Pitch & Putt Ireland2022 in Review: Part Two
John Manning looks at the year in Munster
St. Brendan's College, Killarney (Robbie Harnett 54, 55, 109; Cillian Courtney 58, 55, 113; Fintan Martin 58, 62, 120) scored 342 to win the Munster School's Tournament at Majestic on May 6th. Second were St. Francis College, Rochestown (Sean O'Sullivan 51, 55, 106; Liam McGrath 62, 54, 116; Colm O'Sullivan 59, 63, 122) with 344, ahead of third-placed Coláiste Choilm, Ballincollig (Cian Murphy 53, 49, 102; Zack Collins 58, 56,114; Jack O'Keeffe 60, 70, 130) with 346.
Mary Murray & John Treacy (Rocklodge) complemented each other splendidly for a winning aggregate of 91 points in the Munster Mixed Scotch Foursomes at Tralee, on May 14th. That was three points better than runners-up Elaine Quinn & Michael Fennell (Lakeside). Local couple Tony Blake & Lisa O'Connor (Tralee) scored 75 points to win Best Gross while First and Second 18 prizes were won by Liz Forde & Michael Abbott (Riverdale) and Brian & Majella Moynihan (Tralee) with 47 points and 43 points respectively.
Tralee pairs completely conquered the Non Mixed field. Paul O'Shea & Keith O’Brien (Tralee) amassed 98 points for a four stroke victory over club-mates Jamie Blake & Dan O'Leary (Tralee). 92 points was good enough to win Best Gross for Jason Cregan & Alan Hobbart (Tralee). First 18 winners were Darren Goodall & Roger Guthrie (Tralee) on 47 points while the Second 18 leaderboard was topped by Jason O'Regan & Mark O'Regan (Tralee) on 49 points.
Ray Murphy (St. Annes) was Munster Gent's Strokeplay Champion at Bruff, on May 29th. Ray’s 139 return saw him home by three from Kieran Earls (Bruff). Kieran’s club-mate Thomas Hanley was just another stroke back in third as another Bruff man John Farrell won the Nett. Craig Cahill (Rocklodge) signed for 153 to annex the Intermediate title, two strokes clear of Sean Minogue (Riverdale). Third was David Murray (Collins) with 156 while the Nett award went to William O'Donovan (Bruff). Junior Champion was Conor Cleary (Riverdale) who shot 160 for a one stroke margin over Michael O'Donoghue (Tipperary Hills) with Conor’s club colleague Rick Harty third on 163. Nett winner was Dean Lonergan (St. Annes).
The Munster Ladies Strokeplay Championships were also played at Bruff. Senior winner was Breda White (Tipperary Hills) on 112 with Shula McCarthy (Hillview) second on 117 and Lorraine Troy (Cunnigar) third on 119. Nett winner was Mary Murray (Rocklodge). Lakeside’s Mary Quinn lifted the Intermediate Cup after returning 119. Paula Nolan (Rocklodge) was runner-up on 120, following a countback, with Sarah O’Neill (Collins) also scoring 120. Mairead Manning (St. Stephens) scooped the Nett. Junior laurels were claimed by Gemma Martin (Hillview) on 133, one ahead of. Mary Anne Byrne (Fermoy). Veronica Anglim (Hillview) took the bronze medal on 137, while Michelle Flynn (Fermoy) won the Nett award.
Listowel club-mates and brothers Trevan Chute and Jayden Chute contested the Munster Juvenile Matchplay Championship final at Listowel on June 26th. Victory was Trevan’s on this occasion by 2&1. The Girls’ final was an all-Tralee affair, Lucy Grattan beating Ella Moynihan by 3&2. A Jay Barrett won the Boys Plate decider, another all Listowel decider with Dara Browne.
Adam O'Brien (Lakeside) survived a playoff with Nathan Cronin (Deerpark) for the Munster U16 Strokeplay Championship (age 14-15) at Cunnigar on August 5th. The pair had tied on level par in regulation play. Noah Sexton (Deerpark) claimed third spot with 111.
