Dublin University Golf Society V Royal County Down Golf Club
Venue: Portmarnock Golf Club
Date: 27th April 2024
Match Manager DUGS: Paddy McElligott
Match Manager RCD: Dougie Wheeler (HonSec RCD)
Match Format: Morning Foursomes / Afternoon Fourball
Results
DUGS RCD
Morning
1. N Dillon (Captain) & P McElligott V E Johnston (Captain) & D Wheeler 4&3
2. P Halpenny & A Bryce 5&4 V K Lowry & R Flood
3. J Myerscough & B Dunnion 3&2 V D McDowell & P Kearney
4. S Bolger & A Jameson V C Best & J Toner 4&3
5. M McElligott & G Johnston 4&3 V J Pollin & D McCluskey
6. C Neill & M Minch V E Lindsay & P Gibson 1up
Result: DUGS 3 – 3 RCD
Afternoon
1. N Dillon (Captain) & P Halpenny V E Johnston (Captain) & R Flood 3&2
2. S Bolger & M Minch 1up V P Gibson & D McCluskey
3. C Neill & G Johnston 2&1 V D Wheeler & P Kearney
4. M McElligott & A Jameson 1up V D McDowell & E Lindsay
5. J Myerscough & A Bryce 2&1 V K Lowry & J Toner
6. P McElligott & B Dunnion 5&4 V J Pollin & C Best
Result: DUGS 5 – 1 RCD
Overall Result: DUGS 8 – 4 RCD
Match Report
Given the poor weather over preceding weeks & months, it was a delight to play under bright sunshine and blue skies both morning & afternoon, with a modest breeze.
Portmarnock was in excellent condition, the course having benefited from winter protection measures in advance of the Women’s Amateur taking place June’24.
The teams gather for coffee 8am and old friendships were quickly renewed. Morning’s foursomes commenced 8.30am, with most matches being decisively won or lost, albeit the morning session overall ending in a 3-3 draw.
An excellent lunch followed in the Pickman Room, with French wines and Irish stout quenching thirsts. The teams reassembled for a 2pm restart, with fourballs the afternoon format.
DUGS shone particularly brightly in the afternoon, with high-quality golf played by both sides. In particular, DUGS dug deep when fortitude was required, none more so than S Bolger & M Minch, who recovered from a 3-down position and facing a potential heavy loss standing on 14th tee, to take the match on the 18th.
An intimate black-tie dinner at the clubhouse followed. This was a fabulous occasion, with the full grandeur of Portmarnock on display. Excellent wines accompanied what was a superb 4-course menu. The atmosphere in the room crackled, when at times conversation was hard to hear.
Dinner was followed by speeches, with DUGS noting the privileged place it enjoys within an RCD fixture calendar of just 6 external matches. Equally, the gratitude of both DUGS and RCD to Portmarnock Golf Club was expressed unanimously. RCD’s Captain finished formal proceedings in offering a number of amusing anicdotes from his year of office!
Our visitor friends from RCD left Portmarnock in great spirits, expressing thanks for a wonderful day and looking forward to hosting DUGS at Newcastle in 2026.
Paddy McElligott
Match Manager