Barton Shield V Howth GC
Match Report May 25th, 2025
The Barton Shield is one of Irish golf’s premier inter-club competitions, featuring teams of four players competing in two Fourball Matchplay pairings. Each player competes off scratch, with aggregate match results deciding the outcome.
This year, Sutton Golf Club were drawn against near neighbours Howth Golf Club in what was always destined to be a fiercely contested local derby. The occasion was made even more demanding by unpredictable weather conditions – strong gusting winds, cold air, and persistent rain showers ensured that the course played extremely tough throughout the day.
Howth GC on a calm day could break anyone’s spirit!
Match One:
Shane McGlynn & Dylan Flanagan vs Darren Fourie & Niall Bermingham
Sutton’s opening pairing of Shane McGlynn and Dylan Flanagan faced a formidable Howth duo, featuring South African-born Darren Fourie and Niall Bermingham. As anyone who has played the Howth course will attest, the first five holes at Howth GC present a really stiff challenge – and it was there that the Howth pair carved out an early lead.
Despite their battling efforts and flashes of brilliant golf from Shane and Dylan, the Sutton lads struggled to find the consistency required in the punishing conditions. Their opponents were marginally steadier throughout, and although Sutton battled hard, the Howth pair ultimately closed out the match on the 18th hole.
Match Two:
Bruno Lupo & Sam Kelly vs Conor Collier & Brendan Smyth
Our second match featured the experienced pairing of Bruno Lupo and Sam Kelly. They were up against Conor Collier and Brendan Smyth – familiar faces to Sutton members through the annual Sindy Spoon matches.
This was a closely fought affair, with little to separate the teams throughout. Unfortunately, the match was still finely balanced when the players were called in, leaving no opportunity to press for a late win.
Final Result: Sutton GC - Loss
While the result didn’t go our way, the standard of golf was excellent, and all four Sutton players can be proud of their performances in such demanding conditions. It’s always disappointing to bow out early from a prestigious competition like this, especially with the calibre of players representing Sutton Golf Club. But there is plenty of encouragement to be taken from this showing and the Sutton Lads can hold their heads high.
With continued support through the Premier Panel initiative, led by Mark Hogan and Derek Hunter, and the growing depth in our low-handicap ranks, Sutton is building a high- performance squad that will continue to challenge at the highest level of inter club competitions. The commitment and effort are already in place. Success is surely not far away, and the investment will be repaid – we just have to keep banging on the door.
Special thanks go to my Co-Manager Kieran O’Byrne for his wise counsel and support throughout the campaign.
Finally, thank you to the entire squad for their dedication, resilience, and team spirit.
