Fionn Hickey (Muskerry) holds a share of the lead in Ballybunion after the opening day of the Munster Boys. Testing conditions were in play all day as 68 golfers – including 11 from Cork battled with wind and rain, and there was little in the way of respite as the rain continued into the late afternoon. Hickey had a tough start, he had a double bogey seven on the opening hole. He was four over after four holes but two birdies on the fifth and sixth got him back on track. He turned on +3 and a very steady back nine (+1) saw him card a leading four over par 76. Hickey is tied for the lead with Knock’s Lee Mitchell.
Youghal’s Charlie Flavin shot 81 to finish in the top ten while Stephen Riordan and Ronan Feerick are in the top 20. Robbie Walsh and Alex Dineen are in the top 30 while Eoghan Casidy, Mel Deasy and Keelan McCarthy are all in the top 40.
Round two gets underway tomorrow morning at 7.54am on the Cashen course, and with better conditions forecast the race will be on to post a score in top 45. That’s the cut mark for Friday’s final round. The cut is currently +18, but th Continue reading

Robbie Walsh leads the Connacht Boys after an impressive round where he shot a 68. The Kinsale teenager had five birdies on his way the the four under par round in Oughterard. A bogey on the final hole spoiled an otherwise flawless round, and he ties the overnight lead with Joshua Hill. Keelan McCarthy (Lee Valley) and Shane Connor (East Cork) are the next best Cork players, they shot level par and are tied for 13th place. Muskerry duo Fionn Hickey (+2) and Jack Egan (+3) are both inside the top thirty, along with Mallow’s Ronan Feerick. Round two in Oughterard takes place tomorrow with the top 45 qualifying for the final round.
Pat Lyons shot an opening one 
Munster inter-provincial player Edward Walsh led a strong charge from Mallow today at the Munster U15/17 Close at Carrick on Suir. Walsh was two clear of the field at the end of play, posting a one under par 71. Walsh got off to a great start with a birdie on the first hole but he went on to bogey the index two 4th hole. He played some very steady golf after that, carding 12 pars and 2 birdies. He stood on the 18th tee on -2 but a frustrating three putt on the final hole was the only blemish on a great performance. Walsh, playing off 2, was a member of the victorious Munster U16 Interprovincial team recently. He finished two shots clear of Cahir Park’s Ian Halpin and Fota Island’s Shane Galvin was third with a 74.
