Pitch & Putt IrelandEuropean Trial Preview
John Manning Presents our European Trial Preview:
Twelve players who previously represented Ireland in European Team championship combat feature in a field of 99 hopefuls that will contest the 2025 team trial at Lakeside on Saturday.
Liam O’Donovan (Bruff) provides a link to the Ireland side that won the inaugural European Team championship – at Chelmsford, England in 1999. The Limerick star went to collect three more European Team championship winners’ medals, in 2003, 2005 and 2007.
2012 and 2016 World Cup winner John Walsh (Collins) claimed his first European Team championship title alongside O’Donovan at McDonagh in 2003 and was also a member of the successful 2005 sextet at Overbetuwe.
Sean Harkins (Ryston) and Darren O’Reilly (Lucan) joined Walsh and O’Donovan in that 2003 success (the only previous time the European Team championship has been held in Ireland). Harkins had previously shared in the 2001 win at Lloret Papalus in Spain.
That 2001 Lloret final victory over the Catalans was Ray Murphy’s (St. Anne’s) first taste of European Team championship glory. The Cork great would win again with Ireland at Chia (Sardinia) in 2007 before helping Ireland to World Cup victories in 2008 and 2012.
John Cahill (Fermoy) was part of Ireland’s last European Team championship win – that was at Urduna in the Basque Country seven years ago. The championship hasn’t been held since then due to the Covid restrictions.
2012 and 2016 World Cup winner John Ross Crangle (Loughlinstown) also played on the successful 2018 European Team championship side as did James Cleary (Larkspur Park), Thomas Hanley (Bruff) and Bryan Delaney (ESB).
Chris Scannell (Collins) lifted the European Team championship trophy as Ireland captain at McDonagh in 2003 having earlier contributed to the 2001 winning team as did Mark Millar (Killineer).
Murphy, Scannell and Walsh probably won’t want reminding that they were part of the only Ireland team to lose a European Team championship final – that was to Catalonia, back at Lloret in 2010!
In addition to the World Cup winners already listed, the 2024 heroes from El Vendrell, Kieran Earls (Bruff), Damien Fleming (Deerpark), Ian Dillon (St. Bridget’s) and Padraic Sarsfield (MacBride) all play in the trial. At no. 1 in the rankings, Kieran Earls is very well-placed to claim a berth in the team for Lucan.
The top two players in the trial will qualify for Ireland’s European Team championship team. That six-man team will be completed by the top three players in the national rankings after Saturday’s tournament along with a wildcard pick by team manager Paddy Kelly (Trim).
Five more players with international representative experience, Dennis Monaghan (Shandon), Paudie O’Sullivan (Majestic), Sean Goggin (MacBride), 2011 European Strokeplay champion Ian Farrelly (Laytown) and Frank Ryan (St. Bridget’s) will tee it up at Lakeside.
Monaghan and Ryan played against Catalonia in the international challenges while Goggin, Farrelly and O’Sullivan faced the Dutch in the Willie Parker Challenge Cup matches.
2018 European Team championship winner and 2016 World Cup winner Eamon Gibney (Castletown) is unavailable for the trial. The Meath man is primed for automatic selection, given that he cannot be ousted from his current no. 2 position in the rankings.
The other contenders may not have earned an international cap yet but Saturday represents an ideal opportunity to put that right.
2023 National Strokeplay champion Stephen Shoer (Riverdale) knows Lakeside well. Stephen lies just behind Ray Murphy who is currently ranked no. 3. Stephen can target winning the trial or alternatively overhauling Ray to claim his spot on the team.
Tipperary Inter-County titan Michael Fennell and his Lakeside club colleague Noel Stapleton (who reached the recent National Intermediate Matchplay final) will bring their vast local knowledge to bear on proceedings while Leinster Matchplay champion Stephen Murray (Old County), 2024 Catalan Open runner-up David Sexton (Fermoy), former Leinster Strokeplay champion, George McGreal (Old County), and 2023 Irish Matchplay kingpin Stephen O’Reilly (Hillview) are others in top form.
Look out too for former WPPT Irish Master Damian Creevey (Lucan), 2020 Irish Open runner-up Dean Grannell (St. Patrick’s) along with 2024 Catalan International Pairs winners Gareth Walsh (Lucan) and Evan Carry (Castletown) plus 2023 Leinster Strokeplay champion Darren Fagan (Seapoint).
Play is initially over 36 holes with the top twelve players and ties qualifying for a final 18 holes. The final 18 will be streamed live on the Pitch and Putt Ireland Facebook page. Commentary will be by Derek O’Driscoll (McDonagh).
Thanks to John Manning and Best of luck to all.
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