Another play-off ensued in the Munster Juvenile Strokeplay Championship (age 10-13 category). Joe Franklin (Hillview) won that one after he had tied with A Jay Barrett (Listowel) on 106 for the opening 36 holes. Third place went to Brian McCarthy (Deerpark) with 108. Sarah Ryan (Tipperary Hills) won the Girls Section.
Kerry (A Jay Barrett, Brian McCarthy, Nathan Cronin, Noah Sexton) won the parallel Munster U16 Inter-County Championship at Cunnigar, with Tipperary (Joe Franklin, Adam O'Brien, Jack Duggan, Pauric Bergin) second.
Tipperary (Stephen Shoer, Paul Sweeney, Michael Fennell, Kyle Kennedy, Joseph Danagher, James Cleary) Gents produced a Munster Inter-County Championship tour de force at Cunnigar on August 7th. A stunning Premier County score of 431 was too good for perennial contenders Cork (Eoin Walsh, John Cahill, John O'Leary, Rob O'Donoghue, Ray Murphy, John Walsh) who finished second on 434.
En route to national glory later in the year, Cork’s Intermediates (Jimmy Quinn, Donal Duggan, Cian Murphy, Robbie Donovan, Darren O'Leary, JJ Quirke) posted 448 to beat host county and runners-up Waterford (John O'Shea, Stephen Donovan, Aidan O'Rourke, Keith Power, Ronan Hogan, Owen Turbert) by 14 strokes.
Limerick’s Juniors (Ralph Fitzgerald, Rick Harty, Mick O'Donnell, Peadar McCarthy, Shaun and Kieran Donegan), who would go on to clinch their particular national title, lifted the Junior trophy on 490, a dozen shots clear of Tipperary’s (Francis Sage, Tommy Kiely, John Hogan, Sean O'Connor, Michael O'Donoghue, Ger Tuite) total of 502.
Best Gross in the Stableford Ladies Championship was delivered by Tipperary Seniors (Breda White, Shula McCarthy, Gemma McCarthy, Mary Quinn) with 214 points. Tipperary Intermediates (Frances Ryan, Margaret Courtney, Elaine Quinn, Bridget Shelley) landed the double by posting 254 points to head the Nett Category with Waterford (Lorraine Troy, Corinne McGee, Jacinta O'Mahony, Evelyn Torrens) second on 253 while Cork Intermediates (Mairead Manning, Mary Anne Byrne, Patsy O'Donovan, Vera McCarthy) were third on 250.
Kieran Earls (Bruff) went one better in the Munster Matchplay Championship at Bishopstown, on September 18th as the Strokeplay runner-up beat former champion Declan Freeman (Fermoy) by 6&5 in a high-quality final. Darren O’Leary won the all-St. Annes Intermediate final with a 4&2 verdict over Alan Keating. The home galleries cheered Eddie Delaney (Bishopstown) to the echo as the local man beat another St. Annes player Dean Lonergan by 2&1 in the Junior showpiece.
Not for the first time, Breda Lonergan achieved the provincial Strokeplay/Matchplay double by downing Mary Murray (Rocklodge) by 5&4 in the Ladies final. Mairead Manning (St Stephens) beat Elaine Quinn (Lakeside) by 3&2 in the Ladies Intermediate final while Grainne Shelly (Larkspur Park) outscored Angela Royer (Bishopstown) by 10&9 in the Ladies Junior.
Mary Murray (Rocklodge), Jo Henchion (St. Stephen's) & Nell McCarthy (Fermoy) won the Munster Ladies Social Tournament with 66⅔ at Fermoy on October 16th, on the Back 18 from Ann Daly (Fermoy), Kathleen Shanley & Gemma Martin (both Hillview). First 18 winners were Nora O'Driscoll (Fermoy), Sheila Ryan (Kilshannig) & Veronica Anglim (Hillview) on 34⅓, a score matched by Second 18 victors Noreen Ryan, Frances Tobin (both Fermoy) & Lesley Gilmore (Bishopstown). Maeve McCarthy (Bishopstown) and Eileen Hanley (The Ranges) both recorded aces.
Tomorrow: We look back on events nationally to conclude our review
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