*Photograph: Brian Arthur
Four hundred and forty members played in captain Johnnie O’Brien’s prize at Lahinch over the August Bank holiday weekend.
Qualifying rounds took place on Friday and Saturday from which the leading twenty seven qualified for a play off on Sunday afternoon.
At the end of play Peter Joyce (20) was the winner with 63 points, winning by one from Brian McElhinney (24).
They were followed by Garech McGuinness (23) with 60 points, Conor O’Donnell (12) with 60 points, Brendan O’Doherty (10) with 59 points, John Conway (9) with 59 points, John Donovan (19) with 59 points, James Carmody (10) with 58 points Richard Joyce (24) with 57 points and Ciaran Fitzpatrick (14) with 56 points.
The gross winner on Friday was Noel Sexton (1) with 35 points while Greg Slattery (17) won the nett on Friday with 38 points from Eamonn Connaire (14) who also scored 38 points.
Bob Loftus (scratch) won the gross on Saturday with 37 points while Declan McGonigle)7) won the nett with 41 points from Paul Neville (18) who also scored 41 points.
The Oswald Browne cup for the past captain was won by Ian Slattery (14) with 38 points while the Francis Garrahy perpetual plate for the winner of the senior’s section went to Patrick Considine (15) with 42 points with Donal O’Hanlon (10) in second place with a similar score.
Over seventy juniors competed in the putting competition on Friday evening when Aiden Boal emerged as the winner.
The prizegiving ceremony took place on the first tee on Sunday evening with all prize winners in attendance.
Lahinch lady captain Margaret Cooney’s prize will be played for on this Saturday, August 7 while the senior ladies 18-hole and 9-hole competitions will be held on the Castle Course on the same day.
During the past week, the Men’s Senior Cup team, managed by David Conway were defeated by Castletroy in the Munster West semi-final while the men’s Pierce Purcell team, managed by John Skerritt and Michael O’Riordan) were narrowly beaten by defending All-Ireland champions, Spanish Point.
The Junior Girls defence of their Munster title came to an end on Thursday when they lost to eventual winners, Kanturk, in the semi-final of the Munster championship.
On a brighter note, our Men’s Junior Cup team managed by David Givens and Denis Cullinan defeated Dromoland Castle while the Ladies Senior Foursomes, managed by Marjorie Ahern defeated Castletroy.
However, pride of place must go to the Munster and All-Ireland defending champions, the Ladies senior cup team managed by Valerie Hassett and Aedin McCarthy who had a comprehensive win over Killarney to progress to the All-Ireland finals which will be hosted by Castle Golf Club in a few weeks time.
This week the ladies Senior Foursomes team will play Limerick on Fridayt commencing at 4.30pm
The men’s fourball on the Castle course on Tuesday was won by Fergal (18) and Ross Molony (12) with 50 points. In second place with 47 points were Martin Ryan (12) and Jonathan Casey (14) followed by Jimmy Condon (14) and Tommy Green (25) with 46 points.
The Brud Slattery memorial trophy, a men’s singles stableford competition, was played for on Bank Holiday, Monday when the winner was Pat Connellan (19) with 42 points from Tom McMahon (17) with 41 points. Kevin McGrath (8) was next with 41 points followed by Tom McAleese (17) with 40 points, Eddie Power (2) with 40 points, Gerry O’Sullivan (3) with 39 points, Paudie Grealish (5) with 39 points, and Gabriel Considine (8) with 38 points. Declan McInerney won the gross with 38 points.
The Resident’s cup, a men’s fourball stableford competition, was played for on the Castle course on Sunday when the winners were Shane Doyle (11) and Ciaran Vaughan (13) with 46 points. In second place with a similar score were James Kiernan (9) and Bart Moriarty (12) followed by Bobby Fleming (7) and Barry Quinlan (3), also with 46 points. Fourth spot was filled by Brian Coughlan (19) and John O’Dea (19) with 45 points.
The championship course hosted the Dr. Browne cup, a men’s fourball stableford competition when the winners were Tom McAleese (15) and Conor CJ McCarthy (9) with 46 points from Gus Hayes (15) and David Sheedy (6) with 45 points. They were followed by Pat Falvey (14) and David Givens (5) with 44 points with fourth place filled by Gary Lavelle (5) and Noel Sexton (1) also with 44 points.
