Sugrue named as Cork Person of the Month for October

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Sugrue Cork Person of the Month

Mallow golfer James Sugrue, who won the Amateur Championship this year, is October Person of  the Month. James has just announced he will turn Pro next summer. Pictured at the recent award presentation l/r Pat Lemasney, Southern; Manus O’Callaghan, Organiser; Ronan McManamy, M.D. Irish Examiner/The Echo; James Sugrue, Cork Person of the Month; Ann-Marie O’Sullivan, AM O’Sullivan PR; John Lehane, Lexus Cork. Pic by Tony O’Connell Photography.

Mallow golfer James Sugrue, has joined the greats of golf, and has now been named Cork Person of the Month for October. James has also announced that he will turn professional next June, after his involvement in the US Open.  Last June, the 22 year old Mallow native won gold at the 124th Amateur Championship, following in the footsteps of Cork great Jimmy Bruen, and so became only the fourth Irishman to win the Amateur Championship, with a nail-biting one-hole win over Scotland’s Euan Walker at Portmarnock.  Other past Republic of Ireland winners were Bruen, Carr and McElhinney. As a result of this win James will play in two more Majors over the next 10 months following his Open Continue reading →

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Collins set for Gold Medal Challenge

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GUI LogoMonkstown’s Ferghal Collins tees it up in the K Club this week, he’s the only Cork golfer to make it through to the inaugural finals of the All Ireland Gold medal.  Collins is among the top 36 golfers, the finalists made it through to play on the famous Palmer Course in the K Club, the host course for the 2006 Ryder Cup.  There were three stages to the event, which is a unique to the GUI calendar.  It’s the only event that club golfers can participate at individual level in an all-Ireland GUI event. Spread across three different handicap categories, the competition was open to all club members with free entry for all affiliated golf clubs.  To qualify for the new competition each club who entered nominated one of their singles competitions as a club qualifier.  Entrants on the day competed in one of three handicap categories – 9 and below, 10-17 or 18 and over.  The best nett score in each category qualified for the regional final.  From there the three golfers progressed to the regional finals hosted by Cahir Park in August.  Collins was one of the top three in his category (10-17) and qualified for the All Ireland final this week.

Sharon Smurfit, Director of Golf at The K Club said: “I, along with my team are honoured that The K Club is hosting the inaugural 2019 All Ireland Gold Medal Final on our Ryder Cup Course. We look forward to welcoming the all-Ireland finalists to what will be a thrilling end to this new competition. The Ryder Cup course has hosted many special events including the Ryder Cup in 2006 and more recently the Irish Open in 2016, so the finalists will have a challenging day.”  The winners of each of the three handicap categories will be awarded the Gold Medal.

Winning 63 for Murphy in Cincinnati

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Murphy Bearcat_2

John Murphy

John Murphy claimed his first win on US soil today, winning the Bearcat Invitational in Coldstream Country Club. His 54 hole total of -17 (196) was a result of three rounds in the 60’s.  Murphy finished his summer with a win in the Mullingar Scratch Cup, and he continued his good form with an impressive start to the college season.  Yesterday he shot rounds of 67 and 66 to lead the tournament on nine under, and there was no let up today.  A birdie on the second was followed by an eagle three on the fourth hole, and another birdie on the sixth saw him turn on four under.  Another eagle followed on the tenth and he went par, birdie, bogey, birdie to get to -7 on the 14th green.  A final birdie on the 18th saw him sign for a 63 on the par 71, 7,111 yard course.  It was Murphy’s lowest competition score, beating the several impressive scores he posted on his home course in Kinsale over the summer.  The 17 under total contained 17 birdies and two eagles, and beat his previous 54 hole score of -15 from Hawaii when he finished in second place.

Murphy Bearcat

Murphy’s Louisville Cardinals also won the team event, with the first second and eighth places, Louisville finished on -37, an amazing 26 shots ahead of second placed Arkansas.  The Cardinals have a break next week before they are back in action in Tennessee in the Bank of Tennessee Intercollegiate.

