Chair hosts reception for All Ireland winning Fintona ladies Golf team
25th October 2021
The Chairman of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, Councillor Errol Thompson held a reception in the Council Offices, Omagh recently in honour of the victorious ladies team from Fintona Golf Club, who won the All Ireland Ladies Challenge Cup golf title.
See below for the text of the speech delivered by Councillor Thompson at the reception.
” Ladies, you are all very welcome
As Chair of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, I am delighted to welcome you all to the Council offices this evening to this reception in honour of the team from Fintona Golf Club who recently won the All Ireland Ladies Golf Challenge Cup final.
Your success came as the culmination of a dramatic day of golf at Shandon Park Golf Club in Belfast.
Having previously claimed the Ulster title with victories over Massarene, Ballymena, Balmoral and Tyrone rivals, Newtownstewart it was on to Shandon park where Leinster club, Sutton Golf Club awaited in the quarter final. A 3 ½ – 1 ½ victory set up a semi-final clash with Dublin based, Grange Golf Club. A victory by the same score line saw you through to an All Ireland final clash with the ladies of Gort from County Galway and what a final that was, going down to the extra hole of the final match to decide the outcome.
Quite often there is a reference to the 19th hole in golf which strictly speaking doesn’t have a lot to do with golf. But it was the 19th hole in the final match where Catriona Donnelly’s fabulous approach shot sealed a famous victory and ensured the title came back to Fintona and to the Fermanagh and Omagh District.
The final itself was a tense affair and with Jo and Carmel securing wins and Fanchea Donnelly halving her game, it fell to Catriona to bring it home, so no pressure Catriona. Having a putt to win the match gave you an insight into the pressure Suzann Petterson faced on the 18th green at Gleneagles during the 2019 Solheim Cup when she had a 10 ft putt to win the competition.
Fintona Golf Club is a shining example of how you don’t need big numbers to be successful. All you need is talent and a lot of determination and application. Your hard work has certainly paid off.
You have been wonderful ambassadors for your club, your district but most importantly for yourselves, and we are very proud of you.
I would like, on behalf of my colleagues and myself to convey our congratulations to Jo McNelis, Carmel Colgan, Angela Montague, Fanchea Donnelly and Catriona Donnelly and of course to the non playing captain, Anna McNelis, on your wonderful All Ireland Ladies Challenge Cup success and to wish you well for the future.”