Cork Golf

Muskerry Aiming for Back to Back Barton Shield Titles

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Action from the AIG Barton Shield Munster Final at Dungarvan Golf Club. Saturday 15th August 2015. Picture: Niall O'Shea

Muskerry after winning the AIG Barton Shield Munster Final at Dungarvan Golf Club. Picture: Niall O’Shea

Muskerry make the almost familiar trip back to Carton House next week with high hopes of creating history with their AIG Barton Shield Team.  Having beaten four teams in South Munster, they racked up another two wins at the Munster finals stage to book their place in the national finals.  Now they are just two matches away from back to back wins in one of golf’s most prestigious national competitions.  They head off to Carton House with a settled team featuring just one change from last year.  The experienced John Waldron has stepped down and that has given an opportunity to someone else to step up and join the winning team.  That opportunity fell to Shane Whooley and the rookie has excelled all year long.  Whooley started the year playing off 2, but had several impressive performances in the early Continue reading →

Muskerry can rise to finals challenge

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The mantle of champions can sometimes place a heavy weight on a side but not so for the Muskerry team.  They’ve taken every opportunity on their path to Carton House and while they had some impressive wins they also had a few close calls.  As hosts in the South Munster qualifier, they had impressive wins over Blarney, Cork and Bandon but they very nearly came unstuck in their second round match against Monkstown.  Monkstown had a put to win the match on the 19th hole and Muskerry were lucky to survive.  They went on to win on the 20th hole and from there they went on to have two impressive wins over Cork and Bandon.

Gallery: Barton Shield Munster Final

AIG Barton Shield & AIG Senior Cup Munster FinalsThe same was true in Dungarvan at the Munster finals.  Muskerry had a seven hole win over Youghal in the semi-final but it took a dramatic 18th green finish to beat Shannon.  With a total of three holes left to play Muskerry were one down and the odds were stacked in favour of Shannon.  As it happened Muskerry were to produce another clutch performance as they went on to win all three remaining holes.  Niall Gorey and David O’Donovan dove-tailed well on the 18th.  O’Donovan had a great drive and Gorey made the par five green with an excellent long range iron over the water.  O’Donovan narrowly missed the 9 foot putt but Continue reading →

Douglas win Fred Daly Plate Final

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Fred Daly Plate 1Douglas proved that perseverance pays when they won the Fred Daly Plate final in Ballyneety today.  They overcame Monkstown, Bandon and Killarney on their way to a final meeting with Lahinch.  Douglas fielded a strong side with three players from their AIG Junior Cup team.  Barry O’Sullivan Geaney and Brian Barry put points on the board for Douglas when they both wrapped up their matches on the 16th green.  Daniel O’Sullivan and Darren Hourihan were both all square in their matches when John Boylan won his match (also on the 16th) to secure the win for the Cork side.

Fred Daly Plate 2

Munster Fred Daly Plate Final, Ballyneety Golf Club
Douglas 4, Lahinch 1.
Brian Barry beat Darragh Conneely 3&2.
Barry O’Sullivan Geaney beat Barry Dunworth 3&2.
Daniel O’Sullivan halved with Anthony Lacey.
John D Boylan  beat Cathal Hegarty 3&2.
Darren Hourihan halved with Jonathan Keane.

O’Leary Leads Ireland to 3rd European Win

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Sean O'Leary

Sean O’Leary

Mahon and Munster representative Sean O’Leary masterminded a third successive win for Ireland in the European Senior Men’s Team Championship.  The competition was held in Bulgaria in Pravets Golf Club.  While Team Captain O’Leary planned the campaign, he was helped on the course by Cork’s Tom Cleary.  The current Munster Senior’s champion went through the 36 hole strokeplay qualifier in -4, second in a field of over 120 golfers.

Ireland finished the strokeplay phase in first place, 24 strokes clear of second place.  In the matchplay phase Cleary was partnered with Tramore’s John Mitchell as Ireland’s foursomes pair.  They won their quarter-final and semi-final but lost out in their final match against Italy.

Tom ClearyIn a tense final against Italy that went down to the wire, all eyes were on Kelly when Garth McGimpsey squared the match at two points apiece. Italy had taken the foursomes point while Adrian Morrow was beaten 4&2 in the singles. However Arthur Pierse led the Irish revival, romping home with a 7&6 victory in the top singles match. His old sparring partner, McGimpsey, followed him in, taking the back match 3&2 and that left Kelly fighting for the championship on the 18th green against Vincenzo Sita. The Naas veteran held his nerve to deliver the decisive point.

