BT/0452

Golfers rally round for Omagh

GOLFS glowing response to the Omagh Bomb Appeal will be a cheque for over £100,000, writes Jack Magowan.
This is double the original target as the Omagh club itself welcomes close to 400 golfers in the biggest charity event of the year this weekend.
It's a two-day dawn-to-dusk marathon in which clubs from Limerick, Carlow and Drogheda will be represented with over 70 others who have donated generously to the fund. Major sponsorship alone tops £30,000.
The tournament was the brainchild of Eamon O'Hagan, a 41-year-old male nurse from Newry.
"The support from golf generally has been tremendous," says Eamon, a member at Kilkeel.
"We want this to be an occasion where sport, through golf, can help ease the pain by letting Omagh know that it cares."
Ballybunion can't be here, but have pledged £1,000, and Balmoral have raised over £2,000, I'm told, thanks to competitions won by Hugh Donnelly, of Phoenix Print fame, and his sister-in-law Claire. Typical perhaps of how the appeal has touched so many hearts in the province, and beyond.
Robert Johnston, Omagh's captain, reckons it'll be standing room only at Sunday night's prize-giving cabaret to be hosted by comedians Gene Fitzpatrick, George Jones and May McFetridge. It'll be some party, I'm sure.

SATURDAY'S draw and tee-off times (at eight-minute intervals):
8.30am: Omagh, Fintona, Newtownstewart, Omagh captain's guests, Aughnacloy, Castlehume, Blacklion, Donegal, Silverwood, Edenmore, Portadown, Lurgan.
10-06: Tandragee, Moyola Park, Rossmore, Antrim, Castleblaney, Banbridge, Bundoran, Massereene, Belturbet, Nuremore, Portsalon, Clones, Letterkenny, Manor, Crossgar.
12-O6pm: Strandhill, SuperValu, Carlton Bakery, Nestle, First Active, Omagh Meats, Signal Signs, Guest sponsor, Cliftonville, Ballymena, Galgorm Castle, Slieve Russell, Rockmount, Temple and Appeal team.

SUNDAY'S tee-off (8-minute intervals):
7-52am: Omagh Club juveniles, Strabane, Ballybofey, City of Derry, Mannan Castle, North-West, Greencastle, Limerick, Charleville.
9-04: Carlow, Ballyliffin, Dunfanaghy, Buncrana, Co Armagh, Lisburn, Carrickfergus, Portstewart, Royal Portrush, Knock, Malone, Belvoir Park, Greenore, Dundalk, Ballycastle.
11-04: Spa, Bright Castle, Kilkeel, Pearl Assurance, Dunnes Stores, Chrysler Motorworld, UTV, Lombard and Ulster, Price Waterhouse, BBC, Euronics, Blue Circle, Guinness, Glaxo, Warrenpoint.
1-04pm: Downpatrick, Balmoral, Seapoint, Co Louth, Gweedore, Royal Co Down, Kirkistown Castle, Cruit Island, Narin/Portnoo, Ardglass, Mourne and Leyland Paints.