It was a good weekend for Cork golfers as seven have made it through to the matchplay stage of the AIG Irish Close Championship.  The European Club in Co Wicklow is the venue for the final major of the year and the challenging Ruddy designed links saw the scores vary from 66 to 90+ over the opening two days.

The leader from day one, Peter O’Keeffe (Douglas) finished in tied third place.  Although he had a 76 today, his opening 66 from yesterday was always going to be enough to see him safely through to the matchplay phase.  A few early bogies set the tone for his day and despite a recovery on his second nine, two late bogies meant he finished on +5 and level par for the 36 holes.  Gary Ward (Kinsale) is just one shot behind in fifth place, tow rounds of 71 and 72 left the Kinsale golfer on +1.

Macroom’s Padraig O’Connor has reached the matchplay stage for the first time.  He shot a one over par 72 today, and finished on +5 to take 16^th place.  John Hickey and Cathal Butler both made their second successive championship cut with solid play over the opening two days.  Hickey carded rounds of 75 and 75 to finish in 33^rd place and although he’ll be disappointed by the two late bogies, he’s safely through to the matchplay.  Butler carded an impressive one under par 70 in his second round to go with his opening 75, he finished tied for 11th place.

James Sugrue continued his run of good form. Although his rounds of 73 and 74 weren’t exceptional, he too is through to the final 64.  The Mallow man played some good golf through the first three rounds in Lahinch and he’ll be looking at this event as another opportunity to claim another championship.  John Murphy is also safely through to the matchplay.  Similar to Sugrue, he carded two rounds of 74 and 76 with very little else to report.  The good news for Murphy is that he made the cut with a few shots to spare.  He now has another great opportunity to impress the Irish selectors with the matchplay to look forward to.  Murphy is playing in one of his first events in Ireland, not a surprise considering the two international call-ups he received recently.

Glen Rovers & St Nicks all set for Classic

Greg O’Mahony, Conor Dowling, Kieran Lynch, Eric Rumley and Mark Healy all missed out.  Regardless of the score over the opening two days, the clock now resets as the top 64 look forward to tomorrow morning when the shootout begins.  Two rounds take place tomorrow, Tuesday and Wednesday.

AIG Irish Close Matchplay Draw

Stroke Play Qualifying

139 R Mullarney (Galway), 72, 67
140 C Purcell (Portmarnock), 70, 70
142 C Rafferty (Dundalk), 71, 71; M Norton (Belvoir Park), 68, 74; P O’Keeffe (Douglas), 66, 76
143 G Ward (Kinsale), 71, 72
144 M McClean (Malone), 75, 69; M Ryan (New Ross), 74, 70; P Coughlan (Castleknock), 73, 71; E Smith (Laytown & Bettystown), 72, 72
145 C Butler (Kinsale), 75, 70; R Latimer  (Knock ), 74, 71; S Carter (Royal Dublin), 70, 75
146 A Fahy (Dun Laoghaire), 73, 73; O Devereux (Carton House), 71, 75
147 P O’Connor (Macroom), 75, 72; D Brophy (Castleknock), 74, 73; J Sugrue (Mallow), 73, 74; A Smith (Mullingar), 72, 75
148 J Lyons (Galway), 78, 70; C Woodroofe (Dun Laoghaire), 75, 73; J Hickey (Cork), 75, 73; T Ford (Co. Sligo), 74, 74; R Williamson (Holywood), 72, 76; G Collins (Rosslare), 71, 77
149 S Irwin (Killeen), 76, 73; M McCormack (Moss Creek), 76, 73; G Cullen (Beaverstown), 76, 73; R Lester (Hermitage), 75, 74; J Blake (The Island), 75, 74; J McDonnell (Forrest Little), 74, 75; P McKeever (Castle), 74, 75; M Boucher (Carton House), 69, 80
150 S McDermott (Co. Cavan), 80, 70; E Leonard (Wentworth ), 76, 74; M Mullen (Rosslare), 75, 75; J Murphy (Kinsale), 74, 76; C Geraghty (Laytown & Bettystown), 72, 78; R Moran (Castle), 70, 80; R O’Connor (Co. Sligo), 70, 80
151 R Cannon (Balbriggan), 78, 73; H Foley (Royal Dublin), 77, 74; J Byrne  (Baltinglass), 76, 75; G Lenehan (Portmarnock), 74, 77; A Gleeson  (Castle), 74, 77
152 K Stack (Dungarvan), 80, 72; D Lowry (Corrstown), 77, 75; J Rowe (Tandragee), 75, 77; J McCabe (Roganstown), 75, 77; N McCann (Lurgan), 74, 78; P Connolly (Killeen Castle), 73, 79; N Hearns (Mountrath), 73, 79; J Walsh (Castle), 72, 80; R Dutton (Tandragee), 71, 81
153 T Plunkett (Crover House), 78, 75; M McKinstry (Cairndhu), 78, 75; C O’Connor (Corrstown), 77, 76; H Gillivan (Westport), 76, 77; S Walsh (Portmarnock), 75, 78; N Crawford (Mourne), 75, 78
*154 P Kerr (Royal Portrush), 80, 74; O Crooks (Bushfoot), 77, 77; T Neenan (Lahinch), 76, 78; K Murphy (Dun Laoghaire), 76, 78;

