Preview - National Seniors Strokeplay 2025
Junior Gents preview by John Manning
Defending Junior champion Kieran O’Driscoll (Ballinlough) will play in the penultimate threeball of the 2025 tournament. O’Driscoll’s fellow competitors in that group will be Martin Clarke (Kilbeggan), who played in the senior grade at Tullamore in 2009 and Richard Harkin (Loughlinstown), a National Mixed Team event silver medallist with Loughlinstown in 2010. Harkin was third in the recent Dublin Strokeplay.
John Long (Claycastle) won the Junior B championship at St. Stephen’s twelve months ago and is drawn in the final threesome of the day, alongside 2024 Kildare Matchplay runner-up Michael Foley (Athgarvan) and 2019 Leinster Non-Mixed Scotch Foursomes winner Jimmy Burke (Navan).
Thos Warren (E.S.B.) won five Cork County Senior League titles with Carrigaline in the 1970s/80s.
Reigning Dublin Strokeplay champion Noel Flanagan (Loughlinstown) has been a Leinster Strokeplay runner-up in both the senior and intermediate grades in the past as well as excelling with Loughlinstown in team events down the years.
Renowned juvenile coach and Pitch and Putt commentator, Michael Cunningham (Kilbeggan) was a member of Kilbeggan 1991 Carrolls Club Tournament runner-up and 2007 National Mixed Team Event runner-up quartets.
Lorenzo Rinaudo (Royal Meath) reached this year’s Meath Junior Matchplay final while Lucan’s Alan Gilmartin was 2024 Dublin Strokeplay champion. Charlie McHugh (Rochfortbridge) finished third at Fermoy in 2016.
Mixed and Non-Mixed Scotch Foursomes specialist Thomas Roberts (Lakeside) was Munster Junior B Strokeplay championship runner-up at Fermoy two years ago.
Host club representatives Peter Dunning and Simon Ryan were National Inter-Club runners-up with Riverdale last year.
Nicholas Byrne (Collins) was victorious at Glenville just two years ago and will be confident of a repeat showing following his impressive 103 at Fermoy to qualify for the Munster Strokeplay last Sunday. Byrne was also third at McDonagh in 2018.
Gerry Doyle won the championship in 2019 whilst playing out of McDonagh. He would love to add the name of his current club Poulaphouca to the Roll of Honour.
Ardnacrusha’s Brian Dillon took the bronze medal in the 2019 National Strokeplay championship.
Best of Luck to all and thanks as always to John Manning
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