University of Ulster wins Intervarsity Match Play

Tiarnan McLarnon played a cruical role in UUJ’s Intervaristy Match Play Championship win. Pictured during the 2012 Irish Amateur Open by Pat CashmanUniversity of Ulster claimed the Irish Intervarsity Match Play Championship at the spectacular Heritage Golf Club, hanging on to beat NUI Maynooth in the final.

Maynooth had overcome UCD in the morning’s first semi-final, with the Ulster side - Ulster “A” - beating Ulster “B” in the second semi.

Ulster got off to a flying start in the afternoon’s final, taking a strong lead in three of the five games at the turn.

But Tiarnon McLarnon, who was three up on Irish International Gary Hurley at that stage, saw his lead cut to one with one to play, and then found trouble on the right-hand side, where he had to take a penalty drop.

However, he hung on, taking advantage of a mistake by Hurley who missed the green with a short iron. That clinched the match as Paula Grant had already beaten Shaun Carter on the 18th, with Matt McClean seeing off Declan Loftus by 5/3.

There was little to chose between the sides in the other two matches, with the 4-1 scoreline belying how close the sides were when McLarnon clinched the vital win.

In the final of the Plate competition, UCD’s Red side proved too strong against a gallant Waterford IT, with David Manifold’s victory on the 18th over Derek Power sealing victory for the Dublin students.

Irish Intervarsity Match Play Championship

Championship Semi-Finals

NUI Maynooth bt University College Dublin – Blue 4-1

(NUIM names first)

Gary Hurley bt Alex Gleeson 4/2

Shaun Carter bt Jack Pierse 2/1

Declan Loftus bt Jonathan Webster 2/1

Conor O’Rourke halved with Robbie Pierse

Alan Lowry halved with Harry Scott

University of Ulster (A) bt University of Ulster (B) 4-1

(University of Ulster (A) names first)

Tiarnan McLarnon bt Stephen Boles 1 hole;

Paula Grant lost to James Lindsay 1 hole;

Matt McClean bt Malachy Wylie 7/6;

Ryan Gribben bt Kelsey Coey 2/1;

John Robinson bt Ros Carvill 5/4.

Plate Final

UCD (Blue) beat Waterford IT 4-1

(UCD names first)

John Conroy bt David Whitty 3/2;

David Manifold bt Derek Power 1 hole;

Jack Ryan bt Eoin Cantwell 8/7;

Ross Moore halved with John Meagher;

Joe Neiland halved with David Baker

Championship Final

University of Ulster (A) beat NUI Maynooth 4-1

(University of Ulster names first)

Tiarnan McLarnon bt Gary Hurley 1 hole;

Paula Grant bt Sean Carter 2 holes;

Matt McClean bt Declan Loftus 5/3;

Ryan Gribben halved with Conor O’Rourke;

John Robinson halved with Alan Lowry.