Gary O’Flaherty

Strong Cork Challenge in Lahinch, South of Ireland Day 3

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AIG Senior Cup, Mallow Golf Club, Sunday 25thth June 2017Weather conditions in Lahinch were slightly better today as the opening two rounds of the matchplay got underway.  After two rounds there are still five Cork golfers involved, with two all-Cork clashes set for tomorrow morning.

Kinsale’s Cathal Butler and John Murphy made it through to the third round.  Murphy had a two hole win over his Munster team mate Andrew McCormack this afternoon while Butler won on the 18th against Robert Brazill from Naas.  Butler will face Peter O’Keeffe in the third round, O’Keeffe had wins today over two Limerick members, Owen O’Brien and Sean Poucher to book his place on the last 16.  Gary O’Flaherty will face James Sugrue in the final match tomorrow morning.  O’Flaherty needed all 18 holes this morning to beat Keith Murphy while this afternoon he dispatched Stephen Loftus 5&4.  Sugrue was the last player left on the course this evening and he wrapped up his match with Darragh Coghlan on the 17th.  With eight Cork qualifiers the hopes were high that someone might follow in Mervyn Owens footsteps and claim the prestigious South title.  After today there are still five with a chance.  Gary Ward won this morning but fell to Colm Campbell in the second round match this afternoon.  Two Cork qualifiers lost out in this morning’s first round.  Sean Desmond was handed a tough draw when he was put up against Conor O’Rourke from Naas.  The form book ruled and Continue reading →

Munster win against Connacht, Senior Interprovincials

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2017 Interprovincial Matches at Carlow Golf Club

Peter Sinclair (President, GUI) presenting Seamus McParland (Team Captain) with the 2017 Interprovincial trophy after Leinster victory at Carlow Golf Club today (05/07/2017). Also in the picture in front (from left) John Cullen (Team Manager), Moling Lennon (Captain, Carlow Golf Club) and John Ferriter (Chairman, Leinster Golf, GUI). Team members at back (from left) Caolan Rafferty, Jake Whelan, Eugene Smith, Jonathan Yates, Mark Power, Alan Lowry, Conor Purcell and Daniel Holland. Picture by Pat Cashman

Munster had a very strong closing performance in the final day of the Senior Interprovincials.  They won both sessions to claim a win against Connacht which gave some satisfaction after two tough days.  Foursomes wins from O’Keeffe and McCormack meant that the pair were unbeaten in three matches.  Gary O’Flaherty and Geoff Lenehan picked up their second win as a pair and Jack Pierse and John Murphy secured a half to win the session.  Afternoon wins from O’Keeffe, Lenehan, Griffin, Pierse and O’Flaherty secured the win for Munster.  Unfortunately Munster could only finish 3rd, losing a spot on the countback to Ulster.  The third place probably didn’t reflect how close Munster came to a win.  They were within one match of halving with Leinster and Ulster battled back to claim a half on Tuesday.  Leinster completed their first hat-trick since 1964 by winning a third successive Interprovincial Championship at Carlow.

Not since that great side of the ’60s won four on the trot from ’62 to ’65 have Leinster managed such a streak. And with three wins on the board, this was a thumping success.

Following wins against Munster and Connacht, Leinster only needed to halve with Ulster in order to retain the title but they made certain anyway, victorious for the third day running.  Dominant Continue reading →

Murphy & Sugrue best placed in East of Ireland

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John Murphy of Ireland during the final round

John Murphy,  Credit: Tristan Jones

John Murphy and James Sugrue were the best placed Cork finishers in the East of Ireland which concluded on Monday.  Murphy ended up claiming a spot in the top ten, finishing in a tie for 6th place on +2.  Murphy birdied the last to sign for a 73 and continues a good run of form.  Like many other Cork and Munster golfers he’ll now head for Tralee for the Kerry Scratch Cup which takes place this weekend.  With more Munster Order of Merit points on offer the competition for places on the Munster interprovincial team is heating up.  Janes Sugrue closed with a two over par 74 today but signed for a very impressive 69 yesterday.  The Mallow man tied the low round of the day with five birdies and two bogies which saw him jump up on the field.  The winner was Reece Black from Hilton Templepatrick who blew the Continue reading →

Hickey & O’Flaherty lead Cork charge at East of Ireland

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John Hickey pictured during the Lee Valley Senior Scratch Cup.

