European Finals 18th – 20th July 2025 at Lucan Pitch and Putt Club

 

We are now on the countdown to the European Pitch and Putt Finals – John Manning has provided a fantastic overview of TEAM IRELAND - GENTS

 

 

Kieran Earls (Bruff)

 

Ireland’s No. 1 ranked player Kieran Earls is the reigning National Strokeplay and Matchplay champion following his wins at Glenville last August and at Erry a few weeks ago.

 

2020 National Matchplay champion at Larkspur Park, Kieran was twice Munster individual champion (one Matchplay and one Strokeplay), The Matchplay victory arrived at Bishopstown in 2022 while he claimed Strokeplay honours at Lakeside in 2018.

 

Kieran has had two Munster Inter-County wins with Limerick, in 2008 at Clare Road and in Parteen ten years later.

 

Winner of the 2016 International Pairs tournament at Sant Cebria in Catalonia (with Bruff clubmate Tom Hanley), Kieran was runner-up in that tournament two years later, again alongside Tom.

 

Kieran joined Damien Fleming, Padraic Sarsfield and Ian Dillon on last year’s Irish World Cup winning side at El Vendrell. He has a 100% international Matchplay record: Foursomes: W1 L0 H0; Singles: W5 L0 H0.

 

Winner of the 2023 WPPT Catalan Master tournament at Lleida, Earls was runner-up in the 2024 Irish Open at Ryston. He was previously Catalan Open runner-up in 2015 at Lleida (and equal second in 2014 at Teia).

 

2008 National Intermediate Strokeplay runner-up at Tullamore, Kieran also finished second in the 2022 Munster Strokeplay championship at Bruff.

 

Eamon Gibney (Castletown)

 

Eamon Gibney met international colleague Kieran Earls in the 2025 All-Ireland Matchplay final at Erry, losing by 5&4, in the Meathman’s best performance to date in the championship.

 

Irish Open winner at Glenville in 2014, Gibney has also been runner-up at International Opens in Britain (2016) and in Chile (2018). He represented Europe in the 2018 Fernando Morgado Trophy against South America at Puerto Valero (in Chile), winning four matches out of four.

 

World Cup winner with Ireland at Xixerella (Andorra) in 2016, Eamon was a member of the successful Irish sextet in the 2018 European Team Championship at Urduna.

 

His international Matchplay record (whilst representing Ireland) is: Foursomes: W5 L1 H1; Singles: W7 L0 H0.

 

A Leinster Inter-County winner with Meath in 2012 at Stackallen, Eamon played on the Royal County side that were narrow runners-up to Dublin in the provincial tests at Oldcastle last year.

 

Leinster Matchplay champion at Erry in 2024, Gibney reached the final as holder at Navan in May, before being pipped by new champion Stephen Murray (Old County), in a high quality match.

 

Eamon was Leinster Strokeplay runner-up in three successive stagings – 2019 (at Collinstown), 2022 (Trim) and 2023 (Seapoint).

 

Gibney played for Leinster in the 2023 Interprovincial challenge match with Munster at McDonagh.

 

Stephen Shoer (Riverdale)

Currently Ireland’s No. 3 ranked player, Stephen Shoer was crowned National Strokeplay champion in 2023 at Riverdale.

 

National Intermediate Strokeplay champion at Tullamore in 2008 (ahead of Ireland colleague Kieran Earls in second), Stephen finished second to Mark Millar (Killineer) in the main National Strokeplay championship of 2017 at Hillview.

 

Stephen is one of six players in history to win both the National Intermediate and Senior Strokeplay championships.

 

Stephen won the Munster Matchplay championship at Bruff in 2017, beating European Team championship specialist Liam O’Donovan in the final.

 

A National Inter-County runner-up with Tipperary at Lucan in 2023, Stephen has two Munster Inter-County gold medals, won with Tipperary at Hillview in 2019 and at Cunnigar three years later.

