Just four teams remain, AIG Senior Cup

AIG Senior Cup Munster Finals, Cork Golf Club, Saturday13th August 2016

Sean Desmond who helped Monkstown to two wins today

Sixteen teams started out in Mallow this morning and now just four remain after a bumper day of golf in North Cork.

Munster Champions Monkstown advanced this morning with a win over Muskerry.  This afternoon no less than three matches went to the 19th before they overcame Muskerry in a thrilling match.  Monkstown face Cork tomorrow, the reigning Barton champions saw off Castlemartyr.

Kinsale’s young guns are still in the hunt, they had two good wins, accounting for Mahon and Bandon.  Hosts Mallow were expected to play well and they obliged with a win over Fota Island although Fota made them work for their win. This afternoon they faced Lee Valley who beat Douglas in the first round this morning.  The hosts prevailed this evening to set up at match with Kinsale tomorrow morning.  The first match gets underway at 9am tomorrow.

Full Draw & Results: AIG Senior Cup :: South Munster 2017

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Ryan & Higgins on top in Monkstown, Munster PGA

Morgan O'Donovan Perpetual Trophy 2017David Ryan and David Higgins came out on top on a glorious day in Monkstown today as the annual Morgan O’Donovan Perpetual Trophy competition took place.  Both players shot an impressive 67 and although the sun was out the combination of  a hard wind blowing and fast greens meant that only a few golfers managed to break par.  The competition is now in it’s fifth year and commemorates Morgan O’Donovan who was Head Professional in Monkstown before his death in 2012. The competition today was sponsored by Ping and the pro-am format saw plenty of Munster PGA Professionals take the opportunity to get out and play with an amateur partner.

It was Higgins third time in a row to win the prestigious tournament.  Higgins had missed out on the opening events, playing his first event in Cork a few weeks ago where he shot a 73.  The former European Tour player shook off the cobwebs as he went out in a very tidy 32 strokes.  Birdies on the 4th & 5th were followed by a birdie on the 9th hole to turn on -3.  Another birdie followed on the 11th but he handed back a shot on the par three 13th.  He birdied the 15th to get back to -4, but there was one more bogey on the 18th where a tricky pin position was causing trouble for a good number of golfers.

David Ryan followed up his current good form with another 67.  He went Continue reading

Seamus Power visits Monkstown

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Seamus Power pictured with Monkstown President Colm Ó Riain, Club Professional Cian McNamara and Monkstown Captain Martin Walsh. Picture: Niall O’Shea

PGA Tour golfer Seamus Power took some time out of his break back in Ireland when he spent a few hours in Monkstown Golf Club on Saturday for a special golf clinic for members.  Power was in Monkstown following an invite from his college team-mate Cian McNamara.  The pair spent a four years in East Tennessee University, both were on the college’s golf roster following impressive junior golf performances in Ireland.  McNamara returned to Ireland, studied for his PGA qualifications and two years ago he landed the job in Monkstown.  Power stayed in the US and spent a few years developing his game on the mini-tours.  The mini-tours in the US are a tough learning ground but Power served his time and moved up the hierarchy step by step until he reached the secondary US tour, the web.com tour.  Following a great year on the web.com tour last year, Power secured his card on the main PGA Tour, and followed that with four successive cuts in his four most recent tournaments.  Power has earned close to $100k so far from the four events and is currently inside the top 100 in the FedEx Cup points list.  The good start to the season means that Seamus Continue reading

Muskerry and Monkstown name strong teams for AIG semi-finals

Muskerry and Monkstown have both stuck with the same players who won Munster titles as they go into battle in the AIG Cups and Shields finals this morning.  Monkstown are just about to start (8am) with Muskerry taking to the course at 12.30.

