, India.  After next weekend he makes to long journey back to Europe for the European Tour Q School.  Turner sailed through the first qualifying stage in France a few weeks ago, he was ten shots inside the qualifying mark and even took home €900 in prize money.  Turner will be in action in Las Colinas in Alicante in two weeks time and he’ll have his eyes firmly set on making it to final qualifying in the PGA Catalunya Golf resort in north eastern Spain.