2022 in Review: Part Three

John Manning looks at the year nationally

2022 in Review: Part Three image

On May 20th, St. Brendan's College, Killarney become the first Co. Kerry nursery to win the All Ireland Schools’ Pitch and Putt tournament when Cillian Courtney (53+53=106), Robbie Harnett (53+53= 106) and Fintan Martin (56+51=107) scored a total of 319 at Hillview.

 

Coláiste an Chraoibhín (Fermoy) finished just a single stroke behind in second position. Cian O'Callaghan (46+52=98), Cian McGirr (51+54=105) and Brian Lombard (60+57=117) ensured that a Cork school finished runners-up in the tournament for the sixth time.

 

Ard Scoil Chiaráin Naofa (Clara) became the first Co. Offaly school to achieve a podium finish in thetournament’s history when Dominic Scully (56+47=103), Scott Griffith (50+54=104) and Jack Devine (58+58=116) scored 323 to take third place on the Back 18 from Castlepollard College, Co. Westmeath.

 

National Matchplay

 

In the 15th National Gents’ Matchplay championship final between two players representing Cork clubs (and the second in three years to feature two decider debutants), Barry Morrissey (Bishopstown) defeated John Cahill (Fermoy) by 2&1 at Douglas on June 6th.

 

In the semi-finals, John Cahill (the 20th different player from Cork to be runner-up in the National Gents’ Matchplay championship) had overcome (by 4&3) John Walsh (Collins),who was appearing in the last four for the ninth time.

 

Barry’s first win in three National Matchplay semi-final attempts came (by 3&2) at the expense of William Buckley (Erry). In becoming first Cork player to win the title at Douglas, Barry Morrissey made it five wins in a row for Munster representatives.

 

Liz Quinn won the National Ladies Matchplay championship for the first time when she overcame Sarah McGrath (Fermoy) by 2&1 in an absorbing final (the first-ever involving finalists from Cork and Westmeath clubs) at Douglas.

 

The second player from Co. Westmeath to become National Ladies Matchplay champion, Liz Quinn was a 6&5 semi-final victor over Marian Courtney (St. Bridget’s) as the Collinstown lady figured in the last four for the second successive year. 

 

In her semi-final, Sarah McGrath beat 2019 champion Mary Murray (Rocklodge) on the final green as the 2004 National Girls’ Strokeplay champion reached her first National Matchplay final.

 

Oldcastle’s Suzanne Reilly became the first Co. Meath player to win the National Ladies Matchplay Nett Cup with a 3&2 final win over Ann O'Herlihy (Lakewood) at Douglas.

 

On her way to being the second player representing a Cork club to be runner-up in the Ladies Matchplay Nett Cup, Ann O’Herlihy beat 2022 Cork and Munster Intermediate Matchplay champion Mairead Manning (St. Stephen's) by 6&5 in the semis.

 

On her record-equalling second appearance in an All Ireland Ladies Matchplay Nett Cup semi-final, Suzanne narrowly defeated former Munster Mixed Foursomes winner Stella Kinsella (Cunnigar) at the first extra hole.

 

National Ladies Strokeplay

 

Chrissie Sheedy (nee Byrne) of Ryston won the National Ladies Strokeplay championship for the fourth time in all when she scored 99 at Fermoy on June 18th for a five stroke victory. Glenda Hoey (RGSC) completed a trio of top three finishes at the National Ladies Strokeplay Championships – Junior third in 2013, Intermediate third in 2014 and Senior runner-up in 2022 on 104 (with a 50 second round). Eleven-time champion Geraldine Ward picked-up a bronze medal – her second such ranking since third place was officially awarded in 1987 – with her 51, 53 outing at Fermoy. Cunnigar’s Lorraine Troy became the first player from a Co. Waterford club to achieve a podium finish in the National Ladies Senior Grade Strokeplay Championship when her 93 off seven handicap gathered Nett laurels.

