NEIL O’Gorman, Castleventry, won the Reenascreena novice B tournament final on Saturday last.

Just five metres separated him from gallant runner-up, Declan White, Clonakilty, at the end of an exciting thirteen shot battle on the Tullig road. It was a triumph for O’Gorman’s determination and perseverance as he overhauled White’s big early lead before closing the score with two brilliant shots the last of which rolled past White’s formidable mark. The early stages belonged to White. Brilliantly executed second and third shots had him a bowl up and his fourth through the ‘four crosse’ had him seventy metres with that.

O’Gorman lined a superb seventh to the ‘bungalow’ and it would prove vital to the outcome. White slipped throwing his fifth and crossed his sixth to the right with the result that his margin was cut to sixty metres. The Clon man continued to play well but O’Gorman gradually reduced the lead with good responses leaving just twenty metres in it at the ‘cual boreen’. A well tracked second last past McCarthy’s left O’Gorman in front for only the second time as the finish line loomed. White responded in the best way he could whipping a terrific last shot along the right. Calling on years of experience O’Gorman won the day with an impecably delivered reply that was accurate and smooth on the rough surface.

His reward was the silver cup, kindly sponsored by John Joe and Helen O’Driscoll, and €600 cash prize. Declan White’s runner-up spot from thirty-two entrants earned him a glass decanter and €300 while semi-finalists, David Cotter and Finbarr Coughlan, were also in the money from the €1,500 total prizefund.