Golfing Union of Ireland

O’Flaherty looking forward to Interpro Challenge

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Munster Strokeplay Championship 2016

Gary O’Flaherty pictured during the Munster Strokeplay at Cork Golf Club in May. Picture: Niall O’Shea

It’s been 20 years since Gary O’Flaherty made his debut on the Munster Inter-provincial team and the Cork Golf Club member is really looking forward to the 2016 event in Fota Island next week.  O’Flaherty won on that original outing in Mount Juliet and has been on five winning teams.  In that time the Munster and Irish golfer has won numerous individual and team titles but he is still very fond of the interpro’s and has some great memories.  “There are so many good ones” said O’Flaherty. “being 4 down after 9 holes in foursomes against Rory McIlroy & Johnny Caldwell in Ballyliffin in 2006 is probably the best.  Myself and Pat Murray managed to reel off five birdies to go one up, only to be pegged back on 16 where McIlroy holed from 40ft for an eagle.  We halved the match in the end.”  Golf has moved on a lot, even in the ten years since Ballyliffin, and many top amateurs are now effectively full time with easy access to all the Irish and International championships.  The senior interpro’s remain an important part of the Irish golfing calendar and Gary still sees the competition as one of the most important in the year: “I believe it’s very important.  It gives guys a goal at the start of the season.  Not everyone can make Irish teams and compete in championships every week, so it’s great to be able to compete against the best for a few days.  It also gives selectors a chance to see how guys are in a team environment, as well as playing foursomes together.”  Gary is also a big fan of Munster Captain Phil Cooney who has helped deliver two titles for Munster in the past four years.  He’s also a fan of the team spirit that Phil promotes: “I think so, it’s very important to have a good team atmosphere. Any year we have Continue reading →

4 Cork Golfers through to final round of Irish Boys

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Fred Daly Trophy Munster Finals

Eric Rumley 

The third round of the Irish Boys took place today at Castle Golf Club and four Cork golfers are through to the final round.  John Murphy (Kinsale) and Eamonn O’Driscoll (Clement Ader) were both safely through to the final round but there was an anxious wait for Sean Desmond and Eric Rumley.  Desmond, fresh from Monkstown’s Senior Cup wins last weekend, had a birdie on the 18th to sign for a 73.  He was pretty confident of making it into the final round but it looked like Eric would miss out by one.  Dropped shots in the closing holes Jack Hearn and Brian O’Connell brought all of the +14’s inside the cut.  Eamonn O’Driscoll is just outside the top 20 on +9 and John Murphy is also on +9.  Both however are well off the joint leaders on -6.  Mark Power and Thomas Mulligan are both six Continue reading →

Strong Munster Team named for Fota Island Interpro’s

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Phil Cooney, Captain of the Munster Senior Interprovincial Team

Phil Cooney

Munster Captain Phil Cooney has named the Munster team to play in the Senior Interprovincials next week at Fota Island Golf Club.  Cooney, along with selectors John Carroll and Michael Coote waited until after the AIG Senior Cup qualifiers last weekend to finalise their team, who will take on the three provinces from 4th – 6th July.  Munster finished in second place last year in Rosapenna and five members of that team were again selected.  Gary O’Flaherty and Robin Dawson took two of the four automatic spots available through the Order of Merit, with John Hickey, Gary O’Flaherty and Geoff Linehan taking three of the four selectors places.  Newcomers on the team include Kinsale’s Cathal Butler and Castletroy’s Andrew McCormack.  Both McCormack and Butler has great starts to the season and both won counting events on the order of merit.  Peter O’Keeffe makes a return to the team after Continue reading →

Munster Boys Under 16 Open at Nenagh Golf Club

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Munster Boys Under 16 Open Championship 2016, Nenagh Golf Club, Wednesday 29th June 2016RESULTS:
1st: Eoin Murphy (Dundalk) 70
2nd: Jonathan Keane (Lahinch) 72
3rd: Scott Jones (Belvoir Park) 73
4th: David Twomey (Elm Park) 74
5th: Sean Enright (Limerick) 74

Best Under 15: Jack Walsh (Kilkenny) 73
2nd Under 15: Joseph Byrne (Baltinglass) 73

Best Nett: Mel Deasy (Bantry Bay) 68nett
2nd Nett: Eoin Lawless (Ardglass) 68nett

Pictures from the course at Nenagh today

Pictures from the Prize Presentation

Fota Island

Barrett takes 5th place in Leinster Boys, Butler 14th in France

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Fred Daly Trophy Munster Finals

Greg Barrett (Mallow)

Mallow’s Greg Barrett finished in 5th place in the Leinster Boys Championship.  Mullingar was the venue for the Championship and the event was declared on the 54 hole standings after the final round.  The two handicapper from Mallow was level after 15, but he dropped a shot at the par five 16th and signed for a one over par 73.  The result wasn’t bad as he jumped two places on the leaderboard.  John Brady (Rosslare) held his lead to claim the title.  Kinsale’s Mark Healy finished inside the top thirty, posting rounds of 76, 78, 78.

Meanwhile, Cathal Butler, Robin Dawson and Eugene Smith are in action in Brive in the World University Championships.  Butler is tied for 14th place alongside Dawson, and Smith holds top spot on on -2.  Butler finished on +5, not helped by being +5 for the par 5’s.  Ireland also lead the team standings and the second round takes place tomorrow.

