This competition holds a special place in my heart. Last year the competition spluttered and stuttered and then burst into life at the semi-final stage. We were treated to two final semi-finals, and a final of high intensity, high drama and equally high quality. Having looked through this year’s finalists, their route through qualifying and the subsequent draw, I think we’ve got the best Championship of the weekend here from the very first match.


Look at the facts: there are very skilful young players (Pyke, Melia); there are some very experienced players (Egan, Leddy); there are some players who have done well at Inter level previously (Hayden) and there are two of the best perms you’d do well to better in Liverpool during the 70’s (you can guess those yourself).


First match up is Lough Owel’s Niall Corcoran and Erry’s new recruit Aonghus Coughlan. I would be shocked if Coughlan doesn’t make the quarter-finals, but great respect to Corcoran on making the finals, as his qualifying group wasn’t easy to navigate. Coughlan’s opponent should be Dessie Baker, who if he produces some of the Pitch and Putt that he has done the past few weeks then Ierne’s William Byrne will have had a long fruitless journey down from the capital. That would set up an epic quarter-final between Coughlan and Baker, and that game is right in the melting pot. It would be a toss-up but the prospect of making the Semi-finals with home advantage might be the tipping point for Coughlan.


The bottom two games of the the top half couldn’t be more different. Bellewstown’s John Byrne concedes home advantage to Dillon Melia, and it will prove too much as this young guy is a super player. He knocked out one of my favourites to qualify before a ball was played (Dinny Hill), and I think he could determine this championship himself. He will face the winner of another epic-in-waiting, the long-suffering West Brom fan, Charlie Egan (Erin’s Isle) or the very definition of an Intermediate player, Lucan’s David Hayden II. I’m not going to predict a winner to this game, as I cannot call it, but I don’t think it matters who progresses, as I feel Dillon Melia will have too much for either in the quarter-final.


The bottom half of the draw starts with a potentially great game between Richard Lambe of Cement and John Leddy of Navan. If I’m correct Lambe played in the National Inter-Co for Louth last year. John Leddy will provide a stern challenge but I think Lambe will progress and will have a good chance of bringing the cup back up the N51 to Drogheda. Still, best to bring the cup down to Tullamore on Saturday – just to be on the safe side!

The next tie is going to be a battle of wills between Colin Byrne and Stephen Ruane. Ruane is a very nuanced player, and Matchplay suits his game and style of play. Byrne is an adept pitch and putt player, but will need to get to grips with Ruane early, or he’ll be in trouble, as the Collinstown man will know Tullamore well. That would set up a quarter-final between Lambe and Ruane. It will be hard to decide this, but Ruane could shade it.

The final games of the first stage are between the Colin Meaney lookalike’s: Lucan’s Noel Ryan and Ryston’s Fran O’Connor. I know Ryan from a long way back, and he’s a very good player, and passionate about pitch and putt. Fran is a little more laid back, horizontal you might put it, but that belies a tidy player. This will be a fine tussle, and O’Connor might just shade it. The final game will also be good, Dean Grannell of St Pat’s has the pleasure of trying to eliminate Tullamore’s Gary Pyke. Again, like his Junior clubmate, Grannell made the 250km round trip to get some practice in this week, and that commitment must be applauded. It will more than likely be in vain, as Gary Pyke is a player we feel can go places in Offaly in he sticks at it, and I think he is a potential winner this weekend. I have no doubt that he is going to meet Stephen Ruane in Sunday’s semi-final.


So in my humble opinion, we could be looking at a semi-final line up of Coughlan/Melia, and Ruane/Pyke. I can see an all-Offaly final, but after that things are blurry!


I’ll go with Gary Pyke for the win.