Cork Golf

Cork face Warrenpoint in AIG Barton Shield semi-final

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john-hickey-paul-tobin

John Hickey & Paul Tobin pictured with Fergal Deasy in Muskerry last year. 

Cork Golf have named two strong foursomes pairings for their semi-final against Warrenpoint in the AIG Barton Shield.  With Gary O’Flaherty unavailable due to work commitments, team manager John Carroll has reverted to the 2015 pairing of John Hickey and Paul Tobin.  They paired off last year in Muskerry winning two matches before losing out to Munster winners Muskerry.  Tobin also featured in the South Munster phase when he partnered Mark Ford as Cork marched on to qualify for the Munster finals.  Carroll has kept Brian Kelleher and Mark Ford together in the opening match, the pair blended well in the Minster finals at Cork Golf Club.  Cork will face a strong challenge from the Warrenpoint who have Colm Campbell playing with them.  Campbell is the reigning Flogas Irish Open and Lee Valley Senior Scratch Cup champion, and he’s also a current Irish International.  That said, Cork have every chance in the open space of the O’Meara Course in Carton House.

The first match on the O’Meara Course in Carton House gets underway at 10.48am and a large crowd is expected to support the team who go in search of their first green pennant since 1998.

Gallery: Cork win AIG Barton Shield Munster Final

AIG Barton Shield Semi-Final
Warrenpoint v Cork (Warrenpoint names first)
Paul Reavey & Jamie Fletcher v Brian Kelleher & Mark Ford
Colm Campbell & Stephen Coulter v Paul Tobin & John Hickey

 

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Last Chance for Senior Scratch Cup Wins

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This weekend golfers will have two chances to win a prestigious Senior Scratch Cup as both Kinsale and Castlemartyr host their showpiece Category One events.  Kinsale’s 18 hole competition takes place on Saturday and already there is very strong interest.  A large field of young golfers have entered, all hoping to make their breakthrough win a big win.  There are still some early and mid morning tee times available and entry is just €15.  Entries can be made through the link below.

Kinsale Golf Club Senior Scratch Cup Entry

amarenco-solarOn Sunday, it’s Castlemaryr’s turn with the inland links course retaining it’s season ending position on the golfing calendar.  With both Muskerry and Monkstown hoping to be in Cups and Shields action on Saturday there’s a good opportunity for members of both clubs to get out and play on Sunday.  The event is again supported by John Mullins from Amarenco Solar who has been a long time supporter of Castlemartyr.  Entry for Castlemartyr is €30 and the format has reverted to an 18 hole (timesheet) to allow the maximum number of golfers take part.  There’s a generous prize fund in place including nett prizes.  Entries for Castlemartyr can be made by calling the pro-shop on 021 Continue reading →

Davey Barry wins in Rosslare, Spillane wins Macroom Senior Scratch Cup.

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DaDavey Barryvey Barry (Douglas Pro-Shop) won his first big event on the PGA Irish Region tour yesterday with a great round in Rosslare.  Playing in tough weather conditions the Douglas Assistant Pro won by two shots in the Kelly’s Resort sponsored Rosslare Pro-Am.  Barry started well with a run of birdies on the third, fourth and fifth, but he gave two shots back before the turn with bogies on the seventh and ninth.  Despite playing the very difficult conditions Davey had a great back nine, he added four birdies including two on 17 and 18 to see him finish two shots clear of Damien McGrane, Mark Murphy and Colm Moriarty.  David Ryan shot a two under par 70 to claim fifth position alongside David Higgins, and Wayne O’Callaghan finished in the top twenty.  It was a good weekend for Davey who was also named in the field for the Irish PGA Championship which takes place in Moyvalley at the end of this month.

Macroom’s 36 holes Senior Scratch Cup was hit by the weather yesterday, and the decision to reduce the event to an 18 hole format was welcomed by almost all of the field.  Mallow’s Ian Spillane won with a level par 71, three shots clear of James Sugure.  Macroom’s Alan Moriarty won the nett prize with a 76.  Eyes now turn to Kinsale and Castlemartyr who host their senior scratch cups next weekend.

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East Cork win Eileen Murphy Foursomes

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Eileen Murphy Foursomes East Cork 2016East Cork won the Eileen Murphy Memorial foursomes at Cork Golf Club yesterday after a great score of 39 points saw them finish two ahead of the field.  A full timesheet saw 40 clubs from all over Munster take part in the event.

East Cork’s Fran Fitzpatrick and Deirdre O’Mahony had the best score on a day when the course at Cork was in great condition.  The regional final of the Revive Active Fourball takes place in Castletroy today.  Unfortunately there are no Cork clubs involved, Fota Island lost out at the semi-final stage, having beaten Macroom in the quarter final.  Today’s final will see Thurles take on Cahir Park.

