Golfing Union of Ireland

Murphy Top 5 at Euro Team Championships, Cork Lose out in Barton semi-final

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com

irish-boys-ega-sept-2016John Murphy (Kinsale) shot a level par 72 on the opening day of the European Boy’s Team Championships today.  The competition is taking place in Czech Republic and Murphy was one of the later starters this morning and opened with birdie.  He had three bogies on the front nine  but turned on +1, two birdies and a bogey on the back nine meant that he signed for a level par 72 to lie in 5th place.  It was a very good day for Ireland, Kevin leBlanc holds the lead on -4 and all six Irish golfers are in the top 20.  Tomorrow will be an important day for the Irish, the second round of strokeplay qualifying will determine the matchplay draws with the top four countries playing-off for the Championship title.

 

Cork Golf Club put up a strong battle today against Warrenpoint, losing out on the 18th green in Continue reading →

Cork face Warrenpoint in AIG Barton Shield semi-final

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com
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

 

Smartphones Direct

Walsh in action in Italy

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com

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

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com
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.

Cleary T17 in European Senior Men’s Team Championship, Slovenia

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com
Michael Cashman Trophy Munster Final, East Cork Golf Club, Saturday 27th August 2016

Irish Seniors Team Captain Sean O’Leary

Sean O’Leary’s team had an amazing opening day today as Cork’s Tom Cleary shot a one over par 73 in the opening round of the European Senior Men’s Team Championship in Slovenia.  Cleary is safely inside the top 20, but in an amazing day for Ireland, he’s the last of the six Irish golfers.

Arthur Pierse and Adrian Morrow both finished on -3 to lie one off the lead.   Maurice Kelly and Jim Carvill are on -2 and Garth McGimpsey is in 9th place on -1.  Tom Cleary is back on +1, tied for 17th place in a field of 114 golfers from 19 countries.  Cleary had four birdies and five bogies in his opening round.

Ireland are hoping for a fourth consecutive title. Ireland completed a hat-trick in 2015 and have been the dominant force in Europe with five titles since the Championship began in 2006.   After two rounds of stroke play qualifying, the top eight teams will enter Flight A and battle it out for the European title across three days of match play combat.

Scoring

Butler through to last 16 in AIG Irish Close at Ballyliffin

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com

Munster Strokeplay Championship 2016Cathal Butler is the last Cork golfer left in the Irish Close at Ballyliffin, winning both of his matches today.  The Irish international and Munster Strokeplay winner beat Jonathan Yates 3&2 this morning and followed that with a 19th hole win over John Cleary.  Butler faces Jake Whelan in the second match tomorrow morning and is off at 8.09am.

Despite finishing in the top 20, James Sugrue ended up with one of the toughest draws, he was up against defending champion Tiernan McLarnon.  Unfortunately for Sugrue, McLarnon won on the 16th, and he also won in the afternoon to go through to the last 16.

Both John Hickey and John Murphy won their first round matches but exited the competition this afternoon.  Hickey beat Ronan Mullarney on the 18th today, and he took Richard Knightly to the 20th hole before losing out to the Royal Dublin man.

John Murphy saw the 20th as well, his morning match needed two extra holes before he saw off Rob Brazill.  The effort took Continue reading →

Sugrue Leads Cork challenge at Irish Close

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com
James Sugrue 2016

James Sugrue pictured with the Muskerry Senior Scratch Cup which he won earlier this year

The business end of the AIG Irish Close Championship gets underway tomorrow with four Cork golfers qualifying for the matchplay phase.  Mallow’s James Sugrue lead the Cork challenge with a pair of 75’s that saw him finish day two inside the top 20.  Sugure was going very well he was one over for the front nine, but a double on the par five 13th meant he signed for his second 75.  Kinsale’s John Murphy playing in his first Close is just one shot behind Sugrue.  He came in with a two over par 74 which bettered his opening round by three shots.  Cork’s John Hickey also bettered his opening score by three shots, a 75 today was a disappointing finish as the recent Barton Shield winner was -1 at the turn.  Hickey is Continue reading →

Murphy takes 2nd place at Ulster Boys

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com
John Murphy Kerry Boys

Kinsale’s John Murphy with the Kerry Boy’s Cup Picture: Gary Ward

John Murphy narrowly missed out on back to back Boys victories today when he finished just one shot off the winning score.  Murphy was tied for the lead with three others going into the final day, the rain affected third day saw the competition reduced to 54 holes following heavy overnight rain.

Murphy got off to a great start, and was three under for the day after four holes.  He had a tough time of it around the turn with six consecutive bogies.  The Munster Boys Champion rescued his round with an eagle on the long par five 16th hole.  Murphy’s one over par 72 was enough to keep pace with the leaders and it looked like a four way play-off would follow.  But Dun Laoighre’s Alan Fahy came in with a great 68 and took the title by one stroke.  Murphy took second place on a countback from five players on -1.

Golffile Gallery: Ulster Boys Day 3

Ulster Boys Final Scores

211 Alan Fahy (Dun Laoghaire Golf Club) 69 74 68
212 John Murphy (Kinsale) 75 65 72 , Patrick Brennan (Belvoir Park Golf Club) 72 68 72 , Ross Kelly (Tuam Golf Club) 72 68 72 , Hugh O’Hare (Fortwilliam Golf Club) 72 68 72 , Jake Rowe (Tandragee Golf Club) 71 74 67
213 Marc McKinstry (Cairndhu Golf Club) 71 73 69

Continue reading →

Murphy Named on Home Internationals Team

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com

John Murphy April 2016Munster Boys winner John Murphy was named on the Irish team that will compete in the Boys Home Internationals next week.  Murphy is one of two Munster players named on a strong side that features the winners of the Irish Boys, Leinster Boys and Munster Boys events.  Andrew Mulhall from Waterford Castle is the other Munster golfers to be named on the team of 11.  Murphy is currently in action in the Ulster Boys Open at Bangor Golf Club.  Murphy shot an opening 75 in testing conditions and is well inside the cut mark going into day two.  Shane Galvin (Fota Island) and Adam Walsh (Mallow) are also in action.

The Boys Home Internationals take place in Ballyliffin from the 2-4 August.

It’s a double for Kinsale as Murphy follows Cathal Butler in being named on the Irish team, Butler took part in the home internationals which were held in Wales last year.

The mens team wa Continue reading →

Barrett joins Desmond, Healy & Murphy on Munster Boys Interprovincials team

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com
Fred Daly Trophy Munster Finals

Greg Barrett at the Fred Daly Trophy Munster semi-finals at Gold Coast Golf Club. Picture: Niall O’Shea

Mallow’s Greg Barrett was named on a strong Munster Boys team this afternoon.  Team Captain Michael Coote named the team after the Munster Boys Amateur Open had finished and three of the top eight made the Munster team.  Barrett has been having a good run of form and his scores of 74,76,78 gave him a top 30 finish this week and kept him in sight of the selectors.  Barrett finished in 5th place at the Leinster Boys recently and hopes will be high that his current form will continue next week in Tullamore as the Munster Boys team will aim to win the inter-provincial title next week.  He was also a member of the Munster Under 16 team last year.

Munster Boys winner John Murphy was an obvious choice for the team, and his Kinsale club-mate Mark Healy also made the team, both retaining their places from last year.  Monkstown Sean Desmond also retained his place, Desmond shot a 66 yesterday and finished in the top ten.  He has also been a key player on the Monkstown team that has reached the Munster Finals of the AIG Senior Cup.  The four Cork golfers are clearly on form as are Andrew Mulhall and Ciaran Vaughan.  Hopes will be high Continue reading →