O’Flaherty wins Irish Mid-Am title for second time

June 19, 2016June 19, 2016 / niall@corkgolfnews.com

2016 Irish Over-30s Amateur Open Championship at Limerick Golf C

John Moloughney (Chairman, Munster Branch, GUI) presenting Gary O’Flaherty (Cork) with the 2016 Irish Over-30s Amateur Open Championship trophy after his victory at Limerick Golf Club today (19/06/2016). Also in the picture is Frank O’Mahony (Captain, Limerick Golf Club). Picture by Pat Cashman

Gary O’Flaherty won the Irish Mid Amateur Championship for a second time today in tough conditions in Limerick. O’Flaherty had a five shot lead going into the final round however difficult playing conditions meant that a win was far from guaranteed at Limerick Golf Club. He was four shots ahead of Eddie McCormack (Galway) and both golfers matched each other on the front nine. After three pars each, they both birdied the 4th and they both went on to bogey the 5th. They both turned on +1 but McCormack started a charge with birdies on the 10th and 12th to cut the lead to three. O’Flaherty was playing very steady golf but bogied the 16th when his ball Continue reading →

O’Flaherty shoots 64 at Irish Mid-Am

June 18, 2016June 18, 2016 / niall@corkgolfnews.com

Gary O’Flaherty, the new Sales Manager Ireland for Cobra/Puma Golf

Gary O’Flaherty (Cork Golf Club) shot rounds of 64 & 72 to take a four shot lead into the final round of the Irish Mid-Amateur (Over 30) Open in Limerick today. The recent Castletroy Scratch winner has taken a shine to Limerick and he rattled in 9 birdies in his opening round. A bogey on the back nine meant that he had to settle for a 64 but that gave him a four stroke lead.

O’Flaherty has been busy on and off the course, he recently took over as Sales Manager for Cobra/Puma Golf in Ireland. His second round started like the first adding two more birdies at the 1st and 5th. He dropped a few shots around the turn but he didn’t give anything away as he signed for a level par 72 in the afternoon. He’s four ahead of Woodstock’s Tony Cleary.

Gary O'Flaherty 64 Over 30

Castlemartyr’s Kenny McGarry also continued his good form, two consecutive 72’s see’s him in 9th place on level par. McGarry dropped six shots in three holes on the back nine of his second round, but showed great strength to birdie the next hole to get himself back to level par. Fota duo Keith Crowley and Sean Barry are inside the top 20 on +2 and Bandon’s Dave McCarthy also made to cut for tomorrow’s final round.

Irish Mid-Amateur (Over-30s) Open Championship Leaderboard

Final Round Draw

Five Cork golfers through in Rosses Point

March 26, 2016March 26, 2016 / niall@corkgolfnews.com

Mark Shanahan, Cathal Butler and Seanie Barry, Ian O’Rourke and Niall Gorey all made the cut for the matchplay stage of the West of Ireland Championship. 40mph winds this afternoon forced a suspension in play and the inability to continue led to the cancellation of the second strokeplay round. The tournament committee had a tough decision and decided to make the matchplay draw based on the first round only.

Mark Shanahan and Paul McCarthy had made the good weather on Saturday morning, they both returned 73’s to put themselves in a good position. McCarthy was one of those adversely affected by the cancellation of Round 2, his 73 this morning to see him provisionally in 21^st place with half of the second round scores in. McCarthy’s first round 84 meant that he finished in 85^th place and two shots outside the cut mark. Cork’s John Hickey also finished on 84, two shots outside the cut.

Sean Barry (Fota Island) was the 64^th and final golfer to make the cut, he’ll face leading qualifier Sean Flanagan from Co Sligo in the first game tomorrow.

West of Ireland Matchplay Draw

Shanahan into last 16 in Irish Close Championship

August 20, 2015August 20, 2015 / niall@corkgolfnews.com / 1 Comment

Mark Shanahan pictured after winning the Castlemartyr Senior Scratch Cup last September.

Mark Shanahan had two impressive wins in Tramore today as he negotiated his way through the first day of Matchplay at the Irish Close Championship. Shanahan recorded strokeplay rounds of 72 &75 to finish in the top 30. This morning he drew Gavin Young from Birr GC and beat him 3&2 on the 16th. The 16th was again the final hole for Shanahan in the afternoon as he recorded a 4&2 over Conor O’Rourke (Naas). The Castlemartyr golfer will now face Daniel Holland in the last Continue reading →

Sean Barry top Cork Qualifier at Irish Close

August 19, 2015August 19, 2015 / niall@corkgolfnews.com

Sean Barry (Fota Island) faces Jeff Hopkins in the first matchplay round of the Irish Close at Tramore tomorrow morning. Barry who celebrated the birth of his daughter just over a week ago got back into the swing of things when he added a tidy 74 to yesterday’s 71 to finish the strokeplay in 15th place (tied 12th).

