Ardee Golf Club Triumph in Shannon, Clinch AIG Jimmy Bruen Shield Title
Ardee News and Sport — Ardee Golf Club Triumph in Shannon, Clinch AIG Jimmy Bruen Shield Title
Ardee Golf Club has secured a momentous victory in Shannon, claiming the prestigious AIG Jimmy Bruen Shield in a thrilling final against Abbeyleix. The tightly contested match on Saturday capped off an exciting week of play, with the coveted green pennant finding a new home in Ardee.
Following dramatic play-offs in both semi-finals, the final promised to be a nail-biter, and it didn’t disappoint. In Match 1, Ardee and Abbeyleix battled to a standstill, each side earning half a point after 18 closely fought holes. The remaining matches continued in the same tense fashion, with both teams trading holes in a back-and-forth struggle throughout the morning and into the early afternoon.
It was in Match 3 where Ardee began to pull ahead, thanks to the outstanding performance of their playoff heroes, Brian Keenan and Kevin Commins. The pair secured a vital 3&2 victory, giving Ardee their first full point of the final. With 1.5 points now on the board, the Ardee team needed just one more win to clinch the title.
That decisive moment came on the 18th hole of Match 2, as Liam Travers and Mannie McLoughlin kept their composure under pressure. McLoughlin’s perfectly judged putt from the edge of the green sealed the win, prompting the Abbeyleix team to concede, and securing a 2.5–0.5 victory for Ardee.
“It’s unreal, over the moon,” said co-manager Eddie Burke after the match. “Such a match, it was down to the wire on the 18th. Fantastic panel and fantastic supporters. Just a dream come true. They deserve it—they were very professional about the job. No distractions, everything was concentrated on the Jimmy Bruen, and they got what they deserved.”
Burke admitted he had a sleepless night before the final, second-guessing changes made to the team, but his decisions paid off in the end. “It will take me a couple of days to get my head around it,” he reflected. “But it worked out, and that’s the main thing.”
The victory marks a historic achievement for Ardee Golf Club, whose dedication and preparation throughout the season culminated in this well-earned success on one of the biggest stages in Irish golf.