“Group of death” is not a suitable cliché for the final section of the 2013 National Gent’s Matchplay Championship. “Group of ritualistic sadomasochistic death” is more appropriate for a group that contains two former national champions, the current Munster matchplay champion, and two very serious challengers from North East Leinster. I’m not sure whether I feel sorry for the three minnows or the larger fish of which only 1 can succeed.

I’ll jump straight in as time is against me. I was delighted to see the most well-known Jaw in Pitch and Putt win the Munster Matchplay Championship. Overshadowed in recent times by the brother, Paudius, and then secondly by Anthony O’Loughlin, the Munster Matchplay was rightly Gary O’Sullivan’s time in the spotlight. It cemented a great start to the season, which was augmented by National qualification. That was crucial after having a bit of a hard luck story last year where as one of the 4 locals to qualify, a good run would have been expected, but that was ended prematurely by Crangle. Consequently you could understand if the Jaw was thinking the gods would shine on him a bit more favourably this time around. Sure enough, he gets a nasty first round match against Bruff’s Liam O’Donovan. Ok, not as tough a match as it would have been 5 years ago, but O’Donovan is still a class operator and has a wealth of experience amassed from both his National and International days.
I think if O’Sullivan can start well his confidence will soar, and I see no reason why he won’t win out, but it will be a job and a half. O’Sullivan to round 2.

Sean Goggin has a nice start. He has to contend with Fintan Wogan from Castletown. As someone said to me the other day, “that fella is too long a cat to get bitten by a kitten”, and I cannot think of a more apt adage for this tie. Goggin is one of these fella’s that I expect to go close at some stage, and he has been unlucky over the years. He certainly has grasped the nettle since the turmoil in Louth first came to the fore, and in fairness to Goggs he is well worth his place at any finals. He will have no difficulty in dispatching Wogan I’m sure.

Packie McBride is a curious sort. Quiet, a bit in the Downes mould, he should be a cracking player, but a little bit like my auld mucker George McGreal, I never sense he gets to hett up about wins or loses on the Pitch and Putt course. Probably best, as this game would melt your head at the best of times. If it happens for McBride, it happens, if not, then sod it. The Stackallen club captain also has a nice first round tie against St Patrick’s Derek Ryan, and there isn’t anything coming back from Wexford to suggest that Ryan will be booking in for breakfast on Sunday morning.

The leaves the final match of the first round. 2011 winner and seed Damien Fleming tees up against Castlelyons’ St John O’Connor. As I alluded elsewhere, and to ensure no embarrassment to either player or announcer his name is pronounced Sinjin, or Sinjun, not literally “Saint John”; although it might help if the man from the small club on the fringes of Fermoy could call on some unearthly powers, because this match could be a demolition if Fleming starts strongly. O’Connor has done well to reach this stage, and from watching a bit of his practice on Thursday afternoon, this guy can play a bit. Putting could be his Achilles heel though, and no worse place for that to manifest itself than Lucan. No problems here for Fleming.

Gary O’Sullivan will have a tough game with Sean Goggin. Goggin really is a good matchplayer, and he will be quietly confident ahead of these championships, and while he’ll afford O’Sullivan all the respect a champion deserves, but he will be far from afraid. To be honest I’d be worried that the size of the task ahead might become a little over-bearing on O’Sullivan, and I think the more relaxed start will play into Goggin’s hands. This will go to the wire, but sooner or later Sean’s luck will turn in a tight match, and I think this will be that time.

Packie McBride and Damien Fleming will be a great game to follow. What odds on two Stackallen men bookending the bottom half of the draw. It’s not uncertain by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s hard to look past Fleming and his exploits over the past few years have marked him out as one to watch.

All of which means Sean Goggin takes on the challenge of Damien Fleming for the final quarter-final slot. I contend that this Championship is a slow burner, but there is no denying that the latter stages see some excellent ties, and this will be right up there with the best of them. Hard to know what way it will go, the expectation in Munster will be that Fleming will win, but will Leinster feel the same about Goggin. Sean is another one who I’ve placed something of a jinx on in recent seasons, and I’m going to continue the trend in the hope that he bucks it. Not a lot will decide this one, I dunno has Fleming been playing to his same high standards so far this year, and as we all know it can be quite hard to turn it on on demand. Sean Goggin for the final spot.