After a wet start to the day, with miserable weather making conditions challenging for both teams, Greystones and Milltown took to the course for a tense Fitzgibbon Cup encounter. Despite the tough conditions, the competition was intense, with momentum swinging back and forth across the matches.
In the first match, Chris Boylan and JP Lynch were locked in a battle that swung back and forth. Greystones made an early move, winning the 2nd hole, but Milltown came back strong, claiming the 7th hole to level things up. The match remained all square as both teams traded blows down the laneway, setting the stage for a tense back nine. The first four holes after the turn were halved, with neither team giving an inch. On 14, Greystones took the lead, but Milltown answered back with a win on the 16th, bringing the match back to all square. The 17th saw it go the way of the home team, and Greystones had a 1-up lead heading down the final hole. With the match as tight as it had been all day, the stage was set for a dramatic finish. Despite the pressure, Milltown stayed composed and seized the opportunity on the 18th, winning the hole to secure a half-point. The match ended in a hard-fought half, with both teams sharing the spoils.
In the second match, Cian Gilmore and Colm O’Neill started strong, jumping out to a dominant 5-up lead through 8 holes. However, Milltown mounted a determined comeback, winning 9, 10, 12, and 13, cutting the Greystones lead to just 1-up with five holes remaining. With the pressure mounting, both teams halved the next few holes, as Milltown continued their push. Greystones held their nerve, maintaining their slim lead to close out a 1-up victory. It was a gutsy performance from both players, and their resilience under pressure earned the team a vital point.
Ruadhann Murray and Conor Whelan were last to take to the course and found themselves in a commanding position early on, The pair headed down the laneway with 4-up advantage. With their opponents on the ropes, Milltown fought back with everything they had, winning 12, 13, and 14 to claw their way back into the match. With the momentum shifting, Milltown took the 15th and 16th to move 1-up. Despite Greystones best efforts, they were unable to recover. Milltown held on to their lead, closing out a 2-up victory on 18.
On the away leg, Brian Murray and Gavin Nolan started confidently, racing to a 3-up lead through 9 holes. However, Milltown responded strongly on the back nine, taking 10 and 12 to cut the lead to just 1-up. As Greystones battled hard, Milltown won 14, 15, and then clinched the victory with wins on the 17th and 18th to complete a 2-up victory.
In the next pairing, Des Hickey and Ollie Packman never looked in doubt. After losing the 2nd hole, they bounced back immediately, taking 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8 to surge into a dominant 4-up lead at the turn. The second half of the match was more of the same, with the pair winning the 12th and 14th to close out a 5&4 victory.
The final match saw Dylan Cavazza and Shane Nolan take to the course. Milltown started quickly, going 2-up through 3, but Greystones responded well, pulling a hole back on 4th. Milltown continued to press, taking 8th to extend their lead, but Greystones kept the match close by winning 9th hole, making it 1-down at the turn. Both teams traded halved holes from 10 to 16, but with Milltown holding a 1-up lead heading to 17, they managed to win the hole and close out a 2&1 victory, clinching the overall win for Milltown.
That saw Milltown claim victory with a 3.5 to 2.5 result.
After that match it sees the team with one win and a loss so far in the campaign. The next match is a game against Killiney on the 9th of March.
