Eanna Griffin

Desmond & O’Mahony claim first Munster Caps, Senior Interprovincial team named

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com
Sean Desmond

Sean Desmond (Monkstown) teeing off the 9th in Lahinch during the third round of the South of Ireland Championship. Pic: Niall O’Shea

Sean Desmond and Greg O’Mahony are set to earn their first Munster senior caps having been named in the Munster Interprovincial team today.  The Cork duo are among three new faces in the Munster team that also see’s Pat Murray return after missing out last year.  Captain Michael Coote and Manager George Mellerick have assembled a strong team as Munster hope to retain the title.  Desmond was a strong contender for a spot after winning the South Of Ireland earlier this month, and although be missed out on an automatic spot he was certainly to the forefront of the selectors minds.  Greg O’Mahony also picks up his first cap on the back of solid championship performances.  He reached the last 32 in the South and the last 16 in the Irish Close in Ballybunion earlier this week.  Pat Murray makes a welcome return to the team, the Tipperary native has a long and distinguished record and his matchplay experience will balance the young look to the team.

Peter O’Keeffe and Eanna Griffin were automatic picks having finished in the top three in Continue reading →

Advertisement

Sugrue through to Amateur Matchplay

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com

The Amateur Championship 2019 Portmarnock & The Island Golf Club Monday 17th June 2019James Sugrue was the only Cork golfer to make it trough to the last 64 in the Amateur Championship.  After two strokeplay rounds in Portmarnock and The Island, the Mallow man finished in 46th place on +3 after two testing rounds.  Sugrue, with his usual partner Conor Dowling on the bag, was out on Portmarnock yesterday.  And like the majority of the field he found it a tough day.  While he commented the it was “insanely long”, he knew that a patient approach was probably the only way to survive the 7,000 yard course.  The wind picked up mid-morning and Sugrue couldn’t avoid a few bogies on the front nine.  A run of six pars was a welcome Continue reading →

Joe on top in Cork, Munster Strokeplay Championship 2019

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com

Munster Strokeplay Championship 2019 Cork Golf Club 4th/5th May 2019He calls it a love hate relationship, but Joe Lyons is probably more in love with Cork Golf Club after the winning the Munster Strokeplay Championship at the Little Island course over the weekend.  After leading through the first, second and third rounds, Joe was brought to a playoff where he beat Eanna Griffin on the second sudden death hole.  “I honestly didn’t think I’d be coming down here to win this weekend so it’s an absolute thrill to win” said Joe after claiming the trophy.  “I’ve had a bit of a love hate relationship with this this course.  I’ve had nines and tens and all sorts of things down through the years when I had chances of winning this event.  Even leading the qualifiers in the Irish Close a few years back I had a ten on the 16th.  I wasn’t expecting a whole pile so I’m delighted with the win.”  After playing the first three rounds in five under with just six bogies, his closing Continue reading →

Munster win Interprovincial Chamionship in Athenry

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com
Interprovincial Championship 2018

The winning Munster team pictured with Team Captain Michael Coote receiving the trophy from John Moloughney, President GUI, picture Fran Caffrey, Golffile.

There was a dramatic finish to the Interprovincial Championship this afternoon, with Geoff Lenehan again sealing a win for Munster.  The Waterville member won the crucial point in 2012 and 2014, and he was at the centre of the action again in Athenry, winning his singles match to give Munster the win against Leinster and the title.