 

Shoer was a Munster Inter-County runner-up twice, at Tipperary Hills in 2014 and at Lakewood a year later.

 

A National Inter-Club runner-up with Lakeside at Royal Meath in 2018 and with Riverdale at Tullamore last year, Stephen played in the 2023 Interprovincial challenge at McDonagh, earning a point for Munster in the Foursomes.

 

A prolific Scratch Cup winner domestically, Stephen was a top ten finisher in last year’s WPPT Ireland Master event at McDonagh.

 

Stephen will make his international debut at Lucan.

 

Damien Fleming (Deerpark)

 

A four-time National individual champion, Damien Fleming won three Irish Matchplay championships (in 2011 at Collinstown, in 2019 at Rocklodge and in 2021 at Ryston) and one Strokeplay trophy – at Glenville in 2018.

 

He also reached the 2014 Matchplay final at Parteen (losing to international colleague John Walsh) and holds three Irish Strokeplay silver medals – 2012 (RGSC), 2021 (Navan) and 2023 when he chased international teammate Stephen Shoer home at Riverdale.

 

Munster Strokeplay champion in 2019 at Listowel, Fleming was twice a Munster Inter-County winner with Kerry, at Deerpark in 2001 and at Castleisland in 2010.

 

He was a member of the Kerry sextet that claimed second place in the 2024 Inter-County championship at Bagenalstown, his third National Inter-County silver medal in the green and gold.

 

A three-time Irish Open champion (2009, 2011 and 2018), Damien made his Irish international representative debut in last year’s World Cup success at El Vendrell. His international Matchplay record is unblemished: W1 L0 H0; Singles: W1 L0 H0.

 

Damien won the 2013 National Mixed Foursomes title at Lakewood with Deerpark club colleague Mary Murphy.

 

Damien has seen considerable administrative experience as a member of the NEC, as a Kerry County Board Officer and as Deerpark Club Chairman.

                                                  

John Walsh (Collins)                                                                                                        

 

A five-time All-Ireland individual champion (three Matchplay and two Strokeplay), John Walsh achieved the National Matchplay/Strokeplay double in 201S, in addition to 1997 and 2014 Strokeplay successes and another Day Cup win in 2002. 

 

A World Cup winner with Ireland in 2012 at Royal Meath and in 2016 (at Xixerella alongside Eamon Gibney), Walsh was a European Team Championship winner with Ireland in 2003 (at McDonagh) and in 2005 at Overbetuwe, Netherlands. His impressive International Matchplay record reads: Singles: W17 L1 H3; Fourballs: W3 L1 H1; Singles: W22 L2 H1.

 

Walsh boasts 17 National Inter-County wins with Cork, which is second all-time only to the great Ray Murphy. There have also been 13 Munster Inter-County wins with Cork

 

A National Club Tournament winner with Collins at Ferrybank, away back in 1988, John holds an incredible fourteen Munster individual titles (seven Matchplay and seven Strokeplay)

 

John was World Strokeplay champion in 2013 at Tambre, and he has enjoyed international open wins in the Netherlands and in Galicia. He partnered Denis O’Sullivan (Douglas) to victory in the 2023 Catalan International Pairs at Sant Cebria.

 

European Strokeplay runner-up in 2019, John was also World Strokeplay runner-up in 2017, both titles narrowly denied via the play-off route.

 

John won his eighth Munster Strokeplay title in 2025.

 

Stephen O'Reilly (Hillview)                                                                                         

 

2023 National Matchplay champion at St. Bridget’s, Stephen O’Reilly earned a deserved wildcard selection for the European Championship team, scoring 146 in the trial at Lakeside, before being pipped for the final automatic spot by John Walsh in a play-off.

 

A Munster Inter-County winner with Tipperary in 2019 at Hillview, Stephen was National Inter-County runner-up with Tipperary in 2023 at Lucan (the European Team championship venue).