World University Championships, Brive

Fota Island

Quirke wins Leinster Seniors Title

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2016 Leinster Seniors Amateur Open Championship at Glasson Golf

Michael Quirke (Doneraile) winner of the 2016 Leinster Seniors Amateur Open Championship trophy after his victory at Glasson Golf Club today. Picture by Pat Cashman

Doneraile’s Michael Quirke won the Leinster Seniors today, a one under par 72 was enough to give the North Cork man a three stroke margin of victory at Glasson Golf Club.  Fifteen steady pars were interrupted by two birdies and one bogey as Quirke carded one of only two under par rounds of the championship.  Michael had shot a level par 73 in the first round to hold the joint lead with  Garth McGimpsey and Val Smith.  Neither Smith or McGimpsey could match their first round scores, McGimpsey’s 78 was good enough for 4th place while Smith faded with an 86.  Barry O’Leary (Greystones) was second on +2 and John Mitchell (Tramore) was third on +4.  Cork’s Tom Cleary had another 76 today to give  him a share of 5th place, with Jerry Crean (Kinsale) and Peter Cowley (Cork) tied in 13th place.  George Mellerick (Fota Island), John Cuffe (Monkstown) and Paddy Harrington (Muskerry) all finished down the field. Continue reading →

Quirke Leads Leinster Seniors, Barrett 2nd in Leinster Boys

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Michael Quirke.jpg

Michael Quirke (Doneraile)

Doneraile’s Michael Quirke leads the Leinster Seniors at Glasson after round one.  Quirke started with a bogey on the first hole and added a second on the fifth, before birdieing the 8th to turn on one over.  He birdied the 10th but added a double on the 14th to go two over.  Two birdies on the  run in saw him finish on level par, sharing the lead with Garth McGimpsey and Val Smith.  In a  crowded leaderboard there are 10 within three shots of the lead, including Tom Cleary who’s in a tie for 6th place on +3.  Peter Cowley is tied for 10th place on +4, and Jerry Crean (Kinsale) is a shot back in 15th place.

Leinster Seniors Live Scoring

Fred Daly Trophy Munster Finals

Greg Barrett (Mallow)

Mallow’s Greg Barrett is in a tie for second place, just two shots off the lead in the Leinster Boys.  Barrett had three birdies and three bogies on his way to the level par 72.  He’s two behind Patrick Brennan from Belvoir Park.  Kineale’s Mark Healy is in 25th position with +4 and Eric Rumley is further back on +8.  The event continues tomorrow in Mullingar GC.

Leinster Boys Live Scoring

Fota Island

O’Flaherty wins Irish Mid-Am title for second time

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2016 Irish Over-30s Amateur Open Championship at Limerick Golf C

John Moloughney (Chairman, Munster Branch, GUI) presenting Gary O’Flaherty (Cork) with the 2016 Irish Over-30s Amateur Open Championship trophy after his victory at Limerick Golf Club today (19/06/2016). Also in the picture is Frank O’Mahony (Captain, Limerick Golf Club). Picture by Pat Cashman

Gary O’Flaherty won the Irish Mid Amateur Championship for a second time today in tough conditions in Limerick.  O’Flaherty had a five shot lead going into the final round however difficult playing conditions meant that a win was far from guaranteed at Limerick Golf Club.  He was four shots ahead of Eddie McCormack (Galway) and both golfers matched each other on the front nine.  After three pars each, they both birdied the 4th and they both went on to bogey the 5th.  They both turned on +1 but McCormack started a charge with birdies on the 10th and 12th to cut the lead to three.  O’Flaherty was playing very steady golf but bogied the 16th when his ball Continue reading →

O’Flaherty shoots 64 at Irish Mid-Am

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Munster Strokeplay Championship 2016

Gary O’Flaherty, the new Sales Manager Ireland for Cobra/Puma Golf 

Gary O’Flaherty (Cork Golf Club) shot rounds of 64 & 72 to take a four shot lead into the final round of the Irish Mid-Amateur (Over 30) Open in Limerick today.  The recent Castletroy Scratch winner has taken a shine to Limerick and he rattled in 9 birdies in his opening round.  A bogey on the back nine meant that he had to settle for a 64 but that gave him a four stroke lead.

O’Flaherty has been busy on and off the course, he recently took over as Sales Manager for Cobra/Puma Golf in Ireland.  His second round started like the first adding two more birdies at the 1st and 5th.  He dropped a few shots around the turn but he didn’t give anything away as he signed for a level par 72 in the afternoon.  He’s four ahead of Woodstock’s Tony Cleary.

Gary O'Flaherty 64 Over 30

Castlemartyr’s Kenny McGarry also continued his good form, two consecutive 72’s see’s him in 9th place on level par.  McGarry dropped six shots in three holes on the back nine of his second round, but showed great strength to birdie the next hole to get himself back to level par.  Fota duo Keith Crowley and Sean Barry are inside the top 20 on +2 and Bandon’s Dave McCarthy also made to cut for tomorrow’s final round.

 

Irish Mid-Amateur (Over-30s) Open Championship Leaderboard

Final Round Draw

Fota Island