Munster went into day three with a narrow lead, all four teams had one win each, with Munster ranked first on the basis of matches won.  The meant that a win for Munster should have been enough to seal the title.  The foursomes didn’t quite go to plan, with Munster trailing 3-1 at lunchtime.  The only win came from O’Keeffe and Lenehan.  Munster came out firing in the singles though, with Peter O’Keeffe and James Sugrue claiming the first points.  Munster needed five of the seven points to claim the title and with two in the bag the odds favoured the men in blue.  Eanna Griffin brought in a third point and while Andrew McCormack lost, John Hickey won to make it 4-1 with two matches on the course.  Both playing the final Continue reading →

5 Cork golfers named on Munster team for Interprovincial Championship

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com
James Sugrue_22

James Sugrue (Mallow) teeing of in the third round of the South of Ireland.
Picture: Niall O’Shea

James Sugrue and Peter O’Keeffe lead a five strong Cork contingent on the Munster team for the interprovincial championship later this month.   Cork GC duo John Hickey and Gary O’Flaherty along with Kinsale’s Cathal Butler make up the majority of the eight man team to play in Athenry.

Sugrue and O’Keeffe were assured of their places thanks to finishing in the top three on the Munster Order of Merit.  Both have recorded wins this year and they have also been playing well, reaching the latter stages of the South of Ireland and the AIG Irish Close.  Gary O’Flaherty retains his place and he’s be hoping to add to the six wins that he’s racked up since his first appearance in 1996.  John Hickey and Cathal Butler return to the side after missing out last year, they both played in Fota Island in 2016.

Geoff Lenehan, Andrew McCormack and Eanna Griffin also retain their places from last year in what is a very experienced side.  There are two notable absentees though Continue reading →

Munster Debuts for Murphy & Sugrue

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com
John Murphy of Ireland during the final round

John Murphy, Pic: Tristan Jones

John Murphy and James Sugrue are set to make the Munster senior debuts next month in Carlow, they are two of three new caps to be named on the Munster Senior Interprovincial team.  Both Murphy and Sugrue have represented Munster at Boys level and are set to join the senior ranks in a new look team.  Captain Phil Cooney has named Murphy, Sugrue and Dublin based Jack Pierse in a team that see’s four changes from last year.  Waterford’s Eanna Griffin has also been named in the side that see’s four changes from last year.

It’s the biggest shake up in several years, although all eight golfers were the form players over the past few months, they took the top eight spots on the qualifying order of merit.  Cooney along with selectors John Carroll and Michael Coote had four picks to make after Peter O’Keeffe, Robin Dawson, John Murphy and Continue reading →

Top class field in place for Douglas Senior Scratch Cup

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com

Douglas is the place to be tomorrow, their Senior Scratch Cup will be the third of four consecutive cups that are taking place in April.  With Muskerry and Lee Valley complete, Douglas and Cork remain in what has proved to be an exciting month for Category 1 golfers in the county and indeed the province.  Eanna Griffin, Andrew McCormack and Shane Hogan lead the golfers that hoping to take the title outside of the county.  Gary O’Flaherty, David O’Donovan, John Hickey and holder Daniel Halliessey lead the local challenge, while Peter O’Keeffe will be representing his home club Douglas and he’s like nothing better than to mare his return to amateur status with his first big win on his own turf.

Golf_Douglas SSC_Daniel Hallissey_May2015_web

2015 winner Daniel Hallissey (Muskerry) pictured with Kieran Canty and  Brian O’Brien, Captain Douglas GC. 

Kieran Canty has been a busy man over the past few weeks, as a committed Douglas member, Kieran is one of the main drivers behind the scratch cup and he’s also sponsoring the event.  Senior Scratch Cups have been a challenge for most clubs over the past 8-10 years.  Limited numbers of entrants, pressure on timesheets, and competition from national and provincial events have all impacted on the perceived importance and prestige of senior scratch cups.  Douglas Continue reading →

Griffin wins Castlemartyr Senior Scratch Cup

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com
Eanna Griffin

Eanna Griffin

Waterford’s Eanna Griffin shot two under par rounds to win the Castlemartyr Senior Scratch Cup on Sunday.  The Waterford golfer has come close to winning a few times this year, he was runner up at the West of Ireland and led the Munster Strokeplay at the halfway stage, but his first win of 2015 finally came on Sunday.  Griffin was the only golfer to break 70 in the opening round, his 96 had him two shots clear of the Cork GC duo of John Hickey and Paul Tobin.  Continue reading →