 

Already one of only six players to win both the National Ladies Intermediate Strokeplay and National Ladies Junior Strokeplay Championships, Sarah O’Neill (Collins) became the first player to win both intermediate and junior on the same course. Sarah was the second player in history (after Bridget Shelley) to win the National Ladies Junior Strokeplay championship and two National Ladies Intermediate Strokeplay championships with her 107 aggregate at Fermoy. That proved four strokes superior to Mary Quinn (Lakeside) who has now achieved a win and two runners-up placings in the grade.

 

2012 National Ladies Junior Strokeplay champion Ailish Sexton (Fermoy) finished third for the third time in the National Ladies Intermediate Strokeplay Championship with her 112 tally (58, 54) at Fermoy, which just pipped Lucan’s Tracey Smith (56, 56) on the countback. 2020 National Ladies Junior Strokeplay champion Margaret Hennessy (Riverdale) lifted the 2022 National Ladies Intermediate Strokeplay Best Nett award. Margaret is the first Munster player to claim the latter prize following her 92 Nett offering at Fermoy.

 

The ninth player in history (and the fourth in the last eight stagings) to win the National Ladies Junior Strokeplay championship over her home course, Mary Anne Byrne (Fermoy) closed with a 60 at Fermoy to overhaul first round leader Corinne McGee (Cunnigar). Corinne McGee, who signed for 124 overall, was finishing second in the National Ladies Junior Strokeplay championship for the second time – the fourth player (and the first from Co. Waterford) in history to achieve this feat. Having scored 128, Grainne Shelley was the first member in history of the Larkspur Park club to take third place at the National Ladies Junior Strokeplay Championship. Catherine Dillon (St. Bridget’s) prevented a Munster podium clean sweep in the Intermediate and Junior Championships and restored Leinster’s grip on the National Ladies Intermediate Strokeplay Best Nett category with her 94 salvo.

 

National Gents Strokeplay

 

The fifth Co. Louth player in history to win the National Gents (Senior Grade) Strokeplay Championship, Sean Goggin (MacBride) completed the Leinster Strokeplay/National Strokeplay double in the same calendar year – a feat not achieved before. Sean succeeded County colleague Ian Donnelly as champion and ensured Leinster players won successive National Gents’ (senior grade) Strokeplay championship titles for the first time since 1993/94 with his virtuoso 136 at Ringcommons on 3rd July.

 

A runner-up in the Intermediate championship in 1998, Gary Healy (Loughlinstown) achieved his best finish in this championship on his second appearance in the last eighteen.Gary became the first runner-up in the National Intermediate Strokeplay championship to later finish runner-up in the senior grade when his 137 (45, 47, 45) narrowly grabbed second spot on the final eighteenJames Cleary (Larkspur Park) also posted 137 and became the sixth player to achieve second and third place finishes in the National Strokeplay championship and the first Tipperary player to lift the National Strokeplay bronze medal (since third place was officially awarded in 1987).

 

2017 winner Mark Millar (Killineer) finished fourth in the National Strokeplay championship on 139 as he made the play-off round for the seventh time. 2020 Intermediate champion Michael Conway (Tralee) captured the Senor Best Nett award on 87, maintaining Munster’s stranglehold on that prize since it was introduced.

 

Killian O’Gorman (Listowel) was the fourth Kerry player (and the second in three stagings following the aforementioned Conway) to win the National Gents Intermediate Strokeplay Championship when he fired 147 at Killineer on July 3. Liam O’Mahony became the fourth Rocklodge member (and the first since 1966!) to achieve runners-up position in the National Gent's Intermediate Strokeplay championship. A three-round total of 148 saw Liam finish second in the National Gents Intermediate Strokeplay Championship 38 years after he was runner-up with Dunlops in the 1984 National Club Tournament at Catholic Institute. Dermot Tuohy scored 149 to be the first Co. Clare based player to finish third in the National Gents Intermediate Strokeplay since Clare Road’s Eoin Phillips at Lucan in 1998. (Gerry O’Brien of Ardnacrusha finished third in 2002 but Ardnacrusha is considered Limerick for Pitch and Putt purposes).

