Pitch & Putt Ireland2022 National Intermediate and Junior Inter-County Challenge
A look at Saturday's teams in Larkspur Park
Ahead of our final National event for 2022 this Saturday in Larkspur Park, the National Intermediate and Junior Inter-County Challenge, John Manning profiles the four teams taking part in the two matches.
Intermediate- Cork v Wexford
Cork
Jimmy Quinn (Fermoy) was runner-up in the 2005 National Junior Strokeplay championship at Royal Meath and also runner-up in the National Intermediate Strokeplay Championship of 2017 at Hillview. 2017 National Intermediate/Junior Inter-Club winner with Fermoy, Jimmy helped Cork to Munster and All Ireland Intermediate Inter-County championship glory in 2019.
Donal Duggan (St. Annes) was runner-up to Ray Murphy in 2013 National Strokeplay championship at Rocklodge. Donal was 2005 Cork Intermediate Matchplay Champion at St. Annes having reached the previous year’s final at Rocklodge. Donal helped Cork to the 2013 Munster Inter-County title at St. Anne’s.
Cian Murphy (St. Annes) was runner-up in the 2022 National U20 Strokeplay championship at Deerpark. A National Juvenile Inter-County winner with Cork in 2016 and 2017, Cian was crowned Munster Juvenile Matchplay champion in 2017. Cian earned Munster Juvenile Inter-County honours with Cork in 2016.
Robbie Donovan, (Fermoy) came third in the 2022 Cork Intermediate Strokeplay, a championship he won in 2020 at Majestic. A 2017 National Intermediate/Junior Inter-Club winner with Fermoy, Robbie claimed Best Gross in the 1998 National Mixed Foursomes with club-mate Joan Coughlan. Robbie was also the 1997 Cork Intermediate Matchplay champion.
Darren O'Leary (St Annes) was crowned Munster Intermediate Matchplay champion at Bishopstown in September. ESB Intermediate Scratch Cup winner earlier this year, Darren has been a regular on the podium at Scratch Cups all season and reached the recent Cork Matchplay semi-finals.
JJ Quirke (Fermoy) captured the 2022 National O55 Intermediate Grade Strokeplay championship at Bellewstown. Third in the 2022 Cork Intermediate Strokeplay at Fermoy, JJ was a 2017 National Intermediate/Junior Inter-Club winner with Fermoy. Like club-mate Jimmy Quinn, JJ played on the Munster and All Ireland Intermediate Inter-County championship winning Cork teams of 2019.
Cork’s travelling reserve is Ian Leech (St. Annes) – a former Cork Junior Strokeplay and Matchplay champion and runner-up in the National Scotch Foursomes of 2019.
Wexford
The Slaneysiders will be represented by six members of the St. Patricks club in Enniscorthy. Only two, Ruairi Fortune (who will captain the side at Larkspur Park) and Dan Power, played in the Leinster Inter-County championship. Stints overseas, a wedding and injury lead to a number of personnel changes.
Ruairi Fortune was 2017 Leinster Intermediate Strokeplay Champion at St. Bridget’s. A 2014 National Inter-Club winner with St. Patrick’s, Ruairi has extensive Inter-County experience, helping Wexford to the 2014 Leinster Junior Inter-County championship title at Athgarvan. A provincial Junior Matchplay semi-finalist in 2014, Ruairi holds two Leinster Inter-County bronze medals (senior and intermediate), won on the same weekend at Lough Owel in 2017. Ruairi was part of the Wexford provincial Intermediate Inter-County championship runner-up team in 2016.
Dan Power represented Wexford in the 2012 Community Games Pitch and Putt finals at Athlone. He was Gowran Intermediate Scratch Cup winner in 2022 and runner-up in St. Patrick’s and Loughlinstown Junior Scratch Cups last year. Dan won the St. Patrick’s Club Junior Strokeplay title in 2020.
Paul Gorby was St. Patrick’s Intermediate Club Strokeplay champion in 2022 having triumphed in the junior equivalent twelve months previously. Paul was runner-up in the 2022 St. Patrick’s Junior Scratch Cup.
Jim Bob Kirwan finished third with Wexford in the Leinster Intermediate Inter-County championships of 2014 at McDonagh and 2017 at Lough Owel. 2021 St. Patrick’s Club Captain, Jim Bobwas crowned 2020 Intermediate Club Strokeplay champion. He helped St. Patrick’s to runners-up spot in the 1997 Leinster Inter-Club tournament at Bagenalstown.
