News

Chris Gallagher wins Lucan Scratch Cup

Posted on 4 Aug '14 by Dave Hayden II

Source: dublinscratchcupseries.com

It was a very wet start to Event III of the DSCS. It was quite an achievement from the Lucan ground staff to have the course playable after torrential rain throughout Saturday and overnight, but things got underway on schedule at 9am

First into action was Lucan Captain Steven Keegan, Darren Kane and Noel Ryan. Steven and Darren both posted 49's in their opening rounds. In the following groups Dublin Strokeplay champion Chris Gallagher was among the favourites on Sunday and he started very impressively with a 43 to storm into the lead. The Holder David Hayden was also in the morning session and he started with a 50. In the 2nd rounds, Steven Keegan added a 51 to his earlier 49 to finish on 100. Darren Kane another former champ scored even better with a 48 to finish on 97 and take the early lead. Chris Gallagher though continued his solid start and a 2nd round of 49 left him on 92(-16) and post a challenging total in very tricky conditions.

Another Lucan player to start strongly was Anthony "Skinner" Malone started with a 44 and it looked like he might eclipse Chris Score and he was poised to do that sitting on -17 playing the last, but he found the sand and finished with a 5 and his 36 hole total of 93(-15) left him one adrift.

In the afternoon session many of the Dublin team were in action and George McGreal made an excellent start with a 45 to get into the mix, JR Crangle in the groups further back started with a 44. George was to add a 48 to join "Skinner" Malone on -15 and JR Crangle became the third person on that mark after a 49 in his 2nd round. Another within shooting distance was former All Ireland champion Brendan Lawlor from Channonrock who had rounds of 49 and 47 to lie on 96 and four adrift of Chris

In the other grades, two Lucan players went head to head for the Inter prize but it was a welcome return to action for Sean Gallagher who finished on 99. That score was good enough to land Sean a place in the final 12. Paul Dillon and John Kenny were to finish on -5. The Junior prize went outside the host club with Owen Campbell from McBride finishing on 111(+3) to edge out local players Alan Doyle and John Forde for the top prize here. The Ladies 0-10 section saw Erry's Tracey McGrath complete a hat-trick of wins in the series after her wins in Ierne. Her score of 107 (-1) was matched late on by R.G.S.C.'s Glenda Hoey with Tracey prevailing on the back nine of her back eighteen. Sadly there was no one who played in the Ladies 11-18 section.

The final 18 teed off shortly before 6pm and with the winds blowing it was going to be tough to post a good score. All attention was focused on the final 4 of Anthony Malone and JR Crangle and George McGreal and the leader Chris Gallagher. However in the earlier groups Brendan Lawlor made a blistering start as he birdied 4 of the opening 6 holes to move to -16. JR & Anthony both had 2's on th 2nd to go -16 and when George also had one at the 2nd hole, there was five players tied at the top

Chris Gallagher though found form himself and back to back birdies at 3 and 4 saw him move to -18. George reduced the lead to one with a fine birdie at 6 and they both had birdies at the 8th to reach the turn at -18 and -19 respectively. Brendan Lawlor hot form continued and he hit three birdies in a row on 11, 12 and 13 to move to -19. JR and Skinner Malone were struggling until JR found a 2nd birdie on 11 and when he had a hole in one on the 12th and another birdie on the 13th. His charge was really on as he moved to -20.Chris though hit the tree on the 10th and was now falling adrift but he recovered well to add a birdie on the 11th

It was really hotting up and George went to -19 on the 14th, but Chris stayed one ahead with a birdie of his own. JR though found sand on the 14th and it cost him a bogey as he slipped one behind. Brendan Lawlor despite a brilliant round was running out of holes and he could not find a birdie over the last few holes to get to -20 and his round of 47 saw him take the clubhouse lead on -19. Gary Healy too scored impressively in the last round finishing with a 47 to finish on 145(-17). JR still one behind hit a great pitch in on 17 and found the birdie to move level with Chris at -20. George was to join that group too with a fine long birdie putt on 15. It was shaping up to be a grandstand finish

JR missed the 18th green and despite a fine chip, he had to settle for a par and he finished on -20. George missed a tricky putt on 16 for birdie as he hit the hole. Then on the 17th Chris missed a long birdie putt, but George had a very makeable uphill putt from seven foot. It slide by the hole and it was still all level on -20. On the last George was short and Chris found the green. George chipped up very close to the hole and Chris had the putt to win it. His putt though was to narrowly miss on the left and they joined JR Crangle finishing on -20

The Play-off was three holes, 1,2 and 3. George was first to pitch on the 1st and was 4ft away, JR was just outside George whilst Chris played a poor pitch and left himself an awkward shot for two. Chris settled for the par and it looked like both JR and George might pick up the birdie, but both missed and all three stayed on level par

The 2nd saw George finished ten foot away and JR almost pitched in the hole finishing beside the cup. Chris left himself about 7 foot away. George was 1st to go and he impressively rolled in putt for birdie. Chris followed him in for birdie and JR had a formality tap in. It was all on the 3rd. JR hit his to the left of the pin,George left himself a 4 foot putt to the right of the pin and Chris was in the centre of the green, about five feet away. JR chipped up for his par. Chris though hit a sweet putt into the centre and George needed to hold his putt for sudden death. He narrowly missed it and for the third time Chris was champion

In the speeches, Lucan Captain Steven Keegan paid tribute to the three guys and commented that George was a worthy pick for the Dublin team and the selectors had made the right choice in picking him. He congratulated Chris on a great win and continued his excellent Summer after his strokeplay success. The Sponsor Aidan from the Butler Group presented the cup to Chris. Chris was delighted not just to win but was conscious of the run of Lucan winner stretching back to 2000 and was hoping the run would not end with him. He congratulated the grounds staff and said how important the series was in Dublin. He urged the supporters to come out and support the Dublin teams next Sunday in Collinstown when he hoped Dublin would be retaining the cup. It was a fitting end to a great day of Pitch N'Putt.

Chris Gallagher


Sean Gallagher