 

Fergal Power was the first Lucan player to achieve a podium finish in the National Gent's Intermediate Strokeplay championship since his club-mate Damian Creevy triumphed at Cunnigar seven years ago after Fergal’s 88 Nett repelled all challengers at Killineer.

 

The Saturday at Ringcommons saw Glen Martin became the first Louth player to win the National Gent’s Junior Strokeplay championship since Daniel Clinton in 2010. Glen’s score of 146 tied the lowest winning 54-hole aggregate in history, matching Darren McCann (Cement, now Killineer) who scored 146 at Tullamore in 2003. Glen made it four wins in the National Gent’s Junior Strokeplay championship for members of the Killineer/Cement club when he topped club-mate John Conaghan by four strokes as the same club provided the runner-up in the junior championship in consecutive years for the first time ever.

 

John Conaghan matched club-mate Jack Carr’s 2021 second place finish and is the fifth player from the Killineer/Cement club and the sixth in all from Co. Louth to take silver in the National Gents’ Junior Strokeplay Championship. With an excellent 151, Robbie Harnett finished third in the National Gents’ Junior Strokeplay championship in the same year that he won the National Secondary Schools’ tournament with St. Brendans, Killarney. Robbie is the second player representing a Co. Kerry club to win bronze in the National Gents’ Junior Strokeplay championship in the last three stagings of the event. Junior 36 Nett winner Glen Buckley (St. Patrick’s) set the new low scoring record for this category with his 78 return.

 

National U16 Matchplay

 

Joe Franklin (Hillview) became the first National Boys’ Matchplay champion from Co. Tipperary when he overcame Daniel Campbell (Ryston) by 1up in their final at Ryston on July 17.

 

Leinster Boys’ Matchplay runner-up Michael Holland was the first player representing a Co; Kilkenny club to make the National U16 Matchplay semi-finals where he went down by 6&5 to Joe Franklin. By beating Adam O'Brien (Lakeside) by 4&3 in their semi-final, Daniel Campbell achieved the double distinction of being the first Kildare player in history to reach the National Boys’ Matchplay championship final and the first player ever to contest the Boys’ final over his home course.

 

With a final win by 4&3 over Sophie Moynihan (Tralee) at Ryston, Sarah Cooney (Seapoint) became the second player in history (after Sophie’s sister Ella) to win the National Girls’ Matchplay championship a year after being the losing finalist.

 

In the semi-finals, Sarah Cooney beat Sarah Ryan (Tipperary Hills), who was the first Tipperary player to reach the last four of the National Girls’ Matchplay. Sophie Moynihan was a 5&4 semi-final winner over Beth O’Donoghue (Athgarvan) who reached the National Girls’ Matchplay semi-finals for the second year in a row.

 

Ensuring that Deerpark became the first club to supply multiple winners of the National Boys’ Matchplay Plate, Nathan Cronin equalled club-mate Eoin O’Riordan Looney’s 2019 success with a 12&11 win over Ryston’s Adam Byrne in the final.

 

Adam Byrne guaranteed a host club representation in the National Boys’ Matchplay Championship Plate final for the second successive year (after Luke Kilpatrick at Glenville in 2021).

 

The two losing semi-finalists in the National Boys’ Matchplay Plate were both from Leinster for the first time ever in a single year - Poulaphouca’s Dylan Kavanagh (who succumbed to Nathan Cronin) and Adam Byrne’s opponent Joshua O’Keeffe (Athgarvan).

 

National O55 Strokeplay

 

Breda White (Tipperary Hills) became the fourth multiple winner of the National Ladies O55 Senior Grade Strokeplay Championship when she shot 105 at Bellewstown. Geraldine Ward (Portmarnock) was round in 109 to take second place in the National Ladies O55 Senior Grade Strokeplay championship 36 years after she won her first national title – the Matchplay at Waterford Glass in 1986. After her 116 bronze medal outing at Bellewstown, Margaret Hogan (Tullamore) has now been winner twice, second once and third twice in the National Ladies O55 Senior Grade Strokeplay championship. With a two-round 104, Noelene Bedford (Seapoint) won the National Ladies O55 senior grade Strokeplay Nett award for the second time, having previously won at Cloghogue five years ago.