Woodstock captain’s prize for Tony Coote
Tony Coote (19) emerged as the winner of the captain’s (Liam O’Connor) prize at Woodstock at the weekend.
He returned a nett 98 score to win by three strokes from Jack Duffy (20). Pat Barry (17) was third, two strokes further back followed by Stephen Kelly (8) who finished on 105. Ross Kenny junior (+4) won the gross with 73.
The category winners were Paddy McElhinney (5) with 68 in the 0-5 category, Jack Nugent (8) with 70 in the 6 to 12 category, John McBride (14) with 70 in the 13 to 20 category and Ross Kenny (24) in the 21 and over category.
John M. O’Connor (13) won the seniors section with 72, Jimmy Kelly (18) won the past captains section with 70 while the guests section was won by Sean McLaughlin (27) with 35 points.
In last week’s open singles Jack Joyce (10) was the winner with 41 points from John Baker (30) with 40 points, Joe McInerney (23) with 40 points and Jamie Ivors (20) with 39 points. Darren Russell (6) won the gross with 34 points.
This week’s senior team of three scranble for the seniors was won by Willie Thompson, Pat McMahon and Gerry Walsh with 47 points.
Congratulations go out to Aideen Walsh who finished 5 over in the ISPS Handa World Invitational.
Congratulations also to Áine Donegan who has been selected to represent Ireland at the Women Home Internationals at Woodhall Spa, England next week.
Ennis Golf Club:
The Bell trophy, sponsored by Cummns Car Centre in Ennis, was played for at Ennis at the weekend and was won by Crohan O’Kennedy (22) with 43 points,
Michael Moroney (14) was second with a similar score followed by Padraig Cusack (16) with 42 points and Jim Casey (21) with 41 points. Ronan Herbert (5) won the gross with 34 points.
The category winners were Darragh Murphy (6) with 38 points, Sean Rynne (12) with 41 points and Joe O’Connor (34) , also with 41 points. Steve Keane recorded a hole in one at the 7th.
The Friday open singles was won by Joseph O’Connor (16) with 41 points from T.J. Scanlan (8) with 39 and Vincent Corbett (23) with 38. Sean Myatt (1) won the gross with 35 points.
In the Tuesday fourball the winners were Brian Kelly and Walter O’Brien with 37 points from Andrew McGloin and C Doyle with 37 Senan Ryan and T.J Scanlan with 34, Seamus Nugent and C Doyle with 34 while fifth spot was filled by Pat Murphy and Ronnie Guinnane with 33.
Kilrush Golf Club:
The SuperValu men’s open singles at Kilrush on Sunday was won by Gearoid Williams (18) with 46 points from Noel Kilkenny (19) with 45 points. Tom O’Dea (420 was third with 43 points followed by Nathan Cap0n (24) with 42 points.
The category winners were John Donnelly (15) with 42 points, Padraic Cotter (17) with 42 points and Eoin Fitzgerald (24) with 40 points.
The SuperValu men’s open stroke on Saturday was won by John Donnelly (15) with 65 from David Keane (12) with 65, Nevan Prendeville (14) with 66 and Brian Scanlan (12) with 66.
In the SuperValu ladies open the winner was Olivia McCarthy (24) wth 38 points from Sheena Mahony (24) with a similar score. Michelle McNicholas 29) from Elem Park was third with 37 points followed by Fiona Kinsella (13) wth 37 points.
Loretta Browne was the winner of the 12 hole competition.
Dromoland Golf Club:
Last Friday’s open singles at Dromoland was won by Damien O’Malley with 40 points from Michael O’Regan who had a similar score. Dylan Brown was third with 39 points while Ronan Mullane won the gross with 36 points.
Winners in the juniors competition on Tuesday were Darragh Moylan off he white tees with 48 points, Louis O’Flanagan off the black tees with 62 points and Saoirse Brennan(girls competition) with 41 points.
