Pitch & Putt Ireland2014 Provincial Strokeplay Report
A look back at proceedings in both provinces last Sunday
Munster
IT truly was a great day for Tipperary Pitch & Putt in the Munster’s last Sunday, particularly so in Douglas where they won two of the three Gents titles and were runners-up in another two. Tipperary Hills in particular will have fond memories of last Sunday as a day after their Scratch Cups and with the memory of the late Sean Keane in mind they were victorious in both the Senior and Junior Gents competitions. James Ryan had a one shot lead over Michael Kennedy of Hillview going out into the playoff on nine under par and he improved his score by six strokes in the last 18 holes to finish with a total of 15 under par for a four shot win. James’ club-mate Pat Martin matched that score of six under par in the playoff to claim second overall on 11 under with a level par round of 54 for Kennedy seeing him finish on eight under par for third place overall.
In the Junior competition Riverdale’s John Minogue had led after the first 18 holes with a total of 42 but he was to be undone by the Tipp Hills tidal wave in the second 18 as Jamie Malone fired a superb round of 39 to add to an opening round of 46 for the winning score of 85 Nett. Minogue’s second round of 45 saw him finish second overall on 87 while third place in this section went to Limerick as Bruff’s John Farrell shot rounds of 47 and 43 to finish with a score 90. The Intermediate Gents competition resulted in success for the host club as Martin Freaney came from one behind after the First Round to come out victorious. Fermoy’s Justin McCarthy was one ahead after the first 18 on 44 as opposed to 45 for Martin but a round of 43 in the second 18 gave the Douglas player victory on home turf with a score of 88, two shots better than McCarthy’s final total of 90. Michael Morrissey shot a Second Round of 43 to continue Tipperary Hills’ great day by coming in third on 91.
Meanwhile in Ballinlough at the Ladies event, all three titles went to the host county, the Junior of which went to the host club. Geraldine Hanrahan led from start to finish in the competition with rounds of 42 and 44 giving her victory with a score of 86 Nett. St Stephens’ Mairead Manning was a consistent performer in the runners-up spot firing two rounds of 45 to finish four shots behind Geraldine on 90. Cunnigar’s Stella Kinsella was nearly as consistent in finishing in third with rounds of 45 and 46 for 91. In the Intermediate competition, outgoing National Girls Strokeplay Champion Una Brosnan from Claycastle continued her terrific rise with an eight shot victory and a score of 87 Nett. This came courtesy of rounds of 43 and 44 as she finished well clear of the field. Margaret Forde from Riverdale was only two shots behind Una on 45 after the First Round but couldn’t quite live with her pace in the second 18 as she added a round of 50 to finish on 95 in total. Maura Aherne from the host club was third overall in the grade on 99 following rounds of 50 and 49.
In the Senior Ladies event, Mary Murray from Rocklodge just edged Fermoy’s Sarah Byrne in a tight finish. Sarah had led Mary by two after the First Round with a 48 but Mary was the player to add a 48 herself in the second 18 to finish with a score of 98 Nett as a round of 51 for Sarah saw her finish on a total of 99. Lakeside’s Martha O’Brien claimed third thanks to a closing 48, but it was an opening round of 53 that proved costly to her in posting a 101 total.
Leinster
THREE different venues (two of which are actually in Ulster) played host to the Leinster competitions with Lucan hosting the Ladies competitions. The Senior field was small but it was no less competitive as Phil Condron from the hosts put a slight dampener to an otherwise happy week for Erry’s Tracey McGrath off the course with a one shot win. Tracey led by two after the First Round with a score of 48 but a level par 54 proved to be her undoing in the Second Round as she finished on 102 with rounds of 50 and 51 giving Phil victory with a score of 101 Nett. Tracey was just ahead of another Offaly player, Anne Marie Farrell from Ferbane, who had rounds of 54 and 49 for a third place finish on 103.
The Intermediate competition was won by a Kildare player in the form of Ryston’s Mary Donnelly who denied the host club a clean sweep of the titles on the day with rounds of 51 and 49 for a winning total of 100 Nett. Evelyn O’Gorman from Lucan was the one to miss out on making it a memorable day for the hosts but rounds of 53 and 48 gave her second with a total of 101, one away from victory. Lucan’s second title came courtesy of a victory for Fiona Langan in the Junior competition with rounds of 46 and 45 for a 91 Nett total. That was three shots better than the total of runner-up, club-mate Patricia Anderson, who had two rounds of 47 for a total of 94. Valerie Barron from the Seapoint club in Louth was third overall with a score of 99, comprising rounds of 52 and 47 respectively.
The two Gents competitions were split between Ulster venues, Inniskeen in Monaghan and Cloghogue in Down. In Inniskeen, the number 80 was the magic one as it turned out to be the winning total in both the Intermediate and Junior competitions. In the Intermediate, Aaron Daly from Longmeadows in Dublin claimed victory with consistent rounds of 40, giving him victory over Brian Casey from the hosts who despite matching Aaron on 40 in the First Round could only post a round of 43 in finished second on 83 Nett. A superb final round of 38 gave Cloghogue’s Mark Flynn third overall on 84 after he opened with a 46. The Junior saw another local player denied the overall prize with Anthony Burke from Granard in Longford victorious after rounds of 39 and 41. Ciaran McCreesh from the hosts had led after the First Round with a 38 but a second 18 of 44 saw him finish second on 82. Darren McNally from Bagenalstown was third over with scores of 40 and 43 for an eventual total of 83.
Up in Cloghogue the Senior competition was decided with former two time National Boys Strokeplay Champion Shane Redmond continuing his rise up the ladder thanks to victory after final holes on 22 under par. Rounds of five and ten under par had left Shane four shots behind 36 hole leader John Delaney (89) from St Bridgets ahead of the last 18 but he took victory overall in the competition with a further round of seven under par. That just held off a strong local challenge from Liam McMahon of the host club who was level with Shane ahead of the playoff on 15 under par. Six under was Liam’s total for the final 18 however as he lost out to Shane by a single stroke. Kevin Thompson (also from Cloghogue) finished third overall thanks mainly to a fine closing round of 11 under par to go with a nine under par total ahead of the playoff for a twenty under total.
Photos of all the winners from yesterday are available on the PPU Flickr page. You can access this through the link below:
Latest National News
| National Coach Stephen Enneguess - upcoming sessions |
| UPDATED NEC Announcement 16.04.2024 |
| Provincial Ladies Matchplay |
| Munster Ladies social day |
| County/Regional Matchplays |