7th September 2010: July News Round Up

July 10 - 11: National Ladies Strokeplay Finals

The National Ladies Strokeplay took place over July 10th and 11th in Cunnigar Pitch & Putt Club in Dungarvan, Co. Waterford. The Junior and Inter Ladies took to the course in what can only be described as one of the worse pitch and putt days of this year weather wise. Both grades endured heavy rain and winds throughout the day and must be commended on their good spirits through play, especially our Offaly representatives. Out of our travelling contingent it was Erry's Geraldine Ryan who impressed most in the tough conditions to qualify in the Intermediate grade for the final 18 hole playoff following a commendable 36 hole card of 120 which lay 5 shots off the lead. However, the weather deteriorated even more in the playoff and it was the 36 hole leader, Cloghogue's Bernie Somers, who kept her nerve to win the title outright by two shots from Cunnigar's Donna Cockwell. Kilbeggan's Kathleen Carton secured third place.

The Senior Ladies Strokeplay took centre stage the next day as the rain clouds passed to leave a dry but sometimes windy day. Following a tough 36 holes, including the treacherous 18th hole, the top ten players qualified for the final 18 hole playoff, they were namely Geraldine Ward (Portmarnock) -10, Eleanor Walsh (Fermoy) -5, Sharon Bowes (Fermoy) -4, Margaret Hogan (Tullamore) -3, Sheelagh Elmes (Portmarnock) -3, Tracey McGrath (Erry) -2, Tara Dillon (St. Bridget's) -2, Maree O'Toole (Shandon) -1, Patricia Conway (Lakewood) -1 and Chrissie Byrne (St. Bridget's) -1. It was hard to see Geraldine's commanding lead be contended with her great experience in such championships. After 9 holes it was defending champion and Offaly's Tracey McGrath who made the best challenge over the opening nine holes advancing to -7 while Geraldine moved to -11. With just six holes to go Geraldine moved to -12 while Tracey remained at -7 and she continued to build on her score before eventually finishing on -15 to record a most comprehensive victory and to secure the record equalling figure of 14 National Senior Titles of the legendary Clare Keating of Woodvale. Tracey can be proud of a gallant defence of her title finishing as runner-up on -5, while Tullamore's Margaret Hogan secured 3rd place on the back 18 on -4 from Fermoy's Eleanor Walsh. Congratulations to all who took part in Cunnigar in the mixed weather conditions and to Geraline Ryan, Tracey McGrath and Margaret Hogan on their great performances.



Photo - Tracey McGrath & Margaret Hogan pictured with PPUI President Myles McMorrow

July 18: Offaly Masters @ Erry

Erry Pitch & Putt Club once again played host to the Offaly Masters (Open Scratch Cup) kindly sponsored by Niall Martin's Golf, Athlone, Co. Westmeath. Despite the somewhat overcast and miserable weather throughout the day a brave supporting crowd took to the course in search of the title which a year ago the up and coming Graham Newman won with an impressive performance. Fourteen players made the 36 hole cut of 8 under par with three players leading the way on 15 under par. The players who contended the final 18 hole playoff were as follows: 8 under par - Billy Buckley Snr. (Erry), Sean Robinson (Ferbane), Tracey McGrath (Erry), 9 under par - Larry Maher Jnr. (Erry), J.J. Wynne (Erry), 10 under par - Frank Ryan (St. Bridgets, Kildare), 11 under par Paul Nolan (Erins Isle, Dublin), Jimmy Scanlon (Erry), 12 under par - Pat Malone (Cutume, Athlone), William Kennedy (Erry), 13 under par - William Buckley Jnr. (Erry), 15 under par - Joe McGrath Jnr. (Erry), Anthony Galvin (Tullamore) and Graham Newman (Erry). It was to come down to a battle between several local players. Of the chasing pack on singles figures it was Erry's Larry Maher Jnr. who made the most assertive challenge carding a final round 12 under par which consisted of a 9 under par back 9 holes which left him on 21 under par overall claiming the clubhouse lead. There were 8 under par final rounds carded by 5 players also namely Billy Buckley Snr., Tracey McGrath, J.J. Wynne, Frank Ryan and Paul Nolan. However, on this day it was Joseph McGrath Jnr. who edged out the overall winner by one shot from Graham Newman and Larry Maher Jnr. carding a final round of 7 under par to finish on 22 under par overall. It was a well deserved victory for a local favourite. Congratulations to Joseph and to all who took part on the wet day it was greatly appreciated by the Offaly Co. Board. We would also like to thank the Erry club for doing a great job of hosting the competition especially to the groundsmen, kitchen staff and committee members who worked the table for the day. Of course these competitions would not be possible only for the generosity of our sponsors therefore we would like to greatly thank Niall Martin of Martin's Golf for his continued sponsorship of this event.

