Inter-Club

2025 a year to remember

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John Doyle (Fota Island) receiving the Munster Stroke Play trophy from Paul Buckley from C2O Group, sponsors of the tournament.
Picture: Niall O’Shea

2025 proved to be a year to remember for Cork golf, with several notable successes in the bag.  Douglas, Monkstown and Lee Valley all won green national pennants, and there were notable individual successes as well.

Douglas did a rare double, winning the AIG Senior Cup in the Women’s and Men’s, taking full advantage of the status as hosts for the AIG Inter-Club finals at the end of August.  Monkstown travelled to Northern Ireland and came home as winners of the AIG Junior Cup, and Lee Valley won their Girls Inter-Club title in Donabate in August.

It was a breakout year for John Doyle, the Mitchelstown teenager started the season in style with wins at the Irish Boys and the Munster Continue reading →

Clonakilty chase first AIG All-Ireland glory

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Clonakilty Golf Club celebrate their AIG Jimmy Bruen Shield quarter-final victory at Mannan Castle

Since opening in 1994, Clonakilty Golf Club has undergone many changes, but this weekend could mark the beginning of its most exciting chapter yet as Liam Dennehy and his side chase a history-making performance at the AIG Jimmy Bruen Shield All-Ireland Finals in Mannan Castle.

Having hosted the quarter-finals of both the AIG Jimmy Bruen Shield and Women’s Minor Foursomes in August, Mannan Castle now welcomes eight teams from across the island, with semi-finals taking place on Friday, before the All-Ireland deciders on Saturday.

Formerly known as Lisselan Golf Club, Clonakilty has evolved from a six-hole layout to its current 14, with planning recently approved to extend Continue reading →

Douglas Double Up in AIG Senior Cup

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Barry O’Connell leads the celebrations after holing the putt that won the AIG Men’s Senior Cup for Doulgas
Credit ©INPHO/Tom Maher

There were incredible scenes in Douglas Golf Club on Sunday as the club pulled off an improbable double, winning the AIG Women’s and Men’s Senior Cups.  While both teams fielded strong sides, even one win was unlikely after the first nine holes with both teams trailing their opponents.

The drama unfolded slowly at first when the Douglas ladies staged a comeback when they were up against it.  Áine Donegan and Chloe Ryan won the first two points for opponents Lahinch to ensure they were well in the fight.  Shannon Burke continued her 100% record with another impressive 5&4 win to put a point on the board for the home team and Karen O’Neill Continue reading →

Lee Valley Girls win national title in Meath

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There were scenes of joy last week in Donabate as Lee Valley claimed the Girls Inter-Club national title.  Golfers Heather O’Gorman, Clodagh O’Sullivan and Jessica Power combined to help their side finish on top.  Lee Valley were back in the All-Ireland final after coming up short in Warrenpoint last year and finished three points ahead of Roganstown to claim a national pennant.

Lee Valley Captain Roisin Murray, said it was a huge boost for a young group who showed their potential on the big stage again.  “It was definitely worth the long trip up, we are delighted, over the moon,” said Murray.  “The girls have been playing really well all year so we came up, did the practice round, they really enjoyed it and they went out this morning and we just said try your best.

“When the scores came in they were just the right scores today, it was brilliant. We were watching the whole time and when our first girl came in, she told us she had 39 points and we were like, holy God.  “We weren’t Continue reading →

Douglas Celebrate Senior Cup and Curtis Cup Successes

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Sara Byrne in action in the Curtis Cup in Sunningdale. Picture: Niall O’Shea

Sara Byrne had a fairytale end to her amateur career, going unbeaten in five sessions and helping GB&I to win the Curtis Cup for the first time since 2016.

The Douglas golfer may have missed out on her club’s AIG Senior Cup win, but she made a lifetime of memories in Sunningdale.  Byrne played in all five sessions and she was the only player to undefeated over the three days.  She had a win and three halves in the opening two days alongside Lottie Woad, and closed out her final round as an amateur with a decisive win.

