It's magic from McCann

It's magic from McCann

24 July 2013

WHEN Ciaran McCann retired to bed on Friday, he could not have dreamt that he would produce the round of his life the following morning to lift Mr. George Green’s Captain’s Day at Downpatrick by two clear shots with 43 points.

It was a glorious Saturday in every sense but it didn’t begin so auspiciously for the five handicapper.

McCann’s first tee shot found the trees on the left of the opening fairway, forcing him to chip out sideways and he had to console himself with a bogey five.

But there ended the mediocrity as McCann immediately put right that minor error as he smashed his next drive to the back of the second green before chipping stone dead for a cast iron birdie three.

He repeated that feat with a fabulous three at the sixth. Another brilliant drive left McCann a mere sand wedge to the green and the teacher from Lagan College duly delivered a lesson in short iron play as he drilled his second into ten feet to pick up his second birdie of the day.

He reached the turn in a modest 20 points, but he then set about the back nine with a truly spectacular display of golf.

A further combination of driver and sand wedge left four feet for what proved to be McCann’s third birdie of the day at the tenth, but he would soon dispense with the need for an iron as he found the long par five 12th in two mighty blows with a driver and three wood.

That produced yet another birdie for the Senior Cup man who was now finding the fairway from the tee with consummate ease and even when he strayed from the middle on the 13th, he recovered with a majestic wedge to five feet that resulted in a fifth birdie of the day, enabling McCann to claim his first major victory.

Conor Laird, a product of the club’s juvenile and junior system, was the runner-up with a fine 41 points.

Laird has recently returned from a working holiday in Australia and the eight handicapper certainly enjoyed the glorious conditions as he picked up three birdies, the last of them at the tricky 18th that catapulted the young man up to second place.

Michael Crawford is a man for the big occasion and he again delivered when it was needed to claim third place with 41 points.

Crawford was quick out of the blocks as he too got a birdie at the second, even though it was playing into the breeze, but a near disastrous seven at the ninth threatened to be costly until Crawford produced an almost flawless display over the closing nine to get into contention.

Paul Douglas grabbed fourth spot with some brilliantly consistent golf. The 19 handicapper had the lead at the turn with 22 points and he used his renowned iron play ti finish with two fine pars for 41 points to get amongst the prizes ahead of the chasing pack led by Stephen Galbraith, Gerard Hanna and Barry Reynolds, who all had 40 points.

Dale Baker was the winner of the gross award with an excellent 68 and Ivor Cranston was in great form as he had 39 points to win the seniors’ prize with Adrian Carson outdoing many of his younger rivals to win the past captains’ title. Rory Scullion was best of the guests with 37 points and Phil Posnett was the club’s council prize winner.

Jack McKenna won the junior prize with Lorcan McDonnell winning the juvenile award, while Orlagh Carson won the girls’ juvenile prize. Sharon Heaney had 40 points to lift the ladies’ title, beating Twyla Gibson, who had 38 points.

Paddy Flynn teamed up with Gemma McQuoid to collect the mixed greensomes with Mark McQuoid and Angela Kenmore in second place.

However, it was McCann’s day in the sun and it was a truly memorable two under par performance from the newly crowned Captain’s Day champion