10th March 2009: Latest Pitch & Putt Round-Up

>> Full Steam Ahead As The 2009 Season Tees Off In The Lake County
It is hard to believe that the final installment of the Offaly Alliance is now upon us. However, every end has a new beginning and the official start to the 2009 Pitch and Putt season in the Midlands is just around the corner. The Westmeath Classic - Jack McCormack Memorial - tees off on Sunday March 29th. Last year's winner Patsy Reams of Ferbane will be hoping to put up a strong defence of his title. But he will find himself amongst a competitive field of players in pursuit of the first taste of success in the 2009 season. You will find more details for the competition in our Fixture Section.

>> Offaly Alliance Draws To A Close
Stage 10, the penultimate stage of the Alliance, took place under cold wintery conditions at Ferbane Pitch and Putt Club on Sunday last, the results of the Fourball were as follows: Gents 36 Nett Joe McGrath Jnr. & Gary Treacy 80, Gents 36 Gross Jimmy Scanlon & Mick Kenny 94, 36 Mixed Nett Noel Duffy & Ann Minnogue 86, 36 Mixed Gross Patsy Reams & Geraldine Ryan 94.
view full list of Alliance results here »
Stage 11, the final stage, will take place next Sunday March 15th at 2p.m. in Erry. Please note that all Alliance prizes will be presented following the final days play in Erry in Michael Egan's Sports and Leisure Centre (Proud Sponsor of our Offaly Inter-County Teams). All are welcomed to attend for prize giving and refreshments.

>> St. Patrick's Day Open Scramble At Erry
With St. Patrick's Day just around the corner the Erry Pitch and Putt are happy to announce that they will be running a 3 Ball Scramble on St. Patrick's Day, Tuesday March 17th at 3p.m. The event is open to members of Erry, Tullamore and Ferbane clubs, all are welcome to attend!

>> National Lottery Bonus Ball Prize Is Back!
Commencing this week March 9th we welcome the return of the National Lottery Bonus Ball Prize. Results of winners will be posted weekly under the main Results Section..Best of Luck!! See William Buckley or Mick Hogan for monthly lottery payments.
view bonus ball results here »

>> Final Instalment Of Offaly Review 2008 Published
This week also sees the publication, in local Offaly newspapers, the fourth and final instalment of our review of 2008 and in particular the trials and tribulations of our players on the National stage, we hope you have enjoyed the four-week review and photos that made it to the local Offaly press!

Review Part Four - On the National Stage
It was another good year on the National front with no less than seven top finishes in the top three places in various National events, an encouraging record going into the 2009 championships.

National Gents Strokeplay Finals at Tullamore
In the National Senior Gents Strokeplay finals a new and exciting talent came to the fore, a player who had undoubtable potential, grabbed the biggest pitch and putt stage of all to shine and make a serious breakthrough in 2008, Paul O'Gorman. Paul is originally from Dublin club Old County but was a welcomed new member to Offaly pitch and putt when he moved to the Midlands several years ago, a move he hasn't looked back upon! An avid and passionate player and supporter of the game Paul went into the championship as an outside local favourite with most eyes on Erry's William Buckley Jnr. to mount a serious challenge and perhaps repeat his National win of 2003 on the very same course. William was a worthy winner when he came from behind to win in dramatic fashion in a 9 hole playoff with Cork's Frank Dineen, who had lost in a playoff in 2002. Frank Dineen would be another that would try to vanquish his demons in Tullamore. All eyes were also on defending champion Ray Murphy from Cork who was going for his 8th consecutive National title.

The cut fell at 97 and only two Offaly players made it through playoff, Ferbane's Patsy Reams who had just come off a double win at the Offaly Matchplay Finals and Offaly Masters and Paul O'Gorman. A dramatic playoff ensued in the scorching sun that afternoon as Paul O'Gorman and Frank Dineen took centre stage as the main contenders to the crown in the third round playoff. Could O'Gorman pull off a shock victory for the home club and upset the bookies?! Well nothing would come easy and at times it looked as if there might another emotional playoff in store for the joint leader Frank Dineen. Thoughts of losing a third National title in a playoff certainly must have rushed through Dineen's mind, as it was certainly the talking point amongst the spectators as nothing seemed to separate the pair!! However, Dineen laid down his intentions on the back nine holes and unbelievably held the 16th hole in one which was almost followed by a near repeat by O'Gorman, it would take something special to beat Dineen on this occasion and the efforts of the Dublin native, O'Gorman, would fall one shot too less for the title.