 

After her 112 tally, Laytown’s Ann Bird is the third player in history (after Kathleen Grendon and Bernie Dunne) to win National Ladies O55 Intermediate Grade Strokeplay Championship having previously been Leinster Ladies Intermediate Strokeplay champion. Suzanne Jordan (Portmarnock) scored 113 en route to be the first Dublin player to be National Ladies O55 Inter grade Strokeplay championship runner-up since Mary Casey (Shandon) took second spot at Shandon in 2005. St. Bridget’s stalwart Mairead O’Toole’s outstanding record in the National Ladies O55 Strokeplay championships continued. The Senior grade winner (2007 and 2013), Intermediate grade winner (2018), Senior grade runner-up (2009) shot 118 at Bellewstown for Inter grade third place. With a Nett 102, 2012 National Mixed Foursomes Runner-Up Margaret Conneely continued Leinster’s grip on Best Nett in the National Ladies O55 Inter grade Strokeplay – Leinster representatives have captured that particular prize on all but one occasion that it has been awarded.

 

2021 National Junior Strokeplay championship final round qualifier Ann Williams (Ryston) continued Kildare’s phenomenal run of success in the All Ireland Ladies Over 55 junior grade Strokeplay championship. Ann returned 130 and became the eighth Co. Kildare winner in the 17 stagings of the event. With 134, Maria Cranney matched club-mate Alice Rice’s feat of finishing runner-up in the All Ireland Ladies O55 Junior grade Strokeplay and is the second Ulster player to take silver in the championship.

 

Also a third place finisher in last year’s Dublin Strokeplay championship, Ann Flynn’s 137 performance at Bellewstown means Glenville players have now secured gold and bronze medals over the years along with Best Nett in the National Ladies O55 junior grade Strokeplay championship. Ann pipped Ann Sweeney (St. Bridget’s) on the countback. Nuala Stafford (Stackallen) captured National Ladies O55 Junior grade Strokeplay championship Best Nett with 101 at Bellewstown, the third Leinster player in succession to do so.

 

Frank Ryan (St. Bridget’s) joined Pat Greene as a three time winner of the National Gents O55 Senior Grade Strokeplay championship when he posted a superb 96 at boiling Bellewstown on July 16th. Frank won by four and he is the first player to win three titles while playing out of three different clubs – RGSC (2007), Athgarvan (2018) and St. Bridget’s (2022). Former two-time winner Anthony Malone (Lucan) shot 100 in second place on his way to becoming the third player in history to achieve a win and a runners-up placing in the National Gents O55 Senior Grade Strokeplay Championship. Brother of Open champion Padraig, Tadgh Harrington became the first member of the Fairview CY club to achieve a podium finish at the National O55 Strokeplay championships when 101 saw the Dublin player come third.Jimmy O’Neill (Larkspur Park) restored Munster’s stranglehold on the Best Nett category of the Gents O55 Senior Grade Strokeplay with 99 at Bellewstown.

 

JJ Quirke scored 104 to be the sixth Cork player in history to win the National Gent’s Over 55 Intermediate Grade Strokeplay Championship and the first from the Fermoy club to do so. Gerry Breen Snr fired 107 and was the first player from Seapoint to finish runner-up in the National Gents O55 Intermediate Grade Strokeplay since 2005. With 109 for 36 holes, John Kennedy (McDonagh) replicated his third place finish in the 2018 Leinster Intermediate Strokeplay Championship, which was at Bagenalstown. 2022 Nett winner Oliver Plunkett ensured a National Gents O55 Intermediate Grade Strokeplay podium finish for Bellewstown with his fine 94 on home turf.

