Pitch & Putt Ireland2025 National Gents INTERMEDIATE Matchplay Preview
We continue our Matchplay previews today with our Gents INTERMEDIATE Section with thanks to John Manning:
With holder John Looney and Leinster Matchplay top dog Paul Lowry both in the senior championship, main billing in the intermediate championship goes to Munster kingpin Noel Stapleton (Lakeside). In the first round at Tullamore, Stapleton faces Stephen Knight (Royal Meath), who was Nett winner in the 2020 National Strokeplay championship.
A National Intermediate Inter-County winner with Cork, Morty Ahern (Collins), fell narrowly to Noel Stapleton in the provincial semi-final. Here, Ahern will joust with Listowel’s Ger Guerin for a place in the Tullamore second round. Guerin reached the 2023 Munster Matchplay semi-finals.
To Frank O’Brien (Collins), a bronze medallist in the 2018 National Strokeplay at Glenville, goes the honour of striking the first pitch of the championship. That will be against Tullamore’s P.J. Murphy, a man who can claim a previous win at Erry should he get that far – the 2019 Jerry Rock Memorial Scratch Cup.
Others looking to prosper in the first quarter of the draw are Seapoint’s Paul Cooney (National Intermediate Inter-County runner-up with Louth in 2023), current Meath Matchplay champion Eoghan Stanley (Stackallen), 2019 National Junior Inter-County winner with Tipperary, Ken Hayes (Larkspur Park), 2023 provincial Matchplay finalist Mark Comerford (Gowran) and Niall Seery (Cill na Móna), who has seen much success with Clare in the Inter-County arena.
A likely semi-finalist from this section is Tullamore’s Mark Hogan, who won the 2024 Leinster Intermediate Matchplay championship at Erry. First up for Mark is 2025 Leinster Scotch Foursomes winner Niall Bennett (Loughlinstown).
A compelling encounter in the second quarter brings together the youthful Billy Buckley (Collinstown) and the more experienced Donal Duggan (St. Anne’s). Having excelled as a juvenile, Buckley finished third in last year’s Intermediate Strokeplay championship. Duggan was a second place finisher in the 2013 National Strokeplay ay senior level. Billy reached last year’s Leinster Matchplay final at Erry while Donal was crowned Cork Intermediate Matchplay champion in 2005.
2022 Cork Intermediate Matchplay champion Bryan Murphy (Raffeen Creek) is also in this section, opposed by 2019 Munster Inter-County runner-up Celestine Ryan (Larkspur Park). Ultra-experienced in Inter-Club and Inter-County combat, 2017 Leinster Matchplay champ, Kevin Knox (Gowran), will be quietly confident.
In addition to Mark Hogan and P. J. Murphy, Tullamore (host course for the early rounds) field three more worthy contenders. Dillon Melia was a 2009 Leinster Juvenile Inter-County winner in Offaly colours while Paddy Ward reached the 2023 Leinster Intermediate Matchplay semi-finals at Erry. Jack Carroll is a regular qualifier for the major events. Initially, Jack faces a man who was in the last four of the main championship, 36 years ago in 1989, Sean Minogue (Riverdale).
Others contending in the third quarter are likely to be Noel Stapleton, 2023 Munster Strokeplay champion Darren Temple (St. Stephen’s), Erry’s John Meehan (who finished fourth in last year’s National Junior Strokeplay championship), 2019 National Scotch Foursomes runners-up from St. Anne’s Ian Leech and Michael Long together with 2018 Leinster Junior Matchplay runner-up, Richie Walsh (Trim).
2024 National Intermediate Strokeplay runner-up, Ruairi Fortune (St. Patrick’s) is the standout player in the fourth quarter. Ruairi is first challenged by Sean O’Connor (Hillview), who won this year’s Tipperary Junior Matchplay championship.
Worth seeing will be the first round match between Kyle Thornton (Killineer) and Callum O’Donovan (Collins), the National Junior Strokeplay champions of 2023 and 2024 respectively.
Recent Leinster Matchplay runner-up John O’Keeffe (Custume) is in the second last match out, versus former NEC Officer and greenkeeping expert Gerard O’Connor (Deerpark).
Thanks to John for the preview and Best of luck Gents
Latest National News
Latest Regional News
| Galway Masters June 1st |
| Galway Masters at Mellows |
| Kilbeggan - Bob Gorman Memorial Open Scotch Foursomes. |
| Old County Open 2025 |
| Royal Meath Scotch Foursomes |