Mick Molloy was a member of Wexford’s 2016 Leinster Junior Inter-County championship winning team at St. Bridget’s. He played on the St. Patrick’s side that was runner-up in the 2019 National Intermediate/Junior Inter-Club at Lakeside.2016 Carlow/Kilkenny/Wexford Regional Junior Strokeplay runner-up, Mick actually co-managed the team (with Dean Grannell) to success in the Leinster Inter-County at Killineer in August.
Dale Kirwan captained Wexford to second place in the 2022 Leinster Junior Inter-County championship at Killineer. Dale was Carlow/Kilkenny/Wexford Regional Junior Matchplay champion in 2021.
Junior- Limerick v Louth
Limerick
Shaun Donegan (Bruff) is the Limerick team captain. Shaun finished fourth in the 2022 Munster Junior Strokeplay championship. Having won the Limerick Junior Matchplay championship in 2021, Shaun was runner-up in both the Limerick County Junior Strokeplay and Limerick Masters Junior Grade this year.
Ralph Fitzgerald (Ardnacrusha) finished fourth in the 2022 National U20 Strokeplay championship on 99 at Deerpark (pipped for third on the second eighteen), having also placed fourth in the 2021 National Juvenile Strokeplay championship at Lakeside, edged-out on the tiebreaker for the bronze medal by Hillview’s Joe Franklin after a tie on 105. Ralph was 2022 Ardnacrusha Intermediate Scratch Cup winner.
Rick Harty (Ardnacrusha) was runner-up in the 2022 Limerick County Board Junior Scratch Cup. 2022 Larkspur Park Junior Scratch Cup winner with 105, Rick finished third in the 2022 Munster Junior Strokeplay championship with 163. Rick was 2022 Limerick Masters Junior Grade winner at Ardnacrusha.
Mike O'Donnell (Bruff) finished fifth in 2022 Munster Junior Strokeplay championship at Bruff. Mike was runner-up in the 2021 Limerick Masters Junior grade at Bruff
Peadar McCarthy (Bruff) qualified for the final round of the 2022 National Junior Strokeplay championship at Ring Commons and finished eighth. Peadar was crowned Limerick County Junior Strokeplay champion 2022 at Bruff and also won this year’s Riverdale Junior Scratch Cup
Kieran Donegan (Bruff) is the reigning Bruff Club Junior Strokeplay champion. He was runner-up in the Limerick Junior Strokeplay in 2021 and in the County Junior Matchplay in 2020. Kieran captured Best Junior Gross at the 2022 Limerick Ryan Cup at Bruff having been second in the 2021 Limerick/Clare Junior Scratch Cup.
Travelling Reserve is Aidan O’Sullivan (Bruff) who qualified for the final round of this year’s National Junior Strokeplay at Ring Commons. Aidan took third place in the 2020 Bruff Junior Scratch Cup.
Louth
Team captain Anthony Butler (Seapoint) played all three rounds of the National Junior Strokeplay at Ring Commons. He finished third in the National O55 Junior Grade Strokeplay championship at Bellewstown, shooting 113 to end four strokes shy of winner Stephen Ashcroft. Second in Killineer Junior Scratch Cup this season, Anthony won the 2022 Stackallen Junior Scratch Cup.
Glen Martin (Killineer)is the reigning National Junior Strokeplay champion after his 146 tally at Ring Commons. Runner-up in this year’s Leinster Gents Junior Strokeplay championship at Trim, Glen was also runner-up in the 2010 All Ireland Schools competition with St. Joseph’s (Drogheda) at Tullamore. He helped Louth to third place in the 2009 National Juvenile Inter-County championship at Portmarnock. 2016 Leinster Junior Matchplay runner-up at Bellewstown, Glen finished third in the 2006 and 2007 Leinster Juvenile Strokeplay Championships. Glen was a Leinster Juvenile Inter-County winner with Louth in 2004, 2005 and 2006.
Michael Leech (Killineer) was runner-up in the 2022 Louth County Strokeplay championship with 112 at Killineer. Michael won the Killineer Club Captain’s Prize in 2021
Stephen Behan (Killineer) finished second in the 2018 National Junior Strokeplay championship at Glenville, one stroke behind winner John Byrne (beating Stephen O’Neill of Larkspur Park on the final 18). Stephen took second place in the 2019 Leinster Foursomes at Collon alongside Gareth McLoughlin (Laytown).Killineer Club Strokeplay champion in 2021; Stephen was runner-up in the 2021 L/D/M Matchplay.
John Conaghan (Killineer) was runner-up in the recent National Junior Strokeplay Championship at Ring Commons with 150, four strokes behind teammate Glen Martin. John is the reigning Louth County Strokeplay champion having scored 110 at Killineer in May.
Derek Reynolds (Killineer) replaces Adam Crosby who played on the Louth team that won the Leinster Championship at Killineer in August.
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