Huge Turnout for Junior Golf Final – Irish Junior Masters Tour Final

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Golfers pictured at the final of the Irish Junior Masters Golf Tour at Fernhill Golf Club on Saturday. Also included is funder Wayne O'Callaghan. Picture: Niall O'Shea

Golfers pictured at the final of the Irish Junior Masters Golf Tour at Fernhill Golf Club on Saturday. Also included is founder Wayne O’Callaghan.
Picture: Niall O’Shea

Fernhill Golf Course in Carrigaline hosted the final event of the 2015 Irish Junior Masters Golf Tour on Saturday and founder Wayne O’Callaghan has seen his plan for junior golf change from concept to action.  Two years ago the Carrigaline based PGA Professional Continue reading →

Peter Cowley Retains Connacht Veterans Title

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Peter Cowley

Picture courtesy Connacht Branch GUI

Cork’s Peter Cowley retained the Fred Perry Trophy, winning the Connacht Veterans Open Championship at Tuam Golf Club.  The reigning champion opened with a +5, 77 for a share of the overnight lead with Lisheen Spring’s High Donnelly and was trailed by a number of players with pedigree just a couple of shots further back.

Cowley showed his grit and class though on Day 2 returning a +6, 78 for a two stroke winning margin over Donnelly with Birr’s Billy Donlon taking third following a best of the day +4, 76 in Round 2.

For Cork Golf Club’s Peter Cowley this week was unique, as he put it himself “I have never in all my years golfing managed to Continue reading →

Cleary Shoots 69 for Irish 1-2-3 :: European Senior Men’s Team Championship Day 2

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Tom Cleary, Cork Golf Club, pictured with Munster Seniors Amateur Open Trophy at Waterville Links. Picture: Niall O'Shea

Tom Cleary, Cork Golf Club, pictured with Munster Seniors Amateur Open Trophy at Waterville Links.
Picture: Niall O’Shea

Tom Cleary (Cork Golf Club) shot a second round 69 to jump up to second place in the European Seniors Team Championship in Bulgaria.  Cleary was one of three Irish players in the 60’s as they claimed 1st, 2nd & 3rd places on

Cleary had five birdies and three bogies in his three under par round, and is second in a field of over 120 European golfers.  Arthur Pierce matched Cleary’s score to lead the qualifying part of the competition on -6.  Bangor’s Gareth McGimpsey is also on -4 after shooting a 71 and Adrian Morrow shot the low round of the day (68) in a 12 shot swing from the first round.

No details for tomorrow’s draw is available yet.

European Senior Men’s Team Championship

Boland 4th in Irish Under 16 Boys Championship

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Mitchelstown’s Adam Boland shot a final round 73 to claim fourth spot in the Irish Under 16 Boys which was held at The Heath.

Boland’s third round was an other improvement on his previous round, beating his second round score by a shot.  Although a win was unlikely, Boland was unlucky to drop three shots on the run in, otherwise he could have claimed the runners-up spot.  Despite that, Boland still added four birdies in the high-pressure final round.  Mallow’s Ed Walsh had a tough start to the final round, he was eight over after nine holes and 10 over after 11 hole in a very uncharacteristic round.  He steadied himself on the way hole and parred the final seven holes, he finished in 34th position was the only other Cork golfer to make the cut.

Irish Under 16 Boys Championships – Final Standings

Monkstown win in Douglas

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Monkstown's winning team

Monkstown’s winning team

Monkstown Golf Club took the spoils at the Doulgas Officers Charity Day on Friday, they scored 89 points to beat a large field and calim the historic Douglas Am-Am Trophy

Officers Charity Day (Douglas Am-Am):

1st:          Niall Livesey, Richie Dunlea, John Hayes, Dave O’Driscoll (Monkstown Golf Club)
2nd:         Tony Barry, Anne Barry, Mark Hurley, Paul Neligan (CHR Hansen)
3rd:         Jason O’Callaghan, Seamus McGovern, Anthony Kenny, Tom Gately (Ryans Supervalu)
4th:          Ed Kenny, Dave Kenny, Tony Keegan, Shane Hartnett (Kenny Jewellers)