 

O’Reilly carded 139 at Ardnacrusha to claim runners-up spot in the 2024 Munster Strokeplay championship, one shy of Tipperary and Ireland team colleague Stephen Shoer.

 

Semi-finalist in the recent Munster Matchplay championship at Douglas (losing to eventual champion John Cahill), O’Reilly also reached the last four of the 2020 All Ireland Matchplay at Larkspur Park, going down to that year’s winner (and now international teammate) Kieran Earls. 

 

Stephen hasn’t contested many international opens but he was a sixth place finisher in last November’s WPPT Ireland Master tournament at McDonagh.

 

A Munster Juvenile Strokeplay runner-up with Tipperary in 2004 at Fermoy. Stephen played for Munster against Leinster in the 2023 Inter-provincial Challenge at McDonagh

 

An Eamonn Birchall Trophy winner with Tipperary (alongside Stephen Shoer amongst others) at Bagenalstown last autumn, Stephen O’Reilly will make his international debut at Lucan.

 

 

Team Manager: Paddy Kelly

Paddy Kelly (Trim) has been a familiar face on Ireland’s Pitch and Putt courses over the past couple of seasons, acting as an empathetic and judicious referee of our major championships.

 

A former Captain of Castle Bearna Golf Club, Paddy linked with Evan Carry, Eamon Gibney, Paul O'Rourke, David Campbell and Evan Ganly on the Meath team that scored 447 to finish second (just a single stroke behind) to Dublin in the 2024 Leinster Inter-County championship at Oldcastle.

 

He teamed-up with Trim clubmate Bridie Cummins to capture first session honours in the 2024 Leinster Mixed Scotch Foursomes at Royal Meath with a stableford points return of 89.  

 

Kildare County Board Intermediate Scratch Cup winner in 2024 at McDonagh, Paddy claimed St. Patrick’s Intermediate Scratch Cup the previous year.

 

Paddy contested the 2022 Leinster Intermediate Matchplay championship final at St. Bridget’s, losing narrowly by 2&1 to Ryston’s Daniel Condon. 

 

Runner-up to Eamon Gibney (Castletown) in the 2023 Meath County Strokeplay championship at Stackallen, Paddy lifted Trim’s Intermediate Scratch Cup later the same year.

 

A loyal supporter of all championships and competitions, Paddy has also tasted success in the Short Grass and GRIP Scrambles alongside the likes of Mark Gibney, Trevor Cummins and David Campbell.

 

2022 Collinstown Intermediate Masters winner, Paddy has acted as an efficient Secretary of Meath County Board.

 

Assistant Team Manager: Michael Vaughan

Qualified Pitch and Putt referee Michael Vaughan (inniskeen) was the inspiring team manager of the Ireland side that won Pitch and Putt’s World Cup at El Vendrell, Spain in October 2024, defeating Portugal in the final.

 

Michael was crowned 2018 Leinster Intermediate Strokeplay champion at Bagenalstown, carding a three-round tally of 145 for a six stroke winning margin over Darren McNally (Bagenalstown).

 

Third in the National Intermediate Strokeplay championship at Stackallen in 2014, Michael has twice been runner-up in the same championship, the only player in history to achieve this distinction.

 

Michael scored 154 at Stackallen eleven years ago in the National Intermediate Strokeplay championship to finish a single stroke out of the Owen Farrell (Trim)/Creagh Courtney (Deerpark) play-off.

 

At Tullamore in 2016, Michael’s brilliant 142 aggregate in the National Intermediate Strokeplay championship was denied by a dazzling display by St. Patrick’s left hander Dayle Donohoe (141).

 

At Glenville two years later, Michael contested a play-off for the National Intermediate Strokeplay title (with Larkspur Park’s Michael Kirby) after a tie on 161. The Tipperary player prevailed in extra holes.

 

Michael served Louth Down Monaghan Regional Board as Competitions Secretary before graduating to the NEC, first as Leinster Competitions Co-Ordinator (2022 and 2023) and latterly as National Competitions Co-ordinator (2024).

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