 

With his impressive 109 tally, Stephen Ashcroft (Raffeen Creek) became the first player in history to progress from National Gents O55 Junior Grade Strokeplay Championship Nett winner (in 2019) to overall winner (2022). Having scored 112, Tom Metcalfe (Rochfortbridge) mirrored the 2016 achievement of club colleague Charlie McHugh by finishing runner-up. Anthony Butler (Seapoint) built on experience gained in the final round of the National Strokeplay at Ring Commons to clinch third place on 113. Paul Jacobi’s (Lough Owel) Best Nett win on 95 continues the good run for Dutch natives in the event, which includes recent podium finishes for 2016 champion Martin Verbeek and Ed Janssen.

 

Irish Open

 

The VIII Irish Open was played at the Tullamore course in Co. Offaly on July 23rd/24th.

 

The most decorated Irish juvenile player of all time, Evan Carry (Castletown) holed a six foot birdie putt on the final green to shoot 48 on Sunday and 143 (-19) overall to win by one from Tullamore's own Patrick Murphy and Kieran Earls (Parteen). Earls went close with a birdie chip on that final green and settled for a final round of 47 for a 144 aggregate. Patrick Murphy also signed for a Sunday 47 to jump up into second place, just piping Kieran Earls on the tiebreaker. John Walsh (Collins) was in a prime challenging position on Saturday night on 96, but a closing 51 left the World Cup and European Championship winner fifth on 15 under par, with William Buckley Junior (Erry) narrowly taking fourth place, courtesy of a 49 final eighteen.

 

There was great celebration for Tullamore as the popular local member Anthony Galvin claimed Senior (O55) honours with a last round 49 for a 54-hole tally of 151. The host club completed dominated that category with Paul Carey clinching second place. In a threeway tie for runner-up, Carey's 51 on Sunday narrowly edged out club-mate Paddy Kelly (who was third on the countback) and Erry's Leonard O'Meara, who both scored 53 final rounds.

 

An outstanding 48 in the final round by Eleanor Walsh saw the 2017 World Ladies Strokeplay champion from Fermoy win the Irish Ladies Open.  That left Eleanor four under the card on 158, a full six strokes ahead of former two-time winner and overnight leader Chrissie Sheedy (Ireland) who finished second with Esther de Schiffart (Netherlands) third on 166, just ahead of Breda White (Ireland) on the Last 18.

 

National U16 Strokeplay & Inter-County

 

Sarah Cooney became the first player representing a Co. Louth club to retain the National Girls’ Strokeplay Championship when she posted 118 for a seven stroke win at Deerpark on August 20th to be is the eighth player in history to be champion in successive years. Sarah become the second player in history (after Lucan’s Eimear Ahern) to win the National Girls’ Strokeplay Championship and the National Girls’ Matchplay Championship in the same year. Sophie Moynihan (Tralee) emulated her sister Ella Moynihan who was previously runner-up in the National Girls’ Strokeplay championship. Sarah Ryan (Tipperary Hills) was the first Co. Tipperary player to achieve a podium finish in the Girls’ championship since Sive Shelley was runner-up at Tipperary Hills in 2015. Sarah scored 132 at Deerpark to take third place and be the first Tipperary Hills member ever to achieve a podium finish in the National Girls’ Strokeplay championship.

 

Listowel’s A Jay Barrett is the fifth Co. Kerry winner (and first from the Listowel club) of the National Boys Strokeplay having returned 100 at Deerpark to be the first Co. Kerry winner of the National Boys’ Strokeplay championship since Conor McCarthy (Deerpark) was victorious at Pfizer (now Raffeen Creek) in 2013. Adam O’Brien was the first player from the Lakeside club in Templemore to finish runner-up in the National Boys Strokeplay Championship with his 110 (56, 54) aggregate. Brian McCarthy made it four players who have won the Boys’ 10-13 award and also win a bronze medal in the National Boys’ Strokeplay championship when the Deerpark player also scored 110 (54, 56) at Deepark. 

 

Jack McShane shot 112 to be the first player since Evan Carry in 2014 to win the National Boys’ Strokeplay Best U13 award in the having also won that category in the same year’s Leinster Strokeplay. Jack also joined Evan as a Leinster U16 Matchplay champion who has won the National Boys’ Strokeplay Best U13 category and win the Helen McMorrow Cup. Jack was the first player to achieve that in a single year.

