Leinster Inter Counties: Dublin misses out on Silverware in historic championships

The 1st Leinster Inter Counties for Gents & Ladies Inter / Junior players took place at Athgarvan and McDonagh on Sunday. Whilst Dublin had no teams in the ladies event, they did have a gents Inter & Junior team playing in Athgarvan. The Junior team were first into action and Lucan’s David Lee had the honour of hitting the 1st ball as the inter county go underway. There was nine counties took  part in the Junior championship with Dublin paired with Offaly. In the scotch foursomes Dublin started steady in the cold / breezy conditions and made the turn in a combined score of level par. On the back nine, the guys really found their putting range and finished with scores of 52,, 53 and 51. Their score left them in tied 4th place and just outside the medal positions. Kildare lead the way on -12 and were hot favourites to continue that form into the singles. As the wind strengthenend and the green hardened the Athgarvan course began to shows it teeth and scoring became a lot tougher the Dublin lads battled it bravely and made were just +1 or +2 after 9, but on the back nine, the downwind conditions were hard to manage and scores slipped a little. In the end Dublin finished +27 for the Doubles / Singles and it left them finish 6th. Wexford took over the mantle from Kildare at the head of affairs with a super display as 4 of their 6 players posted sub par rounds. It was a fabulous victory for the model county, WestMeath were second and hists Kildare had to settle for third.
The event ran smoothly and the Inter Championship teed off just after the allocated time of 12:30.  There was  nine counties taking part here. the Dublin pairings played well over the opening nine holes to be -7 through 9, but the back nine caught them out as they posted a few bogey’s and eventually finished with rounds of 51, 53 and 53. Wexford led the way here with -14 after the doubles chasing a double on this historic weekend. With the showers starting to lash down on the Kildare venue, conditions were very squally at times in the singles especially for our early starters but most were level or just under par through nine. On the back nine, they really put together a good fight with rounds of 49 and 50 by two of our players. WestMeath found their form in the singles too and all but one of them finished under par or level. In the end it was WestMeath who won it with -25. Meath and Wexford finished 2nd and 3rd. The win was a great bonus for them after their Senior win in Collinstown last Sunday.
In the presentation speechs both the winning councils and Leiaster Co-ordinator failed the days were truly historic and that with this level of interest their had to be a place for this on the PPUI calendar, the next step would have to be the introduction of a national intercounty at this level.  The DCB Chairman Anthony Malone spoke to the squads last night and said he was deligted Dublin had taken part, he said this would surely take off and although Dublin were not among the medal winners this year he hoped in 2015 we would make the leap forward. Team Managers Charlie Egan and Rob Ryan too said it was wonderful to be involved in this and said the squads they worked in prepared well for the championships but sadly on the day, it didn’t happen for them. They praised the Dublin Board for their support with this initiative.
After all the Inter County excitement, attention switches back to the Under 16 Scene as they go for National Glory in Navan next weekend. We wish Jim Milligan and his team well.