Saturday 2nd September 2017 was a truly historic day for the Ladies of Mountbellew Golf Club as they wrote a new page into the sporting annals by capturing three Connacht titles on the same day, at the AIG ILGU provincial championships in Ballinrobe GC. It was a unique achievement in itself to have three teams qualify for the finals in one season, so the hat-trick of wins is the stuff of sporting legend.

At the outset, it might have appeared as if the gods were against us because just as our teams took to the Course, the rains came. But the forecast had been monitored all week, so wet gear, hats and brollies were produced in the twinkling of an eye – the Mountbellew ladies were well prepared. Supporters, too, were ready to take on the elements, and battle commenced. As per usual, Aled Roberts and his staff presented Ballinrobe in perfect order: the officials granted cleaning and placing on Fairways due to the inclement weather…but anyone visiting The Rough found it really was…rough! That first drive in a match is always the most nerve-racking and hitting the short grass on this opening par-4 was a great start to a contest.

Two hours watching our Ladies going off the first Tee and there was still another team to come…It was at this stage we began to realise what a mammoth achievement it was to have three teams in the Finals – fifteen matches in sequence around Ballinrobe… not even Sky Sports could manage to cover all the action. The par-3 seventh was a good spot to meet them…and check on the score…The Intermediates were under pressure from Gort…The Minors had a slight advantage over Carrick…The Challenge Cup were also being hard-pressed by Mayo’s own Ballyhaunis – Mary Ryan loses the 7th to a BIRDIE, the only one of the day…The rain may be pouring down but these Greens are LETHAL…“fast” is not the word…

Cut across to the 11th …Caddies are doing overtime with towels and brollies…Willie Burke is hiding behind a tree – Patricia warned him not to appear…Paddy Raftery had to go down town for lunch to keep out of view…Marguerite looks resplendent in the rain gear…President Stephen is relishing the occasion…Captain Michael is ready for the photos, the optimist…Frank Coyne is checking the scores again …Gort appear to have the edge…The Minors have the Leitrim ladies in retreat, but don’t start counting your chickens…The Challenge Cup team is back in the frame…The prospect of at least one trophy is real…but remember, we are in Mayo, home of THE FINAL CURSE…

Lady Captain Anne Marie is coolness personified…forgot the JACKET – a good omen, going by a previous experience…She is on the phone to the various scorekeepers around the course…there’s a problem with Rules – and Anne Marie gets that sorted… “Lads, stop talking!”, and hands out the Orange Card – ILGU Rules for Spectators…We could be put in the Sin-Bin for asking the score…Where will we go now – down around the 16th , the last par-3, things will be coming to a head…Imagine having to PLAY in this rain…

Did ye hear Katie Coleman has won 7-and-6 in the Minor Cup! …Connie O’Brien has taken a match in the Intermediate…Emma was four up, and was down, but she’s fighting back…Bridie is going good…Margaret Harkin is turning the tide…Sheila is all flat on 14…Caroline is two up on the 17th but she may be gone out of bounds – ah, she finds it and recovers to fifty from the Green, her opponent duffs one…Kathleen is ahead…Mary Ryan is after coming back from one down…Mary Hyland is gone up the 17th – the Intermediate is looking good…Here comes Mary Costello, two up on 17… Geraldine is walking towards us – she’s won on the 15th…There is a cheer from the 17th…First success on the day comes through the Intermediate Challenge Cup team, led by their captain Helen Cunningham, defeating Gort 3-2 in a real ding-dong contest.

But we can’t cheer because Kathleen is on the 16th…If she wins here, the Minor Cup is coming back to Mountbellew…She does!!!…This is incredible…The place is in a “state of chassis”…No one knows whether they are coming or going…The presentation of the Intermediate Cup is taking place inside, but the Lady Captain and most of Mountbellew are still out on the Course…Rose is not called in yet, so she just goes ahead and wins anyway…Patricia knows the result but has to wait for official word on the 18th Tee…Mary Hyland’s squad have a 4-1 victory over Carrick-on-Shannon…

Now, we can focus on the Challenge Cup…Mary Ryan has turned the tables – “Did you doubt me?” she asks…Bridie is going up the 17th two ahead – Liam has to follow…Sheila is in the driving seat…Here comes Emma Morrow with Dad on the bag…12 years old, she plants it on the 16th…first one all day to hit that uphill putt past the hole…Bridie is shaking hands on the 17th…This return putt is treacherous…it’s a par for Emma! The Challenge Cup is ours as well!!! Bernie Jordan and Sheila don’t need to go any further…Chrissie Hogan is beaming…Her Challenge Cup quintet have withstood a mighty effort from Ballyhaunis…

Nobody can truly grasp the magnitude of the occasion…has it ever happened before? One Club wins THREE finals on the same day! Our opponents are, to a woman, gracious and sporting…For our own part, Mountbellew teams, officials and supporters are in a daze – we had come here delighted to have three teams involved, hoping for ANY victory but stunned that our Ladies had secured a “hat-trick”. The Minors are dining in the marquee…Two presentations to follow…Speeches all round to wind up the day…and photographs “under the tree”…

Basil has the lads back at the Clubhouse gathering for a bonfire…a bale of straw is produced…but it’s VICIOUS outside with wind and rain…hold a brolly over the pile to keep it dry…Hooting is heard…INSTANT BONFIRE…The cavalcade has been scattered by the winds…but all arrive safely home…Packed house…Pride of place to three trophies and three sky-blue pennants…Time for a speech…Welcome and congratulations…

It was a day of heroines on all sides, but Lady Captain Anne Marie Murray prompted the loudest cheer at the welcome-home celebrations in the Clubhouse when she singled out the two youngest players representing Mountbellew. 15-year-old Katie Coleman’s stunning win in the Minor Cup, and what an occasion for 12-year-old Emma Morrow, completing the hat-trick for Mountbellew with a par at the sixteenth to clinch the Challenge Cup. Then the Lady Captain lets everyone in on the training camp secret – studying the “New Hurling” Handbook for Team Managers, Anne Marie adopts the motto, “Play with them, stay with them, shut them down!”

President Stephen declares that this success was destined to happen because the POST-WOMAN ALWAYS DELIVERS!!! Captain Michael promised support all the way to Belfast…

The Challenge Cup victors were Mary Ryan, Sheila Costello, Bridie Jones, Emma Morrow, Bernie Jordan, Florrie Ryan and Mary Dolan, selectors Anne Marie Murray and Chrissie Hogan.

Minor Cup team members were Kathleen Raftery, Katie Coleman, Geraldine Coyne, Patricia Burke, Rose Devaney, Evelyn Clarke and Mary Farrell, selectors Brid Gilmore and Mary Hyland.

The Intermediate Cup squad: Margaret Harkin, Mary Costello, Caroline Delaney, Connie O’Brien, Mary Hyland, Kathleen Bergin and Kathleen Raftery, selectors Una Donnellan and Helen Cunningham.

The journey continues on to the All-Ireland finals at Malone Golf Club in Belfast which take place from 26-29 September. It is a great privilege for Mountbellew once again to be the standard-bearers for Connacht, and a singular honour to be the provincial representatives in three separate competitions. No doubt, these Galway Girls will do Mountbellew and Connacht proud.

FOOTNOTE: The weekend was complete when we raised the rafters in Croke Park to hail Galway hurlers on the double…Liam McCarthy for the Seniors and…another Minor Cup!!!!