 

After posting a new record low winning aggregate for the National U16 Inter-County championship at 312 in Deerpark, Kerry (Brian McCarthy, A Jay Barrett, Noah Sexton and Nathan Cronin) moved on to seven Tommy Murphy Cup wins, consolidating the Kingdom’s third place on the all-time Roll of Honour. Tipperary (Adam O'Brien, Pauric Bergin, Joe Franklin and Jack Duggan) scored 332 and finished second in the National U16 Inter-County championship for the first time since 2003 and for the fifth time in all. Following the introduction of the multiple team format, Kerry are the first county to achieve two podium finishes in the same year. Ben Kelliher, Jayden Chute, Daniel Leahy and Dylan Sweeney produced 334 for the second team that claimed bronze medals.

 

National U20 Strokeplay

 

With a fine 97 at Deerpark, Jack Buckley (Collinstown) became the first Co. Westmeath winner of the National U20 Strokeplay Championship. In so doing, Jack was the first former winner of the National Boys’ Matchplay Plate event to go on and claim the U20s title. He was also the first provincial U16 Matchplay kingpin to progress to win the National U20 Strokeplay Championship. Second-placed Cian Murphy (St. Anne’s) scored 98 in joining Evan Carry as previous podium finishers in the National U16 Strokeplay championship to also feature amongst the prize winners at the National U20 Strokeplay championship. David Murray (Collins) fired 99 (51, 48) as he became the first player in history to finish third in the National U20 Strokeplay Championship having also been third in that year’s provincial Intermediate Strokeplay Championship. David just edged-out Ralph Fitzgerald (50, 49) on the Second 18.

 

National Inter-County

 

For the second time in seven years, a whole day’s play in the Inter-County championships was lost to the weather, both times in Cork – Douglas 2015 and Rocklodge 2022.

 

Results were declared on the 36 holes played on Saturday September 10th. Cork Gents (John Cahill, John O'Leary, Robert O'Donoghue, John Walsh, Ray Murphy, Eoin Walsh) returned a winning team total of 356 to move on to 24 Inter-County wins, extending their lead at the top of the all-time Roll of Honour.

 

Nine strokes behind on 365, Kerry (Jason O'Regan, Damien Fleming, Alan Hobbart, Michael Conway, Chris Gibney, John McGrath) were runners-up for the fourth time and for the first time since their silver medal performance at St. Annes in 2010.

 

Dublin (Gary Healy, Chris Gallagher, Stephen Murray, Colin Byrne, George McGreal, Jason Larkin) finished in the Top Three of the Gent’s Inter-County championship for the ninth staging in succession.

 

Dublin edged-out Louth (Sean Goggin, Darren Fagan, Mark Millar, Jim Judge, Ian Donnelly, George Beardsley) for third place on the sixth singles card tiebreaker, just as they piped the Wee County for the silver medals at Ryston in 2017. The teams had tied on 373 at Rocklodge.

 

Nett scoring was complex and captivating. Wexford (Paul Tobin, Dean Grannell, Richard Grannell, Wayne Allen, Martin O’Neill, Dylan Hudson) raised the Eamonn Birchall Trophy with their 373⅝ tally just ahead of Meath (Ian Farrelly, Paul Nolan, Paul O’Rourke, Cliff O’Brien, Evan Ganly, Evan Carry) on 377½.

 

Kildare (Mary Donnelly & Tara Dillon 99, Marian Courtney & Chrissie Byrne 100) narrowly won their 12th National Ladies Inter-County Championship, which consolidates the Short Grass County’s second position in the championship’s Roll of Honour behind Dublin’s 21 titles.

 

Kildare’s 199 was just a single stroke better than the host county. Cork (Mary Murray & Ailish Sexton 97, Sarah McGrath & Paula Nolan 103) finished second in the Ladies Inter-County championship for the 13th time. That ties the Rebel ladies with Kildare in second spot, one behind Dublin on the all-time list.

