Carrick GC win Holt Shield for a second year in a row

Having won their section and bagged knockout victories over Malone and Lisburn, the team, managed by Michael Addley, defeated Ballymena over two legs in the final.

They got off to a poor start in the first-leg away match, down in all five matches.

But they fought back to win 3.5 to 1.5, with Stuart Lyttle, who had been five holes adrift, winning six in a row for a half match.

They knew Ballymena would not roll over in the return leg and so it proved with Willie Graham and Lyttle both losing.

However, Drew Meek maintained his 100 per cent record and Club Captain Duncan Macleod netted a win to give Carrickfergus the result they needed.

At the trophy presentation the captain thanked the sponsors, the players who had taken part, the shirt sponsors F.L.P., and the supporters who had faithfully followed the team.

When Carrickfergus GC won the competition in 2013, it was only their second success in the competition and it followed a 39-year wait.

Meanwhile, Macleod and club professional James Orchin are set to travel to Turkey for the finals of the Golf Plan International after they won the All-Ireland Section.