Irish Mid-Am title for Peter O’Keeffe

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Peter O'Keeffe Irish Mid Amateur Sept 2019_2

Peter O’Keeffe (Pic: Golffile)

Peter O’Keeffe scooped a second national title today, winning the Irish Mid Amateur in Royal Belfast.  The Douglas golfer had a wire to wire win following rounds of 68,70 & 71.  His winning score of 209 was the only score to break par on the Harry Colt designed course.  O’Keeffe jumped into the lead after an opening 68 on Saturday morning, the two under par round had four birdies and one double bogey in the opening round to lead the field by one.  He followed that with a level par 70 in the afternoon, again closing with birdies on the 16th and 18th.  The 2017 Irish Open winner had a one shot lead going into today’s final round.  Rathmore’s Ben Best was one behind but two bogies on the first and second gave Peter a lead of three.  O’Keeffe went out in a steady level par, made up of seven pars, one birdie and one birdie.  The back nine was even steadier, eight pars and just one bogey on 17th say him sign for a 71.  Playing with the two nearest competitors, O’Keeffe knew he was in the lead and closed out the win with ease.  Colm Campbell and France’s Christophe DeGrancey were one back on level par for the tournament.

Kinsale’s Kieran McCarthy finished in the top ten, he finished on eight over for 8th place.  Mark Collins was one shot back and finished in 11th place.  Lee Valley’s Jason Galway was the Continue reading →

East Cork claim All Ireland Pennant in AIG Challenge Cup

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East Cork Challenge Cup Sept 2019_1East Cork Ladies have added another major title to their roll of honour, they won the All Ireland final of the AIG Challenge Cup in Knightsbrook yesterday.  Led from the front by 17 year old Orla Evans, East Cork came through the quarter final and semi final in dominant form, beating Moyola Park and Rathcore by bringing in the first three points in each match.  And that continued in the final where they faced Tulfarris.  At one stage early on they led in all five matches, and from there they built up a strong platform.  They match didn’t go on too long, Orla Evans put the first point on the board when she wrapped up her match on the 13th with a 7&5 win.  Nora Kelleher added a second point for East Cork with a 6&4 win and the third point came from Caroline Goldspring when she won on the 16th.  East Cork were Continue reading →

Deasy wins Cobh Senior Scratch Cup

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Mel Deasy

Mel Deasy

Lee Valley’s Mel Deasy signed off on another strong season with a win, the Ballincollig teenager won his first senior scratch cup in Cobh last weekend.  It was a solid round from the one handicapper.  Deasy turned on level par after a single birdie and bogey.  He bogied the signature par three 10th hole but went on a run of three birdies from the 11th.  That got him to two under, and after one more bogey on the 15th he finished with a one under par 71.  That tied him with fellow Lee Valley member Ian Bohane but Deasy had the better back nine and became the first winner of the newly named Morgan O’Donovan Senior Scratch Cup.  Ian Bermingham (Douglas) finished in third place with a level par 72 and Stephen O’Brien was fourth.  Conor McDowell was the best Cobh finisher, he took fifth place with a 74.  David Howard, and Dean O’Riordan also finished with 74.

It was a busy weekend in Cobh with three other scratch cups taking place.  Shane Geasley won the Junior Scratch Cup, now named after Paul McGee Snr.  Geasley signed for a 74, beating Fota Island’s John Howard on the countback.  Stuart Meredith was third with a 77.  The Intermediate Scratch Cup was won by Owen O’Connell and the Minor Scratch Cup was won by Fergal Continue reading →

Muskerry Cork Fourball Championship finalists

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Best of luck to the finalists for tomorrow:

Paul O’Keeffe Muskerry
Brian O’Keeffe Muskerry
Derek Kelly Lismore
Martin O’Driscoll W. Waterford
Owen Barrett Muskerry
Tony Hayes Muskerry
Donal M Buckley Muskerry
Fionn Hickey Muskerry
Michael Hanley Muskerry
Pat Finn Muskerry
Ronan McMahon Muskerry
Terry McMahon Muskerry
Harry Connelly Muskerry
Tim McCarthy Muskerry
Brenden Mullane Muskerry
Trever Murphy Muskerry
Denis Scannell Kinsale
Peter Scannell Muskerry
Patrick Barry Bantry
John Barry Bantry
John P Ryan Ballkisteen
Edmund Ryan Ballkisteen
Tim Finn Muskerry
Brenden Ronayne Muskerry
Gerry O’Flynn Muskerry
Donal Shannahan Muskerry
Fred Twomey Muskerry
Robert Foley Muskerry
John Colemn Muskerry
Eugene Browne Muskerry
Doanl Coughlan Muskerry
Martin McDonnell Muskerry
Declan Mooney Ballkisteen
William Hanley Ballkisteen
Dave Barry Muskerry
Aidan McDonogh Muskerry

