Portumna win Pierce Purcell Shield

By Daragh Small

Former Dublin hurling manager Mattie Kenny helped Portumna Golf Club secure their first AIG Men’s Pierce Purcell All-Ireland title on Saturday.

The East Galway club accounted for Cobh in the final, the Cork club having accounted for Nenagh in the semi-final on Friday.

The weather took a turn for the better for finals day Ennis on Saturday and Portumna were first to win their silverware, with a 3-1 victory, with ex-Cuala manager Kenny and Pat Healy leading out with a 4&2 win in the top match.

“It’s a great honour for Portumna, the alerts coming through on the phones, all the people who couldn’t be here wishing us well,” said team captain Leslie O’Meara.

“It’s our first Pierce Purcell which is a very prestigious title to win, we’ve been trying for a good many years now, been in a couple of All-Ireland semi-finals. So, it was great to get over the line.

“It’s a big deal, it’s hard enough to get into an All-Ireland final.

“We have an All-Ireland Junior Cup, we’ve been beaten in a couple of Jimmy Bruen semi-finals, we’ve been beaten in the semi-final of the Pierce Purcell. It’s a great honour and a great achievement.”

Portumna also had a comprehensive win from the duo of Greg Kennedy & Matthew O’Gara, while the other two matches finished all-square.

The women’s final went to extra holes when Naas held their nerve to bounce back from two defeats, to win the two remaining matches against Cahir Park.

Meanwhile, Thurles Golf Club hosted the finals of the AIG Men’s Jimmy Bruen Shield and Women’s Minor Foursomes.

Connacht champions Galway Bay defeated Tipperary in the Jimmy Bruen final while in the Women’s Minor Foursomes final would be an even tighter encounter on Sunday afternoon as Fortwilliam defeated Westmanstown 3-2.