Month: May 2016

Tom Cleary wins Irish Seniors Amateur Open

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2016 Irish Seniors Amateur Open Championship at Ardee Golf Club

Tom Cleary (Cork) with the 2016 Irish Seniors Amateur Open Championship trophy after his victory at Ardee Golf Club today.  Picture by Pat Cashman

Tom Cleary added another prestigious title to his collection today, the Irish Seniors Amateur Open.  The three time Munster Seniors Champion won his first national seniors title at Ardee Golf club after a final round 72 left him three ahead of the field.  Cleary was tied for the lead going into the final round, and there were nine other players within two shots of the lead.  Just like the Munster Seniors in Waterville, Cleary played very steady golf while all around him dropped shots on another testing day in Ardee.

The Cork Golf Club member opened on Wednesday with a three over par 74 to lie two shots off the lead.  He followed on Thursday with another 74 that saw him lead alongside England’s Andrew Carman.  The English international carded a four over par 75 in his final round to fall out of contention.  Cleary had a testing start, he bogied the 2nd & 3rd holes but he added two birdies at 6 and 8 to reach the turn on level par.  Two more pars followed and at that stage Tom was three shots ahead of Carman.  Cleary bogies the 15th but he was three shots ahead of the leader in the club house.  Cleary reached the 18th tee Continue reading →

Cleary in the lead at Irish Seniors

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Tom ClearyCork’s Tom Cleary shots a second consecutive 74 to lead after two rounds at the Irish Seniors Open in Ardee today.  Cleary was in 8th place after the first round, but he was only two shots off the three way tie for the lead.  He followed up with another 74 today to tie with England’s Andrew Carman.  Cleary was happy with his performance, this was his first competitive outing since representing GB&I in the Concession Cup in Florida: “It was very windy out there to be honest, very hard to keep the ball straight but I’m happy enough”.

The competition still has a very crowded leaderboard after 36 holes.  There are three players just one shot behind and Tramore’s John Mitchell is in a group of six players who are two shots behind.  Three more Cork golfers made the cut for the final round, Doneraile’s Michael Quirke is four shots off the lead and Peter Cowley and George Mellerick also made it through.  The final round takes place tomorrow with Continue reading →

Fota Island cause an upset by beating Kinsale in Fred Daly Trophy

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EMC Lee Valley Senior Scratch Cup 2016

Cillian Moloney

Fota Island cased an upset this evening when they beat Munster finalists Kinsale in the Fred Trophy area semi final.  Cork Golf Club was the venue, and twelve months ago Kinsale had a comprehensive win over Fota at the same stage of the competition.  Fota Island started strongly with Cillian Moloney beating John Murphy 6&5.  Kinsale’s Mark Healy balanced the match when he won his match against Josh Hogan on the 16th.  The 14th green proved crucial as Davis Howard won a second point for Fota, winning 5&4.  Things were looking good for Fota at that stage,  Garan Manley was losing to Daniel O’Flaherty but Fota’sRonan O’Connell was in the lead in his match and it was O’Connell who closed out his match first.  He won 5&4 on the 14th meaning the final match was called in.

 

Fota Island will now go on to play Munster champions Mallow in the South Munster final.

Fred Daly Trophy Area Semi-Final:
Fota Island 3.5-1.5 Kinsale
Cillian Moloney beat John Murphy 6&5, Josh Hogan lost to Mark Healy 3&2, David Howard beat Eric Rumley 5&4, Garran Manley and Daniel O Flaherty called in, Ronan O Connell beat Eric Costello 5&4.  (Fota Island names first)

Fota Island Fred Daly Team 18th May 2016

Irish Call Ups for Cork Golfers

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ILGU AIG Senior Cup Munster Final, Douglas Golf Club, Sunday 8th May 2015

Rachel Thompson

There was a great deal of excitement yesterday as four Cork golfers were called up for international duty.  Mairead Martin, Valerie Clancy and Rachel Thompson were all selected to represent Ireland at the European Girls Team Championship.  All three golfers have had very strong starts to the season and the selection is justified on their recent performances.  The competition takes place in Oslo over five days in early July.

Kinsale’s Cathal Butler was selected to play in the World University Championship which takes place in France next month.  The Maynooth University student is studying for his first year exams at present so is not playing in the Castletroy Scratch Cup this weekend.  Castletroy have put a huge effort into their Bank of Ireland sponsored event, and they have attracted a top class field which takes place over 36 holes on Saturday

O’Flaherty runner-up in Ballybunion Senior Scratch Cup

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Munster Strokeplay Championship 2016

Gary O’Flaherty (Cork)

Gary O’Flaherty proved he’s a golfer on form last weekend when he finished in second place at the Ballybunion Senior Scratch Cup.  The 2014 winner was just one shot behind winner Fergal O’Sullivan (Tralee) on level par.  This is the third year that Cork golfer finished in the top two, 2015 winner Ed Stack was third also finishing on level par.