Charleville win AIG Pierce Purcell All-Ireland Title

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Charleville win Pierce Purcell Sept 2019_2

Charleville’s Pierce Purcell team celebrating after winning the All Ireland final of the AIG Pierce Purcell Shield in Westport. Pic: Pat Cashman, Cashman Photography

Charleville won the All Ireland final of the AIG Pierce Purcell Shield in dramatic fashion on Saturday, with a sudden death win over Castlebar.  Paddy O’Kelly and Ciaran Herlihy were the hero’s for the north Cork club after they won their match on the 19th hole in Westport late on Saturday afternoon.

Danny Deady and Trevor Barry put the first point on the board for Charleville but Castlebar won the next two points to give them  2-1 lead.  With two matches left on the course, Charleville were one up and all square.  John O’Keeffe and Ger Mullane won on the 18th to level the match, and when O’Kelly and Herlihy halved their match on the 18th, it was on to sudden death.  On the 19th a par would do for the Charleville pair, when Castlebar couldn’t match it the large crowd of Charleville supporters celebrated on the first green.  It’s the ninth win in a row for Munster clubs in this competition, but the first for a Cork club in man years.  It’s a second Purcell title for Charleville, and coincidentally it’s their second win in Connacht.  Back in 2006 they won when Enniscrone hosted the finals.  Needless to say one of the proudest men in Westport was the Charleville team captain Anthony Fitzgerald.  “It’s not good for the heart, I swear to God,” said Fitzgerald.  “For my own team and supporters, I’m thrilled.  We’re just Continue reading →

Clarke & Keelan’s Solheim Story

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Solhein 2019_1

Simon Keelan and Roy Clarke ready to go at the Solheim Cup on Friday

The Solheim Cup is over for another two years, and while it was a great weekend for ladies golf with an exciting win for Team Europe, there was a Cork link with two of the team caddies coming from Douglas.  Roy Clarke and Simon Keelan are long time tour caddies on the LPGA and LET tours.  The pair  played junior golf together on several Mahon and Douglas teams, and while they were back together in Gleneagles, they were on opposing sides.  Clarke was on the bag for US star Jessica Korda while Keelan was working with Europe’s Caroline Masson.  Not only were the pair on opposing teams, in a strange coincidence their golfers faced up against each other in the opening foursomes on Friday, and again in the singles on Sunday.  They were both winners of sorts, Korda won the two head to head matches and Europe won the overall title, giving both Keelan and Clarke something from the showpiece event.  Keelan is back caddying after a spell working in the exclusive Hogs Head resort in Waterville, and the Douglas man was delighted that Masson was selected for the pinnacle team event in Ladies Golf.  “I’m not sure where to start, I came over with the team five weeks ago when the picks were Continue reading →

Top ten for Murphy in US Season Opener

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South of Ireland 2019

John Murphy

John Murphy opened his 2019/20 college season with a flourish last weekend, scooping a top ten finish in the opening tournament of the year.  Murphy shot rounds of 71, 66, 76 in the Roy Myers Invitational which took place at Duke University.  Four birdies and three bogies made up Murphy’s opening round on Saturday morning, and later that day he returned a blistering 66 which tied the lowest score of the tournament.  The 66 got off to a steady start, the Louisville golfer was level par after four with two birdies and two bogies.  A birdie four on the ninth saw him turn on one under.  He had a hot hand on the back nine though, he was five under for the five holes from the 11th to the 15th.  That included three birdies and an eagle as he finished the back nine with three pars to sign for a six under score.

That 66 in the second round saw Murphy lead the event going Continue reading →