Mahon and Bandon were the two big winners over the weekend as they came through the first serious weekend of cups and shields action. Monkstown and Blarney were the host venues for the AIG Jimmy Bruen Shield qualifiers, with fine weather and great conditions adding to the spectacle of matchplay golf. All Ireland winners Kinsale were not in the shake up this time, they lost out to Skibbereen in a first round match the previous weekend. Mahon had also come through a preliminary match the previous week, they had a comprehensive win over Mallow in the first round to set up a meeting with Douglas on Saturday morning. Similar to their previous form, Mahon had a good win over Douglas but they faced a stiff challenge again Cork in the third round and two matches would need additional holes for Mahon to advance. Tim O’Mahoney needed to chip out of the water on 18 in order for himself and Gavin Carroll to half the hole. They went on to win on the Continue reading
Author: niall@corkgolfnews.com
Murphy helps Cardinals to NCAA Finals
John Murphy in action at the NCAA Regionals today (Pic: @UofLMGolf/Twitter)
“That was a grind” – that was the first reaction from a smiling John Murphy after finishing his final round at the NCAA Regionals in Louisville. But it was a very positive finish as two birdies on 16 and 17, and a long par putt on 18 from Murphy proved to be crucial as his University of Louisville side qualified for the NCAA National Championships earlier this evening. Murphy finished the 54 hole tournament tied for 12th place on -2, and his finish ensured that the Cardinals finished in the top five and now go though to the final stage of the college season. Overnight the Cardinals were in fifth place, with a six shot cushion over their nearest challenger. At the turn though it was a different story with the Louisville holding the last qualifying spot by just one shot. Murphy was level par for his first nine but dropped three shots in the next five holes. At that stage it was getting tight, but the third year student was two under for his final four holes which helped the Cardinals go through to the nationals for just the fourth time in their history. In the end they took fourth place as other teams dropped shots on the closing holes.
The Cardinals were playing on their home Continue reading
First Ace for 84 year old Roger
Congratulations go to Lee Valley member Roger McSweeeny who had his first hole in one recently. Roger was in Killarney with the Munster Seniors and aced the first hole in Mahony’s Point. Roger is 84 and has been playing golf for over 60 years, having first picked up a set of clubs in 1958. In spite of his age, Roger is a still a regular in Lee Valley, teeing it up most Saturday mornings in the weekly members competitions. Killarney presented him with a special certificate to mark the occasion.
Castletroy set date for Scratch Cup
Castletroy Golf Club has announced details of this year’s Senior Scratch Cup, which is, once again kindly and generously sponsored by Bank of Ireland. The competition takes place on Saturday, May 25th. First competed for in 1948, the Castletroy trophy is one of the oldest and most prestigious scratch cups in the country and attracts the cream of Munster golf and some of Ireland’s best amateur golfers each year. As a Munster Golf OOM tournament, results in the Castletroy Senior Scratch Cup are included in the selection criteria for the Munster Interprovincial team. The course, currently ranked in the top 100 in Ireland and measuring almost 7,000 yards off the back tees, consistently offers a stiff challenge to any player on the senior scratch cup circuit. Last year’s edition was no different with a very impressive fourteen plus handicapped golfers and ten scratch golfers in Continue reading
Joe on top in Cork, Munster Strokeplay Championship 2019
He calls it a love hate relationship, but Joe Lyons is probably more in love with Cork Golf Club after the winning the Munster Strokeplay Championship at the Little Island course over the weekend. After leading through the first, second and third rounds, Joe was brought to a playoff where he beat Eanna Griffin on the second sudden death hole. “I honestly didn’t think I’d be coming down here to win this weekend so it’s an absolute thrill to win” said Joe after claiming the trophy. “I’ve had a bit of a love hate relationship with this this course. I’ve had nines and tens and all sorts of things down through the years when I had chances of winning this event. Even leading the qualifiers in the Irish Close a few years back I had a ten on the 16th. I wasn’t expecting a whole pile so I’m delighted with the win.” After playing the first three rounds in five under with just six bogies, his closing Continue reading
Gallery: Munster Strokeplay, Final Round
Pictures from the final round in Cork on Sunday afternoon (and evening….): Continue reading
Gallery: Munster Strokeplay Round 3
Pictures from the third round: Continue reading
Joe leads in Cork, Lyons has 3 stroke lead in Munster Strokeplay (R2 Report & R3 Teetimes)
Joe Lyons in action in Lee Valley last week
It looks like Joe Lyons is enjoying his second trip to Cork in a fortnight. After finishing well in Lee Valley last week, he went and shot 70 and 71 in Cork today. The Galway man is now in a strong position going into the second day of the Munster Strokeplay.
While many golfers struggled with the wind this morning, Joe’s key was keeping the mistakes to a minimum. He had just one bogey in the first round and two more in the afternoon. When you add in six birdies it meant he finished on -3 for the day. Holder Alan Fahy (Dun Laoghaire) and Keith Egan (Carton House) are next on level par while Cork’s Gary O’Flaherty shot a great 66 in the second round to jump into fourth place alongside Continue reading
Gallery: Munster Strokeplay 2019, Round 1
Pictures from Cork Golf Club during Round 1: Continue reading
Cork set for Munster Strokeplay
Alan Fahy returns to Cork this weekend to defend his Munster Strokeplay title. Cork Golf Club will play host to the 72 hole event on Saturday and Sunday, and although some of the Irish Team are in Lytham, the field is the deepest ever with the cut falling at +0.4. The marquee three ball tees off at 9.40, it contains the champion Fahy, the 2018 runner up Robbie Cannon and Portmarnock’s Geoff Lenehan. The three have all shown promise this year and will be hoping for a positive start in Cork on Saturday. Keith Egan from Carton House is the lowest handicapped golfer in the field, playing off an impressive mark of +3.0. Gary O’Flaherty, Ian O’Rourke and Ian O’Flynn are the leading contenders from the home club while Kanturk native Paul Buckley has recently joined the club and will be hoping to build on good form from last weekend in Lee Valley.
Cathal Butler, Eoghan Long and 16 year old Mel Deasy are among the other locals who may challenge on Sunday afternoon. Deasy hit the Continue reading
Cork Golf News 