7th July 2009: Latest Pitch & Putt Round-Up

The Offaly Masters (Open Event)
Takes place Sunday July 19th at Erry. Play begins at 9am and the last card is 2pm with the playoff to take place around 5pm. The competition is kindly sponsored by Niall Martin (Martin's Golf), Inis Oir, Golden Island in Athlone. Niall's shop caters for all your Pitch & Putt needs and we would like to welcome him as a new sponsor of the Offaly Pitch & Putt Co. Board. Prizes on the day will include: Overall Winner, Overall Runner-Up, Overall Third, Last 18, Gents Inter Best 36 Gross & Runner-Up, Gents Junior Best 36 Gross & Runner-Up, Ladies Grade 1 Best 36 Gross & Runner-Up and Ladies Grade 2 Best 36 Gross & Runner-Up. There will also be spot prizes for hole-in-ones on the day and the best club team prize which is the top four scores following 36 holes. Refreshments are available and we encourage everyone to come take part in one of the county's most competitive event. Defending winner of the Offaly Masters is Ferbane's one and only Patsy Reams.
View Offaly Masters 2009 Poster »

Offaly Matchplay Championships
This year's Matchplay Finals take place at Tullamore from July 13th to 17th.
View Gents Senior, Inter, Junior & Ladies Draws here »

Inter-County Teams
The final trial for the Ladies and Gents Inter-County Teams took place recently; several places were still up for grabs on the final night with a number of competitors in contention for the final places. The Gents team shaped up as follows: Larry Maher Jnr Erry (-106), Graham Newman Erry (-93), Joe McGrath Jnr. Erry (-93), Anthony Galvin Tullamore (-83), Darren O'Connell Tullamore (-63) and Mark Hogan Tullamore (-56). The Ladies team is Tracey McGrath Erry, Ann-Marie McCabe Ferbane, Linda Flanagan Erry, Eileen Guerin Ferbane, Geraldine Ryan Erry and Ann Minogue Ferbane. The seven best of nine designated trials decided the Gents team while the three best of six trials decided the Ladies Team. The respective teams will take part in the Leinster Inter-County Championships at Royal Meath on August 9 and the National Championship at Cloghogue, Newry on September 5-6. A meeting for both Gents and Ladies teams will take place next Wednesday July 15th in Tullamore Pitch & Putt Club following the Matchplay games that night. Team members are asked to attend please.

Leinster Matchplay Finals
The Provincial Matchplay Championships took place over June 27-28 in Seapoint, Termonfeckin. Offaly had a strong contingent in the finals including the defending Gents and Ladies champions William Buckley Jnr. and Tracey McGrath. In the Gents Joe McGrath Jnr. took on tough opposition in the form of Ian Farrelly in the first round and was beaten 3&2. First round defeats were also unfortunately in store for Paul O'Gorman who was beaten 2&1 by Kevin Thompson, William Buckley Jnr. could not overcome the awesome performance by local favourite Sean Goggins and was beaten 2&1, Gerry Gallagher who had enjoyed a lead early on battled to the final hole but lost to Kildare's Ian Dillon, Mark Hogan but up a gallant performance against another local favourite Gerard McGuirk as he brought the match into extra holes losing out on the 39th. There were first round wins however for Darren O'Connell and Larry Maher Jnr. who unfortunately did not proceed any further. Darren fell at the hands of JR Crangle 8&7, Crangle was the eventual winner of the title while Larry Maher Jnr. lipped out on the second extra tie hole to keep the match alive, he lost to the eventual runner-up David Hayden. In the ladies Offaly's only hope lay on defending champion and newly crowned National champion Tracey McGrath. Tracey received a walk over in the first round and enjoyed a 10&9 victory over Kathlenn Geraghty before facing Chrissie Byrne in the Semi-Final, a repeat of the 2008 Leinster Matchplay Final. On this occasion Tracey lost out on the final hole to see Chrissie successfully contend the 2009 final against Phil Condron.

Ladies National Strokeplay Finals @ Glenville
Best wishes to all the Offaly ladies who travel to Glenville next weekend July 11th and 12th for the National Strokeplay Championships. On Saturday the Junior and Inter ladies take centre stage, Eileen Guerin (Ferbane), Linda Flanagan (Erry), Geraldine Ryan (Erry), Ann-Marie McCabe (Ferbane) will all take part in the Inter grade. On Sunday the Senior ladies take to the Dublin course to do battle, Tullamore's Margaret Hogan and Deirdre Byrne and Erry's Tracey McGrath will be hoping to be in the mix come Sunday evening in the final 18 hole playoff.
View Draw & Time Sheet on the PPUI website »