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
Walker Cup hopeful James Sugrue is back on the winning trail after romping home in the Castletroy Scratch on Saturday. The Mallow man was named on the Walker Cup training panel earlier this month and his golf continues to do the talking as he finished five strokes clear of a strong field at the end of the 36 hole event. Rounds of 68 ad 71 (-5) saw him clear the field, and with just one bogey in each of the rounds he played some very tidy golf. Second place went to Pat Murray on level par with Harry Duggan (Kilkenny) finishing in third place on +1. Jack Ryan was the best of the home golfers, he took fourth, and it was a special day for Athenry’s Peader O’Beirne. Peader too second nett but also had a hole in one in the competition. It was a welcome win for Sugrue who was laid low with an injury just six weeks ago. The Irish International has been playing well all season. A top 15 finish in Lytham, and a top 20 in the Irish Amateur came after Sugrue had to pull out of the Euro Nations with a rib injury. His performance at the weekend now sends a signal that he’s a contender for a second major to the South title he won in 2017. Sugrue is headed for Leeds this week for the Brabazon Trophy, where the Walker Cup selectors will no doubt be watching the members of their extended training panel.
Alan Fahy returns to Cork this weekend to defend his Munster Strokeplay title. Cork Golf Club will play host to the 72 hole event on Saturday and Sunday, and although some of the Irish Team are in Lytham, the field is the deepest ever with the cut falling at +0.4. The marquee three ball tees off at 9.40, it contains the champion Fahy, the 2018 runner up Robbie Cannon and Portmarnock’s Geoff Lenehan. The three have all shown promise this year and will be hoping for a positive start in Cork on Saturday. Keith Egan from Carton House is the lowest handicapped golfer in the field, playing off an impressive mark of +3.0. Gary O’Flaherty, Ian O’Rourke and Ian O’Flynn are the leading contenders from the home club while Kanturk native Paul Buckley has recently joined the club and will be hoping to build on good form from last weekend in Lee Valley.
Cork Golf News 