Updates throughout the day available on Twitter @CorkGolfNews

Long Read: Monkstown and Muskerry on All-Ireland Trail

 

AIG SENIOR CUP (semi-final) – Live Scoring
0800 Monkstown v Co Sligo (matches at 9-minute intervals)Dwyers Advert

Sean Desmond v David Brady
Donal McDonnell Jnr v Declan Reidy
Nick Moore v Ruairi O’Connor
Martin Poucher v TJ Ford
Eoghan Long v Mark Morrissey

AIG Jimmy Bruen Shield (semi-final) – Live Scoring
1230 Muskerry v Cill Dara (matches at 9-minute intervals)

Andrew Gray & Tony Gardiner v Ray Mackey & Christopher Harhen
Sean Geary & Gary Lucas v James Dunne & Ciaran Ryan
Paul Herlihy & Fionn Hickey v Tom Friary & Pat Garry
Fergal Murphy & Michael O’Brien v David Fox & Declan Plunkett
Michael O’Callaghan & Jack Taylor v Patrick Hopkins & Christy Roche

Long Read: Monkstown and Muskerry on All-Ireland Trail

 

AIG Senior Cup Munster Finals, Cork Golf Club, Saturday13th August 2016Monkstown and Muskerry travel to Carton House this week to play in Europe’s biggest golf competition and both have hopes of returning with an All-Ireland title.  Both clubs face All-Ireland semi-finals on Friday morning.  Muskerry are in action in the AIG Jimmy Bruen Shield while Monkstown aim to win their first AIG Senior Cup title.  Both clubs have been busy preparing, on and off the course.  The cost of sending a team to compete in Carton House quickly runs into five figures when you take into account all of the costs associated.  Despite the costs, it’s a great opportunity for both clubs and one which all of their members are looking forward to.  Monkstown Captain Carl Toal has been involved in several teams himself and he has been busy over the past three weeks.  “The Club is on a high since winning the AIG Senior Cup Munster final in Cork Golf Club last month, it was a fantastic achievement to win after coming so close last year in Dungarvan” said the Captain who went on to explain the plan that was put into operation, “Winning the Munster final inevitably Continue reading

Murphy Top 5 at Euro Team Championships, Cork Lose out in Barton semi-final

irish-boys-ega-sept-2016John Murphy (Kinsale) shot a level par 72 on the opening day of the European Boy’s Team Championships today.  The competition is taking place in Czech Republic and Murphy was one of the later starters this morning and opened with birdie.  He had three bogies on the front nine  but turned on +1, two birdies and a bogey on the back nine meant that he signed for a level par 72 to lie in 5th place.  It was a very good day for Ireland, Kevin leBlanc holds the lead on -4 and all six Irish golfers are in the top 20.  Tomorrow will be an important day for the Irish, the second round of strokeplay qualifying will determine the matchplay draws with the top four countries playing-off for the Championship title.

 

Cork Golf Club put up a strong battle today against Warrenpoint, losing out on the 18th green in Continue reading

Monkstown win Munster Mixed Foursomes at Muskerry,

Munster Mixed Foursomes 2016 Muskerry

Susan White, Premium Credit, presenting the Munster Inter Club Mixed Foursomes trophy to Nick Moore and Emer Moran, Monkstown Golf Club, following their win at Muskerry Golf Club. Included is Tom Purcell, Muskerry G.C. Captain. Picture: Mike English.

The Munster Inter Club Mixed Foursomes final was held in Muskerry on Sunday 28th August .

There was a new Sponsor this year and Susan White of “Premium Credit “ welcomed the 26 participating Clubs and was delighted to be hosting such an event.  The eventual winners were Nick Moore and Emer Moran representing Monkstown with a score of 69.5.  The Runners  Up were  Lee Valley  represented  by Alan Cashman and Margaret Ahern with Adare Manor’s  Barry O’Riordan and  Siobhan Curran  and Ballybunion’s  Sean Kennelly  Janice O’Connell in 3rd and 4th Place .

The photo ( by Michael English )  shows Susan White of Premium Credit presenting the trophy to Nick Moore and Emer Moran ably assisted by Tom Purcell Captain of Muskerry