Pitch & Putt IrelandPreview - National Gents Strokeplay - Junior
National Gents Strokeplay - Junior Preview by John Manning
On two of the four occasions that St. Anne’s has hosted the National Gents’ Junior Strokeplay championship, the host club has provided the winner.
Seeking to emulate the heroics of Tony Wall (in 1984) and Roy Sisk (1988) will be Bernard McKeon, Pat Sheehan and Declan Sheehan.
Bernard McKeon is the first of the home trio in action, playing with Ken Hickey (Bagenalstown), a 2024 Leinster Inter-County runner-up with Carlow.
2023 Cork Matchplay runner-up Declan Sheehan will line-up opposite the most experienced player of the 42 contestants, Noel Flanagan (Loughlinstown). Flanagan has played the sport at the highest level. The reigning Dublin Junior Strokeplay champion, Flanagan 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.
A final round qualifier last year, Pat Sheehan was a 2024 National Inter-Club winner with St. Anne’s. Pat will have 2025 National Matchplay quarter-finalist Noel Scully (Tullamore) for company.
Robbie Harnett (Deerpark) delivered many strong performances as a juvenile, securing two National Inter-County wins and a brace of All-Ireland Schools Tournament successes. Harnett and 2013 Munster Intermediate Strokeplay runner-up Aidan O’Rourke (Cunnigar) will have an opportunity to set a hot pace as the first twoball of the day at 8.30am.
Dan Ahern (Crosshaven) was a Munster Inter-County runner-up with Cork in 2024 and will renew rivalry with Tralee’s Robbie O’Connor who featured on the victorious Kerry sextet.
Reigning Leinster Junior Strokeplay champion Paul Core (Bagenalstown) will have Lucan’s Alan Doyle as fellow competitor. Doyle was 2023 Dublin Matchplay champion and reached the final again earlier this year at Shandon.
2023 National Juvenile Matchplay runner-up A Jay Barrett (Listowel) represented Munster in last year’s interprovincial challenge against Leinster at Lakeside. A Jay collected national Under-16 Inter-County winners’ medals in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
2025 Munster Scotch Foursomes winner Ciarán White (Bishopstown) shot the lights out in the Cork regional qualifier at Cunnigar. White’s 97 there matches Tony Wall’s super impressive winning score at St. Anne’s back in 1984.
Stephen Conlon (Bishopstown) was a Munster Scotch Foursomes runner-up in 2024.
P.J. Ryan (Ardnacrusha) finished second in the recent National Gent’s Over-55 Junior Grade Strokeplay championship. He was a 2018 Munster Inter-County winner with Limerick and in his Riverdale days won a National Scramble and the 2006 Munster Junior Strokeplay championship. Ryan will arrive in St. Anne’s on the back of a win in Bruff Junior Scratch Cup.
A 2023 National Inter-Club winner, William Fitzgerald (Fermoy) finished sixth at Glenville twelve months ago.
Brendan Moloney (Ardnacrusha) was recently crowned national Over-55s Junior grade Strokeplay champion at Riverdale. A repeat of that form will get Brendan into contention at St. Anne’s.
Past winning scores at St. Anne’s were 102 (in 1976), 97 (1984), 104 (1988) and 101 in 2020. That’s an average of 101. Anybody shooting that on Saturday will pretty much be assured of a place among the fourteen qualifiers for Sunday.
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