In a similar competition on Thursday, Cillian Moylan won off the white tees with 38 points Aaron Piccolo won off the black tees with 49 points while Eabha Brennan won the girls section with 39 points.
In the weekly 9 hole competition Michael Browne won with 22 points from Robert Meehan with 21 and John Canny, also with 21.
In the men’s 18 hole stableford competition on Sunday, Seamus Cusack won with 44 points from Enda Heneghan with 42, Michael O’Shea junior with 42 and Enda Finnucane with 42. Shane O’Brien won the gross with 34 points.
Cathy Casey won the ladies 18 hole competition with 38 points.
Portumna Golf Club:
Dan Hogan’s President’s prize was played for at Portumna at the weekend. The format was 18 hole stableford with a 9 hole play off.
Daithi Frawley (37) emerged as the winner with 78 pints from Pat Condon (31) with 73. they were followed by Mark Walsh (14) with 62, Frank Brannigzan (43) with 62 and Pat Quinlan (8) with 60.
J.P. McLoughlin (+3) won the gross with 58 from Michael Flanagan (+1) with 55
The leadng qualifier was Stephen Moylan (19) with 44 points while the seniors section was won by Joe McCormack (29) with 59 from Gene McEntee (23) with 59.
The senior’s prize to the ladies was won by Colette Fahy (25) with 59 points while the gross was won by Patricia Rowland (5) with 15 points.
The leading qualifier in the ladies section was Catherine Fahy (35) with 52 points while the seniors section was won by Carmel Whelan (39) with 53 from Kathleen Lynch (19) with 49. Brigid Broderick (32) won the past president’s prize with 49 points.
Colette Fahy (25) won the ladies section with 59 points from Ann Hynes (16) with 57, Brigit Degenhardt (26) with 57, Vera Smith (10) with 56 and Monica Cormican (35) with 54. Patricia Rowland (5) won the gross with 44 points.
Gort Golf Club:
The Monday open singles at Gort last week (July 26) was won by Brian Monaghan (19) with 41 points from Noel Forde (23) with 40 points.
Winners of the open three ball champagne scramble on Tuesday, sponsored by the Lady Gregory hotel, were Liam Byrne, Ciaran Fahy and Joey Tully with 109 points. In second place with 106 points were Brendan Dolan, John forde and Gerry Cooney and they were followed by Alan Bond, Dylan Molloy and Shane Quinn with 102 points.
The competition on Wednesday was an open senior 18 hole singles, sponsored by Glenn Cahill cars, which was won by JHgh McGahon (20) with 43 points from Sean Hansbury (12) with 40 points and Niall Finnegan (13), also with 40 points.
On Thursday and Friday there was an open 18 hole singles, sponsored by Minihane’s Centra in Corofin and this was won by Martin Callanan (12) with 44 points from Mark Sillman (17) with 43 points and Padraig Burke (15), also with 43 points.
There was a similar competition on Saturday and Sunday when Ray Beatty (16) was the winner with 45 points from Allan Rynne (20) with 45 points and David McAllen (21) with 44 points Trevor Cummins (7) won the gross with 33 points.
The ladies 18 hole open singles was won by Anne flaherty (43) with 44 points from Siobhan O’Connor (11) with 41 points and Ann Nolan (24) with 42 points. Jane Joyce (14) won the gross with 23 points.
Pierce Purcell champions march on
All-Ireland Pierce Purcell champions Spanish Point took another step towards retaining the title when they captured the Clare crown on Monday evening with a 3.5 to 1.5 victory over Ennis. Three matches were played in Ennis with two on in Spanish Point.
Andrew McGloinn and Joe Griffin were the Ennis winners while the match involving Alex Frost and Niall O’Connor against Michael Daffy and Niall Heaney was called in. The other Ennis pairings were Steve Keane/Dave Pender, Frankie Garrihy/Aaron Landy, Noel Kenny and Matt Kennedy.
The remaining Spanish Point pairings were Kevin Hynes and Mike Donnelly, Thomas and Mervin Hehir, Tom Prendeville and Seamus Conway, Fergal Hehir and Mike O’Brien. In the next round Spanish Point who will have three matches at home, will play either Nenagh or Charleville.