Keith Crowley (Fota Island) was fourth and James Sugrue (Mallow) was fifth, both finished on +1 total of 144.  Jack Howard (Fota Island) finished just inside the top ten and Mark Ford (Cork) was 11th.  Mallow’s Eoin Goggin won the nett prize on -4.

The next senior scratch cup takes place Continue reading →

Cork challenge bows out, ILGU Close

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Yesterday’s quarter-finals marked the end of Cork’s interest in the ILGU Irish Close at Lahinch.  In the morning match Valerie Clancy beat Sara Byrne in the battle of emerging talent, but Clancy lost out in her quarter final match again home favourite Sinead Sexton.  Rachel Thompson and Mairead Martin also lost in their round of 16 matches.

Irish Women’s Close – Championship Quarter-Final Match Play – 14/05/16
Sinead Sexton (Lahinch) beat Valerie Clancy (Killarney) 5&3
Louise Coffey (Malone) beat Georgia Carr (Milltown) 1up
Shannon Burke (Ballinrobe) lost to Aoife Lowry (Tipperary) 3&1
Maria Dunne (Skerries) lost to Olivia Mehaffey (RCDL) 2&1
Irish Women’s Close – Championship Match Play – 14/05/16
Sinead Sexton (Lahinch) beat Paula Walsh (Doneraile)2up
Valerie Clancy (Killarney) beat Sara Byrne (Douglas) 2&1
Louise Coffey (Malone) beat Mary Doyle (The Heath) 3&2
Sarah Cunningham (Ennis) lost to Georgia Carr (Milltown) 1up
Chloe Ryan (Castletroy) lost to Shannon Burke (Ballinrobe) 1up
Aoife Lowry (Tipperary) beat Rachel Thompson (Cork) 4&2
Maria Dunne (Skerries) beat Lauren Walsh (Castlewarden) 3&2
Olivia Mehaffey (RCDL) beat Mairead Martin (Killarney) 2up

 

Cork interest continues in Lahinch, Ladies Irish Close

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Sara Byrne

Sara Byrne

Two Cork teenagers will face off in the final 16 of the ILGU Close Championship at Lahinch tomorrow.  Sara Byrne from Douglas will play Mitchelstown’s Valerie Clancy in the second match tomorrow morning.  Clancy had a 2&1 win over Lisa O’Shea while Byrne won on the 16th against Nicola Coffey.

Cork’s Rachel Thompson also won on the 16th, closing out her match against Maeve Rooney.  Mairead Martin and Paula Walsh both have daunting matches ahead of them in the morning.  Walsh will take on the Lahinch star Sinead Sexton who finished best qualifier on -4 after 36 holes, Sexton had an 8&7 win today to make it to the second round with ease.  Mairead Martin will play Olive Mehaffey, the current Irish Open Champion.  Martin beat Carlow’s Karen Delaney after their mathc was finally settled on the 19th,while Mehaffey won 8&7 against Linda Toomey.

ILGU Irish Close Round of 16 Draw

Gillian O’Leary lost out this morning but she has a Continue reading →

AIG Cups & Shields kick off in Macroom & Muskerry

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Macroom and Muskerry will be busy places this weekend as the first major weekend of the 2016 Cups & Shields campaign starts.  The AIG Jimmy Brien Shield will see 22 Cork clubs battle over four matchplay rounds with the hope of qualifying for the Munster finals in Douglas in July.

2015 South Munster winners Lee Valley were beaten last week in one of two preliminary matches in Macroom. Bandon got the better of the Munster semi-finalists and they now go on to face Raffeen Creek in the first match tomorrow morning.  Skibbereen beat Bantry Bay in the other preliminary match and they’ll face Lisselan in the first round proper.  Hosts Macroom play Fernhill and Dunmore face Kinsale in the other match.

AIG Jimmy Bruen Shield South Munster Draw 2016

Beaten South Munster finalists Mahon are in action in Muskerry, they are Continue reading →

Clancy & Thompson in Top Ten at Lahinch

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Valerie Clancy

Valerie Clancy

Six of the nine Cork golfers in the Women’s Close have made it through to the matchplay stage which starts tomorrow morning.  Mitchelstown’s Valerie Clancy finished the 36 hole stroke play qualifier in 8th place.  A one under par 73 in he second round saw he jump up the leaderboard.  Cork’s Rachel Thompson recorded a 75/76 to also finish on +3.

Kanturk’s Mairead Martin was the third Cork golfer to finish on +3.  Paula Walsh (Doneraile) finished in 16th place and Sara Byrne and Gillian O’Leary (now representing The Island) also made the cut to get into the matchplay.  Lahinch’s Sinead Sexton led the way with a -4 total, three strokes better than second placed Chloe Ryan.  Olivia Mehaffey, Maria Dunne and Mary Doyle are all safely through to the next round.

 

The top 32 now face off tomorrow which Continue reading →