2018 National Youth Championships Day One Report

Report on a historic day of retention and milestones

2018 National Youth Championships Day One Report image

2018 National Under 16 & 20 Strokeplay Scoresheet

Communications & Press Officer Jason O’Connor reports on a day of double delight for Meath Pitch & Putt, a title staying within the Douglas club and Evan Carry replicating a two decade milestone.

 

U-16 Boys

Just under two decades after it was first done, Castletown’s Evan Carry became only the second player in history to do three-in-a-row in the National Boys Strokeplay, replicating Barry O’Neill’s feat from 1997-99 in winning the Eugene McCarthy Cup in successive years like the Waterford Crystal player did. In the end the Meath player had to hang on for victory but his opening round of seven under par played a major part in his success.

 

            Carry had led by two strokes from Deerpark’s Cillian Courtney after the first 18 but despite approaching double figures could only post a score of eight under that had him waiting anxiously in the clubhouse as a six under par second round from Aaron Roche put the St Stephens player in second for the time being. Cillian Courtney could not improve on his five under total as it was a five under par closing round for Jack Mullins that saw the Kilbeggan player and last year’s 10-13 prizewinner take second on a tournament total of seven under after opening with two under par.

 

            Roche would have to settle for third with his six under score as a closing round of five under would give Robbie Harnett the 10-13 prize ahead of his Deerpark club-mate Cillian Courtney and Kilbeggan’s Padraig Carton on countback with five under par. The day belonged to Carry however for achieving something that had not been done since he was born!

 

 

 

U-20 Boys

Douglas’ Eoin Keating was a two stroke winner with a score of 14 under par, retaining the title for the club after Cian Morrison had won the inaugural event last year in Erry. He led at both the halfway and final post as well in an impressive performance by the Cork Senior Mens player.

 

            Two rounds of seven under par gave Keating his winning score, two ahead of Dylan Seymour from the host club Fermoy in second on 12 under par. Seymour had two rounds of six under par in shooting his second placed score. Morrison finished third this year with 11 under par, claiming the prize on countback from Kilbeggan’s Michael Carton who finished with the same score but Morrison had a better second round of eight under par. Carton had began with a round of six under.

 

            Glenville’s David Horan and Darren Byrne from the host club both finished on 10 under par in claiming fourth and fifth respectively.

 

Girls

Sophie Farnan bridged a 38 year gap for Meath Pitch & Putt with her win in the Girls competition as she had four shots to spare over Leinster Girls Strokeplay winner Eimear Ahern of Dublin. Both players were level on 70 after the first 18 holes but a great following nine holes of 28 gave Sophie a seven shot lead over Eimear at the three-quarter mark.

 

Eimear did come within four strokes near the end but Sophie held on for a winning score of 130 to become the first Meath winner of this event since Denise Rusk of Clonee back in 1980 completing a memorable double for the Royal County with Evan Carry’s success in the Boys.

 

            Eimear’s sister Maebh finished third with a score of 156.

 

Click on the above link to see how all the other players fared today