It was truly an unforgettable display of determination and heart from both players but nobody could deny one of pitch and putts great characters his inaugural National Strokeplay title following so many heartbreaking attempts. The winner of the National Inter Gents Strokeplay the day before remarkably equalled the Senior Gents winning score of 29 under. It was outstanding pitch and putt by Tipperary's Stephen Shoer. Tullamore local Mark Hogan and Erry's Graham Newman carried Offaly's hopes of a win going into the playoff. Both had opening rounds of 47 and Newman repeated this to finish on 94 for 36 holes while Hogan added a 49 to finish on 96 for 36. They both found themselves in case of the overall leader Shoer. However, Shoer's 2 shot lead with rounds of 45 and 47 would never come under threat, he was like a pitch and putt player possessed! Shoer birdied the first 9 holes of the playoff and carded third round 41 to run away with the title. On any other given day it could have been a local victory for young talents Newman or Hogan, however it was Shoer's day. Hogan finished in third position. It was an unforgettable championship weekend that left the crowd in awe of the pitch and putt and sportsmanship that was displayed from juniors inters and senior gents alike.

National Ladies Strokeplay Finals at Rocklodge
The Ladies Junior, Inter and Senior Championships took to the people's republic of Cork for another monumental occasion. A small but strong Offaly contingent travelled to the tough and challenging Leeside course of Rocklodge. It was Offaly duo and Leinster Strokeplay winners Ann-Marie McCabe and Tracey McGrath who shone brightest on this occasion and created the best challenges for those prestigious titles. Ann-Marie found the first round pace difficult posting 64, however, it wasn't long before she acclimatized to the treacherous hillside shots and improved her second round score by 10 shots posting 54. Ann-Marie McCabe finished on 118, her second round of 54 was the second best 18 hole score recorded on the day, Dympna Donegan of RGSC posting an impressive second round 50 to lead the championship on 110. It turned out to be a playoff of high drama. The leader dropped 6 shots in the space of the first four holes leaving the title wide open. It was Ferbane native that took full advantage posting the joint best third round score of 55 an aggregate of 173 for 54 holes. A missed three foot birdie opportunity on the final hole proved costly for Ann-Marie as Lucan's Breda Purcell carded a final 18 hole 55 to post an aggregate score of 172 for 54 holes, becoming the newly crowned inter ladies champion for 2008. Ann-Marie no doubt will take this as a valuable lesson and experience into the 2009 championships where she is sure to be the number one contender for this title once again.

The Senior Ladies Finals saw a strong field of past National winners including the four times National Stokeplay winner Ger Ward from Dublin who had missed most of the season due to injury but was back to defend her title and to claim a fifth strokeplay victory. Offaly's challengers to the crown were Tracey McGrath of Erry and Margaret Hogan of Tullamore, both showing good form coming into the championships. Expectations that this could be Tracey's year were undoubtedly high and justified as she had achieved the Leinster double, retaining the Leinster Strokeplay title in McDonagh following a nine hole playoff and adding the Leinster Matchplay title only two weeks before in Erry. Following a bogey free round of 46 McGrath joined Ward as co-leader after 18 holes. First round scores of sub 50 were also posted by Cork's Claire Flynn 49 and Dublin's stalwart Sheelagh Elmes 48. Showing good determination following an uncharacteristic mistake on the 2nd hole McGrath added second round 50 aggregate total of 96, three behind Ger Ward who finished on 93. St. Bridget's Tara Dillon added a 47 to her first round of 51 to finish on 98. Ward showed her years of experience to card a third round of 51 to maintain a three shot gap to reclaim her National Strokeplay title. Tracey had cut the gap to within one shot after 8 holes but the luck on the day seemed to sway the Dubliner's way from the ninth hole. To both Tara and Tracey's credit they both kept fighting, Tara carded a third round 49 to become the clubhouse leader with 147 with the final pairing still on the course. Tara claimed second one shot ahead of Tracey who finished on 148 to claim third spot for a fourth top four medal finishes in the past four years. Maybe next year will prove to be the year of breakthroughs for our faithful Offaly contingent on the national stage.

