Dublin University Golfing Society
Match Report
DUGS V LUGS
Venue: The Island GC
Date: Fri 1st Feb 2019
Match Captain DUGS: J Conway
Match Captain LUGS: G Yeandle
Match Format: h’cap 4somes
Results
Morning
1. Mark Murnane & Fergus Duddy beat Mike Kershaw & James Bull 5/4
2. Will Kelly & Matt Minch beat Jeremy Smith & John Sugden 1 hole
3. Tommy Bracken & John P Conway beat Gorm Nielsen & Neil Falconer 6/5
4. John Conway & Paddy O’Sullivan halved Nick Denny & Mark Conway
5. Nicholas Dillon & Barry Grundy beat Jon Lavelle & David Conway 5/4
6. Dermot O’Grady & Michael Gibson lost to Ed Clutton & George Yeandle 2/1
DUGS 4 ½ LUGS 1 ½
Afternoon
1. Fergus Duddy & Will Kelly beat Jeremy Smith & Gorm Nielsen 1 hole
2. Mark Murnane & Michael Gibson lost Nick Denny & Ed Clutton 1 hole
3. John Conway & Nicholas Dillon halved Mark conway & David Conway
4. Matt Minch & Barry Grundy beat George Yeandle & John Sugden 1 hole
5. Tommy Bracken & Dermot O’Grady beat Neil Falconer & Mike Kershaw 1 hole
6. John P Conway & Paddy O’Sullivan (SHOESHINE) halved Jon Lavelle & James Bull
DUGS 4 ½ LUGS 1 ½
FINAL RESULT DUGS 9 LUGS 3
DUGS v LUGS 2019 – MATCH REPORT (Extract from Irish Times Report…)
If it was ever doubted that God loved the DUGS, the weather patterns on the first weekend of February 2019 provided all the assurance needed!
A combination of very high winds, heavy rain and frost made many golf courses in the Dublin area unplayable in the week leading up to the 2019 match which was scheduled to be played at The Island GC (TIGC) on Friday 1st February. The travelling LUGS assembled at Portmarnock GC on the morning of Thursday 31st January for a warm-up game. They were joined by a number of DUGS as hosts. However, the prospect of actually playing any golf on that day looked remote as the golfers gazed out of the window in the Bradshaw Room at the heavy downpour accompanied by gale force winds. Undeterred, they manfully settled down to order the famous Portmarnock Breakfast and copious pints of Guinness!
Some hours later there was a sufficient break in the weather to encourage a number of the party to venture out for 9 holes… But they all still got soaked to the skin! With no perceptible improvement in the weather forecast for the morrow, expectations for 36 holes at TIGC were at a low ebb – to put it mildly!
With an 8 am tee time, the journey to TIGC on Friday morning was undertaken in pitch dark. A tiny sliver of light appeared in the eastern sky as the golfers approached TIGC. Slowly the day started to brighten. It was then that they noticed the absence of wind…. Mirabile dictu – the sky was clear and blue! God had answered their unspoken prayers! He had delivered unto the DUGS a most beautiful crisp winter’s day!
DUGS immediately set about taking full advantage of the favourable weather conditions – and the LUGS’ unfamiliarity with the lay-out. They raced to a 3 – 0 lead in the top 3 matches. Then 3½ – ½…. For LUGS the only consolation of the morning foursomes was a win at the tail for Ed Clutton & George Yeandle. The teams went to lunch with DUGS leading 4½ – 1½.
When the top 2 matches in the afternoon were exchanged and the 3rd match was halved, DUGS had established an unassailable 7 – 3 lead. They had secured victory even if they were to fail to gain any further points. However, momentum was clearly on their side as they took 2½ out of the 3 points remaining on the links. The afternoon score was 4 – 2 and the overall result was 8 ½ – 3 ½ in favour of DUGS.
A most convivial evening was had at TIGC which provided an outstanding meal and plenty of wine & Guinness. There was general agreement that the TIGC layout provided an excellent test of golfing skill while also delivering some magnificent views across Dublin Bay. Taking full advantage of LUGS enthusiasm (even in defeat!) DUGS were quick to agree terms with TIGC for the next 10 years as a venue for the fixture!
It should be recorded that the star of the LUGS team was rookie Ed Clutton whose 2 wins accounted for 57% of his team’s overall points tally!
DUGS had 4 players with 100% records – Captain Fergus Duddy, Matt Minch, Tommy Bracken and Barry Grundy. The MVP award went to Barry Grundy for his ‘lifetime achievement’!
The Shoeshine Match was contested at # 6 in the pm order between Paddy O’Sullivan & John P Conway v Jon Lavelle & James Bull. The tightly contested match was halved.
A final word on the weather. Both TIGC and Portmarnock GC (along with many other clubs in the Dublin area) were closed all day long on the following day Saturday 2nd February because of frost! The DUGS v LUGS match had benefitted from a miraculous break in the appalling weather conditions which prevailed both before and after the fixture!