Eileen Murphy Foursomes, Cork Golf Club

 1: East Cork Golf Club, Deirdre O’Mahony (8) &  Fran Fitzpatrick (29) 39 pts
2: Blarney Golf Club, Marie O’Sullivan (19) & Anne O’Driscoll (24) 37 pts
Gross: Cork Golf Club, Michelle Tobin (8) & Irene Rafferty (11) 22pts
3: Lahinch Golf Club: Lynn Slattery (17) & Mart O’Brien (21) 34 pts

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Long Read: Busy Times at Kinsale Golf Club

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Kinsale Golf Club_2Many golf clubs are starting to wind down their activities now that all the major competitions have been played and weather starts to get a bit cooler.  That’s not yet the case for Kinsale as they have a few more important events on their calendar.  Now celebrating 21 years in Farrangalway, the club still has a busy schedule of events that will run through to the end of next month.  First up is their club classic which takes place on Friday.  Last year they were fundraising for their Purcell and Fred Daly teams who reached Munster finals, and this year the focus is on course improvements as Kinsale Captain Declan O’Flynn explained.  “We had a very successful Club Classic last year as a fundraiser for teams Continue reading →

No Opportunity for Crowley or O’Keeffe in rain affected Munster Over 30’s

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Peter O'Keeffe

Peter O’Keeffe

Poor weather forced the abandonment of the the Munster Over 30’s final round this morning.  The heavy overnight rain meant that the course in Ballyclough was unplayable for the final round.

Sean Poucher was a deserving winner based on the opening day.  He had an eagle and two birdies in his opening round on Friday.  His 69 was enough to get him over the line as the winner by one stroke from Peter O’Keeffe.  This is O’Keeffe’s third time to claim a runner up spot this season and even though he’ll be disappointed, it does prove that his game is still good enough to compete at the top amateur level.  Pat Murray also left a calling card, his third place was down to shooting a low round of 70 on Friday afternoon.  Keith Crowley (Fota Island) took fifth place and Kenny McGarry (Castlemartyr) and Gary O’Flaherty (Cork) were just outside the top 10.

Attention now turns to Macroom, the mid-Cork club are hosting a 36 hole senior scratch cup next Saturday, bookings Continue reading →

O’Keeffe & Crowley in the hunt for Munster Over 30’s, No joy for Doneraile in Mixed

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Douglas Senior Scratch Cup 2016

Peter O’Keeffe

Peter O’Keeffe is just one shot off the lead going into the final round of the Munster Over 30 Championship at Limerick Golf Club.  O’Keeffe opened with a one under par 71 this morning and he followed that with a 73 this afternoon.  Fota Island’s Keith Crowley is in fifth place on +2.  Crowley shot a 75 this morning but he was one of only two golfers to beat par this afternoon as he signed for a 71.  Sean Poucher from Limerick Golf Club leads the competition after shooting 69/74 today, holder Pay Murray is in third place on +1, and both Kenny McGarry and Gary O’Flaherty are in 12th and 13th place respectively.  The final round gets underway at 9.45am tomorrow with the top 49 golfers qualifying for the third round.

Doneraile had no luck today in the semi-final of the I Love Spain sponsoted Irish Mixed Foursomes.  Doneraile were playing Greystones and secured their first point when Peter Duane and Clare Hamilton won.  Sean Barrett and Karena Hunter also won Continue reading →

Walsh in action in Italy

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Munster Under 15/17 Close Championship, Carrick on Suir Golf Club, Thursday 4th August 2016Mallow’s Ed Walsh is playing his golf in Italy this week, at the Italian Under 16 Championship.  Walsh has two rounds completed in the tournament in Turin and is in a good position to make the 54 hole cut tomorrow.

Walsh opened with a 75 yesterday on the par 73 course and he added a 79 today.  He’s currently in 47th place and just one shot outside the cut mark.  After tomorrow’s third found the top forty golfers qualify for Friday’s final round.

Walsh had a good summer, last month he won the Munster Under 17 Championship, his first major win at provincial level.  He was on the winning Munster team at the Boys Under 16 Inter-Provincials and he is also a member of the Irish Boys Under 16 panel.

Cleary shoots -1 as Ireland qualify for top flight matchplay

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2016 Irish Seniors Amateur Open Championship at Ardee Golf Club

Tom Cleary (Cork), Picture by Pat Cashman

Tom Cleary shot a one under par 71 in Slovenia today as Sean O’Leary’s team qualified for Flight A in the European Senior Mens Team Championship.  Cleary was three under par through 12 holes with four birdies in the bag, but two bogies on the way home meant that he signed for a 71.  That brought him up five places and into a tie for 12th place.  It was another powerful day for the Irish as all six team members finished the strokeplay phase in the top 20.  Jim Carvill shot a to under par 70 to finish in third place and Maurice Kelly and Adrian Morrow were one shot behind tied for fourth place.   Arthur Pierse is alongside Cleary in a tie for 12th and Garth McGimpsey finished in 17th place in the field of 114 golfers.

Ireland now enter the top flight of the matchplay stage where the top eights teams will do battle over the next three days.  After qualifying as top seed, Ireland face italy in the quarter final.