John Hickey

John Hickey shot a two under par 70 in Baltray this morning to finish the first round in 5th place.  A steady round saw Hickey turn on -2 after two birdies.  He added a third bridie on the 14th but bogied the par three 15th immediately after that.  Two more pars followed and he signed for a 70 which is just one shot off the lead set but a group of four golfers.  Gary O’Flaherty returned to competitive golf after a short break and he went round the Co Louth links in a very respectable 71 strokes.  Like his Cork Golf Club partner Hickey, Gary also had a very tidy round.  Two birdies, one bogey and fifteen pars made up the card that saw him tie for ninth place just two shots away from the leading bunch.  The fourway tie Continue reading →

Castletroy Senior Scratch Cup Launch

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Castletroy SSC Launch 2017

Liam McDonnell, Captain, Liz Horgan, Bank of Ireland and Corrie Ward, President of Castletroy Golf Club       
Picture by Dave Gaynor

Castletroy Golf Club has announced details of this year’s Senior Scratch Cup, which is, once again kindly sponsored by Bank of Ireland.  The competition takes place on Saturday, May 20th.   First competed for in 1948, the Castletroy trophy is one of the oldest and most prestigious scratch cups in the country and attracts the cream of Munster golf and some of Ireland’s best amateur golfers each year.  As a Munster Senior Golf “Order of Merit” tournament, results in the Castletroy Senior Scratch Cup are included in the selection criteria for the Munster team in the Senior Golf Interprovincial Series.   The course, currently ranked at #61 in Ireland and measuring almost 7,000 yards off the back tees, consistently Continue reading →

O’Flaherty claims second Lee Valley Title, Dell EMC Lee Valley Senior Scratch Cup

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Dell EMC Lee Valley Senior Scratch Cup, Lee Valley Golf Club, Saturday 22nd April 2017Cork’s Gary O’Flaherty won his second Lee Valley Scratch Cup in style today with a two shot win over a strong field.  O’Flaherty started the third round one shot off the leaders, Andrew McCormack and Dave O’Donovan, but all three were level going onto the 9th hole.  The conditions were near perfect and things were tight on the back nine until O’Flaherty birdied the 13th and 15th to stretch ahead.  He parred his way home from the 15th, maintaining a two shot buffer.  The only hope for the chasers was when he ended up  in the greenside bunker on the 18th, but the 2012 winner splashed out to five feet and calmly made the uphill putt.  O’Flaherty’s four under par total was made up of a 69/72/21 over the three rounds.  James Sugrue took second place Continue reading →

McCormack & O’Donovan tied for the lead in Lee Valley

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Dell EMC Lee Valley Senior Scratch Cup, Lee Valley Golf Club, Saturday 22nd April 2017

Andrew McCormack

After a superb day for golf, Andrew McCormack and Dave O’Donovan are tied for the lead on four under par.  O’Donovan was level par for his second round, adding to his earlier 68 while McCormack shot 69/71.  The Castletroy member clawed a shot back from O’Donovan this afternoon to tie for the lead.  Gary O’Flaherty is one shot off the leaders, he also shot level par this afternoon after a 69 this morning.

Bandon’s Donal O’Donovan had a very impressive 70 this afternoon, he’s in fourth place on 143.  Peter O’Keeffe is next on 144 after two level par rounds, and Mallow’s James Sugrue is also on 144.  John Murphy, Joe O’Sullivan and Eanna Griffin are all on 145, all three have a chance tomorrow but they will need to go low to catch and the beat the leaders.  The cut (top 30) fell at 150, two shots better than last year which is no surprise given the Continue reading →

Dave O’Donovan leads Lee Valley with 68, Senior Scratch Cup R1

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Dell EMC Lee Valley Senior Scratch Cup, Lee Valley Golf Club, Saturday 22nd April 2017

Dave O’Donovan follows his tee shot on the 4th in Lee Valley this morning. Picture: Niall O’Shea

2015 winner Dave O’Donovan holds the first round lead in Lee Valley after shooting an excellent 68 in great conditions this morning.  78 golfers took the course for the Dell EMC sponsored event, as sunshine and fast greens greeted the competitors.   O’Donovan leads the tournament by one, Gary O’Flaherty and 2016 runner up Andrew McCormack are one shot back on 69.

Munster Students champion John Murphy is in fourth spot on 70 and James Sugrue also got into the red with a one under par 71.  Peter O’Keeffe and Ben Murray are among a few players who shot level par.  Although conditions are good, scoring is tough on the parkland course with back tees and tricky pins contributing to the stiff test for some of Ireland’s top amateurs.  Ronan Curran (74) is the best of the home players while Lee Valley Captain Pat Continue reading →