Ian Spillane (Mallow) and Mark Shanahan (Castlemartyr) both finished in the top 30 posting a three over 147 total for the 36 holes. Spillane faces Jordan Hood tomorrow and Shanahan was drawn against Gavin Young. Muskerry’s Ronan Twomey was three shots back on +6 and he also comfortably made it through to the matchplay – he’ll face 2nd placed qualifier Thomas Mulligan tomorrow morning.

Mallow’s Paul McCarthy was one of the unluckiest golfers in the competition, he finished tied for 59th place but on the countback he was 65th and missed the top 64 matchplay placings by one. Paul Tobin (Cork) added a second round 79 to his opening 75 to finish well outside the qualifying mark.

Irish Close Strokeplay Scoring —– Irish Close Matchplay Draw

Golffile Irish Close Galleries

Barry leads Cork Challenge at Irish Close

August 19, 2015 / niall@corkgolfnews.com

Sean Barry (Fota Island) pictured during the AIG Senior Cup, South Munster qualifiers at Fota Island Golf Club, Sunday 12th July 2015.
Picture: Niall O’Shea l Cork Golf News

Fota’s Sean Barry fired a one under par 71 to lead the Cork Challenge at the Irish Close Championship at Tramore. The first strokeplay round took place yesterday and Tramore was in excellent condition and led to some very low scoring. Mark Shanahan and Ian Spillane shot a 72, and Paul Tobin and Ronan Twomey both shot 75 to finish inside the top 64. After today’s second strokeplay round, the top 64 will qualify for the matchplay phase starting tomorrow morning.

Irish Close Championship Live Scoring

Irish Close Championship Round 1 Pictures: Golffile

2015 Senior Scratch Cup Order of Merit

June 28, 2015June 29, 2015 / niall@corkgolfnews.com / 2 Comments

Cork Golf News SSC Order of Merit 2015 (after 5 events) Continue reading →

CGN Senior Scratch Cup Order of Merit

August 26, 2014 / niall@corkgolfnews.com / Leave a comment

Senior Scratch Cup Order of Merit after 7 Events*

Senior Scratch Cup Order of Merit after 7 Events
Rank	Player	Total
1	Gary O’Flaherty	150
2	John Hickey	90
3	Keith Crowley	70
4	Sean Barry	70
5	Alan Thomas	65
6	Mark Shanahan	65
7	Eanna Griffin	50
8	Dave O’Donovan	45
9	Alan Moriarty	40
10	Darren O’Donoghue	40
11	Ian O’Flynn	35
12	Pat Murray	35
13	John O’Brien	30
14	Kieran McCarthy	30
15	Niall Gorey	30
16	Ray O’Sullivan	30
17	Kenny McGarry	30
18	Nick Moore	25
19	Brian Kelleher	20
20	Conor Riordan	20
21	Donie O’Donovan	20
22	Mark Collins	20
23	Pat Power	20
24	Seamus Cronin	20
25	Ronan Twomey	15
26	Shane Whooley	15
27	Cathal Butler	10
28	Christopher Murphy	10
29	Eoin Murphy	10
30	Greg O’Mahony	10
31	Pat Lyons	10
32	Ciaran McKenna	5
33	Cillian Moloney	5
34	Davey Barry	5
35	Derek Byrne	5
36	Gavin Young	5
37	John Reynolds	5
38	Padraig Turner	5
39	Paul McCarthy	5
40	Paul Tobin	5

*Slight change to the listing, current listing only includes Cork golfers or golfers who have scored in 2 or more events.

Gorey wins in Castletroy, Updated GUI Order of Merit

May 25, 2014May 25, 2014 / niall@corkgolfnews.com / Leave a comment

Niall Gorey went one better this week and took the winners spot in Castletroy. After a mixed start to the season the Kildare native took second place in Ballybunion last week and signalled a return to form. He posted two 71’s to finish two under par and five shots clear of the field. Muskerry’s Sean Barry took third spot and Cork’s John Hickey took the gross prize for the 2nd round. Continue reading →

Updated Order of Merit

May 4, 2014 / niall@corkgolfnews.com / Leave a comment

Right folks, the updated CGN Senior Scratch Order of Merit after the fifth event in Cork Golf Club this weekend

Top Ten

Senior Scratch Order of Merit after 5 Events
Rank	Player	Total
1	Gary O’Flaherty	150
2	John Hickey	90
3	Barry Anderson	80
4	Rory McNamara	80
5	Keith Crowley	70
6	Sean Barry	70
7	Alan Thomas	65
8	Mark Shanahan	65
9	Eanna Griffin	50
10	Dave O’Donovan	45