 

Dublin (Maree O'Toole & Glenda Hoey 105, Geraldine Ward & Sheelagh Elmes 105) claimed bronze medals in the Ladies Inter-County Championship for the eighth time since third place was officially awarded in 1991.

 

Nett winners on 149¾, Meath (Paula Lynch, Yvonne Quinn, Margaret Reilly, Ursula Dowd) achieved a podium finish in the National Ladies Inter-County Championship for the first time since the Royals were third at Seapoint in 2002.

 

National Scotch Foursomes

 

Grainne Shelley & Derek Shelley became the seventh pairing in history to win the National Mixed Foursomes (now the National Mixed Scotch Foursomes) over their home course when the Larkspur Park couple scored 96 points around the superb Cashel course on October 1st. Grainne and Derek won by a single point from another Tipperary team Kathleen Shanley & John Fitzgerald. Kathleen & John were the fourth Tipperary pair in eight stagings (and the fifth in history) to take second place in the National Mixed Foursomes. 

 

2022 Munster Intermediate Strokeplay champion Paula Nolan linked with Garrett O’Mahony to score 85 points and be the second Rocklodge pair (after Paul O’Sullivan & Teresa Dilworth in 1977) to take Best Gross at the National Mixed Foursomes. Josephine Tobin and Thomas Roberts emulated their Lakeside club-mates Michael Fennell & Elaine Quinn by winning a Session prize at the National Mixed Foursomes when they scored 93 points in the 1st Session. Dylan Ahern matched his parents Nicola and Morty (who featured on the National Mixed Foursomes podium in 2010) and Gillian Morrissey became the first player from her club to achieve a podium finish in the National Mixed Foursomes since 2015 as the Collins/St. Anne’s combination posted 94 points to claim the 2nd Session award.

 

On the following day at Larkspur Park, Alan Hogan & George Goldman harvested a best ever winning aggregate of 101 points in the short history of the event as they became the first pair from Larkspur Park and the first from Co. Tipperary to win the National Non-Mixed Scotch Foursomes. Michael Buckley and John Fitzgerald (Hillview) combined for 99 points, which is the best ever runners-up score in the National Non-Mixed Scotch Foursomes as John became the first player in history to achieve podium finishes in both the National Mixed and National Non-Mixed Scotch Foursomes in the same year.

 

Douglas duo Denis O'Sullivan & Rob O'Donoghue set a new record Gross total for the National Non-Mixed Scotch Foursomes with their fabulous 98 points. Munster Junior Inter-County winner Gerard Tuite& Lakeside club-mate Matt Corrigan also emulated club colleagues Michael Fennell & Elaine Quinn by winning a Session prize at the National Foursomes when their 97 points harvested First Session honours. 2nd Session prize winners were Ian Farrelly & Sean Kennedy (Bellewstown) on 96 points – Ian continuing his outstanding National Foursomes resumé and Sean building on his Trim Scratch Cup success earlier in the season.

 

Intermediate & Junior Inter-County Challenge

 

Cork (Donal Duggan, Jimmy Quinn, Robbie Donovan, Cian Murphy, J.J. Quirke, Darren O’Leary), the holders of the All Ireland Intermediate Inter-County championship, retained their title at Larkspur Park on November 5th. Cork recovered from a 1-2 Scotch Foursomes deficit by bagging all of the first four singles matches in to earn a thrilling 5-4 victory over a gallant Wexford side (Ruairi Fortune, Dale Kirwan, Paul Gorby, Dan Power, Michael Molloy, Jim Bob Kirwan).

 

Limerick (Shaun Donegan, Ralph Fitzgerald, Rick Harty, Mike O'Donnell, Peadar McCarthy, Kieran Donegan) led Louth (Anthony Butler, Glen Martin, Michael Leech, Stephen Behan, John Conaghan Derek Reynolds) by 3-0 after the Foursomes in the Junior final and maintained their dominance through the singles to run out 7-2 winners.

 

Happy New Year to everyone in the Pitch & Putt Ireland Community