National Ladies & Gents Matchplay Finals at Glenville
The long anticipated 2008 National Ladies and Gents Matchplay Championships took centre stage at Glenville in sun soaked conditions over three days during which spectators were served a feast of excellent pitch and putt. A number of Offaly players claimed first round wins on Saturday namely; Billy Buckley Snr (Erry) beating Liam McMahon (Cloghogue), Joseph McGrath Jnr (Erry) beating Michael Herlihy (E.S.B.), Paul O’Gorman (Tullamore) beating Gerard McGuirk (Cement) and William Buckley Jnr. (Erry) beating Darren Goodall (Tralee). Following a bright and encouraging start by our players only one competitor survived round two. Previous National Strokeplay champion William Buckley Jnr., was up against one of Cork and Ireland's top players John Walsh (Collins), despite suffering from a back injury fought a brave battle but succumbed to the rebel's outstanding play, Walsh inevitably made it through to the final on Monday afternoon. William's father Billy Snr. experienced the same fate from Cork's Frank O'Donoghue. Joseph McGrath Jnr. faced yet another tough Munster opposition in John O'Meara (Riversdale), in a game that was nip and tuck and showcased displays of splendid pitching, there was nothing to separate them after 36 holes and it took the first extra tie hole for O'Meara claim a tough win and went on to reach the quarter-finals. The only Offaly man, a Dublin exile, to set up a third round clash with last years's matchplay runner-up Paul O'Brien (Lakeside) was Paul O'Gorman. Paul defeated a Dublin counterpart John Hoey (Erin's Isle) impressively. However, Paul's run came to an end when he met O'Brien, an unstoppable train determined to go one better than last year and claim the title. The final was fought between Cork's John Walsh and Ray Murphy in which Murphy succeeded in claiming a historic three in a row. This run of consecutive wins can only be compared to the achievements of legend MJ O'Brien (Collins, Cork) who won four in a row in the late 1940's. The question now forms, can this present legend in the making surmount this achievement! We look forward to another exciting Gents Matchplay in 2009, in which we hope that Murphy may be halted by an Offaly challenger, maybe it's the turn to stop a Cork four in a row similar to our Offaly footballer's preventing the Kerry five in a row in '82!! Here's hoping!!

The Ladies Matchplay Championship commenced on Saturday afternoon without the defending champion Ger Ward who was suffering from an ongoing injury. This gave the first walkover of the day to St. Bridget's Tara Dillon. Erry's Helen Wynne and Tracey McGrath had first round wins over local Dubliner, Dolores Monaghan and Kildare's Mary Donnelly respectively. Tullamore's Margaret Hogan added another Offaly first round victory when she overcame local Glenville player Betty Smith. Of the three hopefuls only two survived second round games to set up quarter-final spots, McGrath overcame Meath's Kathleen Heary to set up a quarter-final position with old rival Marian Byrne of Kildare while Hogan overcame the challenge of Ger Holland to set up a quarter-final match with another Dub Maree O'Toole. Wynne unfortunately came up against Kidare's Tara Dillon and her brave efforts could not help her take the lily white's scalp. Dillon then faced Tipperary's Margaret Webster in a one sided match and continued on to book a semi-finalist position. Maree O'Toole faced a tough task against a former National winner Margaret Hogan, but found herself 5 holes up at one stage but Hogan fought back impressively in the final 9 holes to force extra holes, and won on the 38th to book her semi-final clash with Tara Dillon. Tracey McGrath faced St. Bridgets Marian Byrne, who she beat narrowly two weeks prior in a dramatic 9 hole playoff to win the Leinster Strokeplay. It was a game with little between the two and some excellent pitch and putt displayed and it was Tracey who forged ahead in the last 10 holes to win on the 32nd hole to set up a semi-final clash with another St. Bridget's player and another Byrne, Chrissie, who had easily overcome fellow Kildare player Rose Kelly in the quarters. The semi-finals on the Bank Holiday Monday were highly anticipated especially as Tracey overcoming the challenge of Marian now had to face the prospects of her sister's challenge seeking another appearance in a National final. Despite Traceys good form this year Chrissie's experience at Matchplay shone through. Tara Dillon opened the final day of the National Matchplay Championships with a hole in one on the first hole of her semi-final match against Margaret Hogan. Her impressive display of pitching continued through the match helping her to put an end to Margaret's fine title chase with ease. Our Offaly player's fell at the final hurdle on this championship occasion leaving the final an all Kildare affair. The final was indeed a tight affair but Tara made some vital putts in the closing holes and chipped in on the 33rd hole to claim her first National title in style.