The Gazette 1992

GAZ ETTE

DECEMBER 1992

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Irish Lawyers win European Golf Championship

T h e Irish Law Society golfers are c h amp i o ns of Eu r o p e!

A n d it h as to be said t h at the social side of t he a d v e n t u re was not at all neglected. Late nights a nd r e a s on a b le c o n s ump t i on of alcohol helped to create new f r i e nd s h i p s, to ease any nervous tension there might have been, a n d were followed by effectively relaxed golf. It mi g ht be h a rd to argue, indeed, t h at o ur men a n d women are not social c h amp i o ns also! Th e ir i mp r omp tu Bo d e ga Sherry a nd Nibbles reception was hailed as an o u t s t a n d i ng success for its novelty, ingenuity, a nd e n j o yme n t, a n d in which the entire p a r ty c omb i n ed to ensure n o guest was in any way neglected. It was a rare a nd striking t r i bu te t h at there was s t a nd i ng acclaim by over 200 E u r o p e a ns in a t t e n d a n ce at the b a n q u et for the p r e s e n t a t i on of the p e r p e t u al t r o p hy a n d me d a l l i o ns to the w i n n i ng t e am. T h e w i n n i ng team:- Tom Da l t on a nd Pat Barriscale (Limerick), P a d dy Ma c k l in (Mo n a g h a n ), P a d r a ig " J u d " D u f f y a n d C o lm Berkery ( D r o g h e d a ), Pa d r a ic Ge a r ty ( Lo n g f o r d ), Pat Reidy (Kilcullen), Cyril Coyle (Castleblayney) a nd Owen O ' B r i e n, Bill Jolley, Ge r ry Walsh, J o h n Lynch a nd Richie Bennett (all Dublin).

In the Sp a n i sh s un, n e ar Ca d i z, Irish Law Society golfers won the i n a u g u r al E u r o p e an Legal Team C h amp i o n s h i p, played f r om 2 to 7 No v emb er last.

Also c omp e t i ng were t e ams representing Ho l l a n d, France,

Belgium, No r t h e rn Ireland, Wales, Sc o t l a nd a nd E n g l a n d, ten in all, a total of over 130 players. Even s ome w h o mi g ht wo n d er at or q u e s t i on the c omp o s i t i on of the t e am c a n n ot b ut be pleased a n d p r o ud of this historic a c h i e v eme n t. T h e entire p a n el r e s p o n d ed ma g n i f i c e n t ly to the inspired a n d d e t e rmi n ed leadership a n d example of Society C a p t a in John Lynch a nd Team C a p t a in Richie Bennett. Th ey t o p p ed their g r o u p, a n d won a s u p e rb final victory over the English Blue " D r e a m " t e am. Th e re was n o o ne w h o did n ot play his p a rt nobly. Un p r e c e d e n t ed levels of excellence were achieved in the early r o u n d s, involving 5 f o u r b a ll ma t c h es each mo r n i ng over 18 holes, a n d 5 f o u r s omes g ames over 9 holes, each a f t e r n o o n. T h e s ame f o r mat applied for wh at was, in effect, a close a n d exciting semi-final against the Scots o n the

L-R: Gordon Fenton, Royal Bank of Scotland, the sponsor of the European Legal Team Golf Championship, about to present the Championship Trophy to the Captain of the Irish Law Society Team, Richard Bennett. Friday. In the final, on Saturday, there were six f o u r s omes over 18 holes, a f t er which, at lunchtime, o ur representatives led 4 / 2 . Even still, 5 Vi of the twelve 18 holes singles p o i n ts h a d to be won in the a f t e r n o o n. A n d so they were, s ome decisively a nd c omf o r t a b l y, o t h e rs narrowly a nd agonisingly. T h e t o p quality golf played was always ma t c h ed by exemplary c o n d u c t / s p o r t s ma n s h i p, a b o ut which there was mu c h f a v o u r a b le c o mm e n t.

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Padraic Gearty

(See photograph

overleaf).

Doyle Court Reporters Principal: Áine O'Farrell Court and Conference Verbatim Reporting Specialists in Overnight Transcription 2, Arran Quay, Dublin 7. Tel: 722833 or 862097 (After Hours) Fax: 724486 T.7(cettence in (Reporting since 1954

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