AN HISTORIC CLUB WITH A MAGNIFICENT GEORGIAN PARKLAND SETTING SINCE 1893

Greenisland. Portstewart. Ashfield. Ballybofey. Cloverhill can now be added to the list of clubs that have been unable to live with County Armagh during the club's thrilling run to the last four of the 2018 Ulster Cup.

The quarter-final first leg was contested in Cloverhill on Monday 23 July, for which captain Marty Daly made one change by drafting in the experienced Anthony Hillen.

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Having most recently seen off Cloverhill, County Armagh now face an Ulster Cup semi-final against either Royal Belfast or Malone.

In a tense encounter in South Armagh, Cormac O'Hare and Paul Corvan turned in brilliant displays to put two points on the board before, in the fading evening light, skipper Daly illuminated proceedings with a birdie at the 18th to notch another.

The 3-4 scoreline, then, represented a very workable halfway position and County Armagh didn't have long to wait to try to complete the job, as holidays and Cloverhill's other inter-club commitments necessitated that the return leg was played just 24 hours later on Tuesday 24 July.

Paul McCurry was restored to the side for that Cathedral City showdown and, inspired by a pre-match pep talk from their gaffer, the team took full control of the tie with a dominant performance on home turf. Patrick Brannigan recorded the first point and then wins came, once again, for Corvan and O'Hare as well as useful halved matches for Nigel McMahon and McCurry.

Victory was confirmed when, with news filtering through that holes had also run out for Cloverhill, Barry McGurgan and Daly were called in while ahead in their individual games.

County Armagh's triumphant quarter-final panel consisted of Patrick Brannigan, Paul Corvan, Marty Daly (captain), Anthony Hillen, Paul McCurry, Barry McGurgan, Nigel McMahon and Cormac O'Hare.

A semi-final clash with either Royal Belfast or Malone now awaits, with the Belfast opposition yet to be decided. Best wishes to the squad as they aim to reach the final.

Meanwhile, our juvenile boys have exited the Fred Daly Trophy and Ronan Rafferty Cup at the hands of Lisburn and Rockmount respectively. Nevertheless, well done to the lads on very promising campaigns in both tournaments, and continued thanks to captains Jarlath McReynolds and Michael Calvert for their sterling work in the junior section.

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After beating Silverwood and Banbridge, County Armagh Golf Club's interest in the Ronan Rafferty Cup was eventually ended by Rockmount.