* After playoff the four players on 154 qualified

MC R Brazill (Naas), 74, 80; P Brennan (Belvoir Park), 78, 76;  J Whelan (Newlands), 82, 72; J McCarthy (Stackstown), 81, 73; D Holland (Castle), 77, 77; E Griffin (Waterford), 79, 76; J Greene (Portmarnock), 75, 80; J Knipe (Royal Portrush), 73, 82; S Flanagan (Co. Sligo), 84, 72; D Coyle (Portmarnock), 81, 75; A McCormack (Castletroy), 78, 78; G Carr (Mullingar), 78, 78; S Watts (Cairndhu ), 75, 81; M Burke (Galway), 83, 74; J Maginn (Mourne), 82, 75; M Nolan (Dun Laoghaire), 80, 77; M Looby (Greystones), 79, 78; G O’Mahony (Fota Island), 79, 78; G Fitzmaurice (Balcarrick), 79, 78; S Lindsay (Ardglass), 79, 78; A Ryan (Thurles), 78, 79; H O’Hare (Fortwilliam), 74, 83; K Lynch (Skibbereen), 76, 82; C Ryan (Dun Laoghaire), 74, 84; W Small (Tandragee), 72, 86; J Madden (Royal Portrush), 81, 78; D Smith  (Newlands), 80, 79; T Beaumont (Bangor), 80, 79; D Flynn (Carton House), 78, 81; D O’Neill (Carton House), 74, 85; J Hanney (The Island), 83, 77; N Gaffney (Greystones), 80, 80; M McHugh (Abu Dhabi National), 79, 81; M Tyndall (Coyote Creek), 79, 81; R Steedman (Courtown), 77, 83; I Collins (Bray), 83, 78; K Murray (Charlesland), 80, 81; R Black (Hilton Templepatrick), 80, 81; D Crawford (Bundoran), 80, 81; S Myatt (Ennis), 80, 81; R Knightly (Royal Dublin), 80, 81; J Fox (Portmarnock), 79, 82; S Carroll (Castle Dargan), 87, 75; D Joyce (Powerscourt), 81, 81; M Healy (Kinsale), 86, 77; J Keane (Lahinch), 82, 81; M McKenna (Dun Laoghaire), 82, 81; W Russell (Clandeboye), 88, 76; R O’Doherty (Enniscrone), 85, 79; E Farrell (Ardee), 84, 80; M Buggy (Castlecomer), 81, 83; J Conroy (Portmarnock), 79, 85; C Dowling (Mallow), 83, 82; R McKeever (Castle), 79, 86; R Berkeley (Dun Laoghaire), 78, 88; D Pollock (Belvoir Park), 83, 84; A Crinion (Newlands), 82, 85; E Goggin (Tralee), 81, 86; L Hutchinson (Royal Dublin), 81, 86; C Feeney (Co. Sligo), 82, 86; R McCormack (Palmerstown House Estate), 81, 87; E Rumley (Kinsale), 82, 88; C Glennon (Glasson), 84, 87; S Walsh (Carton House), 84, 87; C French (Carton House), 86, 86; J McGrath (Dun Laoghaire), 85, 87; R Abernethy (Dun Laoghaire), 80, 92; R Connolly (Grange), 90, 84; C Coghlan (Newlands), 87, 87; T Collins (Dun Laoghaire), 85, 92; E McKeever (Castle), 87, 94; S Crilly (Wembley (Au)), 84, 97

RTD R Pierse (Grange)

NR E O’Brien (Clontarf)

RTD M Shiel (Galway Bay); M Kennelly (Galway Bay)

WD L McMillan (Luttrellstown Castle)

RTD J Tuohy (Galway  Bay); D Rochford (Bray)

NR G McGrane (Royal Dublin)