Team captain Catriona Matthew kept her faith in Byrne and Woad on the Continue reading →

Success for Byrne, Cork, Douglas and Munster Women

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Sara Byrne teeing off the 18th in Lahinch on the final day of the Arnold Palmer Cup

Sara Byrne was one of the stars of the show last weekend as Lahinch hosted the Arnold Palmer Cup.  Byrne, the first Cork player to feature in the annual event which sees 48 top college golfers face off on American and International teams.

Byrne was paired with Max Kennedy for the mixed fourball and mixed foursomes and the pair scored two wins in their matches.  In Sunday’s singles she faced the recent winner of the Women’s Amateur, Melanie Green.  Teeing off from the 1st, there was a huge crowd around the clubhouse to follow Continue reading →

No joy for Cork clubs at inter-club finals

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The final weekend of AIG Inter-Club All-Ireland finals took place in Westport over the week with five competitions down for decision.  It was the third weekend of events and it saw Cork clubs still looking for their first green pennant of the 2023 campaign.  Quarter-finals had taken place already in these events, and that meant the there were just two Cork teams in action from the five competitions.  Lee Valley had qualified from Munster East in the Women’s Minor Cup, the Cork club have a good record in the ladies cups events and they saw off the challenge from Rockmount in the semi-final on Thursday.  Impressive wins for Emma O’Halloran, Dinah O’Mahony and Joesphine Martin saw them through to the final on Continue reading →

Cork Women win second Pennant, Bruen in Cobh, Mullingar Round Up

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May be an image of 10 people, people golfing and golf courseCork Golf Club captured their second Women’s pennant of 2023 when the Junior Cup team came out on top at Muskerry last weekend.  For the second time this year Cork faced Douglas in a Munster East final and the Little Island won for the second time.  The final was a close match with Douglas taking the first two points before Cork came back to win it.  Cork’s Nuala Continue reading →

Pennant wins for Clonakilty, Douglas and Fota Island

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Fota Island, winners of AIG Women’s Junior Foursomes Munster East Final at Fermoy.          Pic: Niall O’Shea

Clonakilty, Douglas and Fota Island all claimed Munster East pennants over the weekend as more of the Golf Ireland Inter-Club finals took place.  Fermoy was the venue for five finals over the weekend, and the north Cork course was in great condition for the event.  Fermoy has been held in high regard as a finals venue for many years and they club delivered a great experience yet again for the travelling teams and supporters.  Occasional showers over the two days challenged the golfers and the spectators but the course held up and as usual the greens provided a tough but fair test for everyone.   Clonakilty made it two wins for Cork clubs when they defeated Slievenamon in the AIG Challenge Cup.

Clonakilty, winners of AIG Women’s Challenge Cup Munster East Final at Fermoy Golf Club.
Picture: Niall O’Shea

Fota Island made it two wins in two weekends when the Women’s Junior Foursomes team defeated Youghal.  Paula Whitley and Suzanne Hickey put the first point on the board for Fota Island and the title was secured when Marissa O’Flynn and Theresa Roche won the final match.

Hopes of a second pennant for Fota Island were dashed with a dramatic 19th hole finish in the Flogas Irish Mixed Foursomes.  With the match balanced 2-2 the large crowd of spectators made their way to the first hole.  Their opponents, Co Tipperary Continue reading →

Fota win Barton Shield

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Sean Barry and John Doyle sheltering from the rain during the AIG Barton Shield in Dungarvan.
Picture: Niall O’Shea

Fota Island captured their first Golf Ireland pennant in Dungarvan at the weekend, they came through four matches to win the Munster East Area Final.  The Cork side had an impressive win over Macroom on Saturday morning, and they had a similar win over hosts Dungarvan in the afternoon.  Going with the pairings of Sean Barry & John Doyle and Keith Crowley & David Howard they came through the first two matches to reach the semi-finals.

Gallery: AIG Barton Shield 2023, Munster East

With John Doyle unavailable due Continue reading →