List of winners from the event is as follows:
Overall Winner - Joseph McGrath Jnr. (Erry) 22 under par
Runner-up - Larry Maher Jnr. (Erry) 21 under par
Third - Graham Newman (Erry) 21 under par
Best Last 18 - J.J. Wynne (Erry) 8 under par
Gents Inter Winner - Sean Robinson (Ferbane) 8 under par
Junior Gents - Gary Pyke (Tullamore) 6 under par
Ladies 0-6 Tracey McGrath (Erry) 8 under par
Ladies 7-18 Ger Ryan (Erry) 9 over par
The best club team top four scores went to Erry with Graham Newman, Joseph McGrath Jnr., William Buckley and William Kennedy scoring the best aggregate 36 holes score.

Photo: Offaly Masters Champion 2010 Joe McGrath Jnr. (Erry)

July 24 - 25: National Gents Strokeplay Finals

The 2010 Gents National Strokeplay served up a feast of Pitch and Putt over two days at the marvellous Ryston Pitch and Putt Club in Newbridge. It will be a weekend that will long live in the memories of the Pitch and Putt community. The long awaited championships got under way on Saturday July 24th with the Junior and Intermediate Gents taking centre stage with a strong Offaly contingent battling for the prestigious National titles. In the first round of the Junior championship it was Ferbane's Aonghus Coughlan who set the hot pace in overcast conditions carding a 6 under par, which was closely followed by Collinstown's Stuart Tarleton on 5 under par. Following the second rounds of play Aonghus added a 1 under par to total an aggregate 7 under par for 36 holes which was matched by Glenville's Dean Gray, Collinstown's Stuart Tarleton and St. Patrick's Kevin Doyle. They along with Riverdale's Tim Crowe and Parteen's John Cunningham (both on 6 under par), and Cement's Daniel Clinton and Riverdale's John Minogue (both on 5 under par) qualified for the final 18 hole play off. With only 2 shots separating the final eight players a close and tight 18 hole playoff was in prospect and after 9 holes that was definitely the case as Ferbane's Aonghus Coughlan held a one shot lead on 10 under par from 3 players. However, it was not to be Aonghus's day as he dropped a shot to fall back to 9 under par and was overtaken by some impressive play by Daniel Clinton who finished on 11 under par to capture the Junior National Strokeplay title. Congratulations to Aonghus who put up a fine challenge in his first season playing and have no doubt that he will be one to watch for in 2011. Another two names to keep an eye out for in coming championships are Tullamore's Ciaran Boland and Sean Galvin who were both unlucky to just fall 1 and 2 shots short respectively of the Intermediate title which was hotly fought for which superb scoring. The list of qualifiers and scores were as follows for the Intermediate 18 hole play off: Declan McCarron (Tralee) -15, Paul Griffin (Old County) -14, Liam Myers (St. Annes) -12, Conor Murphy (St. Patricks) -12, Ciaran Boland (Tullamore) -12, Brian Cahill (Lakeside) -11, James McKeon (St. Annes) -11, Denis O'Sullivan (Douglas) -10, Michael Conneely (Trim) -10, Sean Gorey (CPM) -9, Conor Slevin (Kilbeggan) -9, Sean Galvin (Tullamore) -9, Charlie Egan (Erin's Isle) -9 and Sean Kearney (Ryston) -9. It was Sean Galvin and Denis O'Sullican who set an early clubhouse lead of 18 under par, with Sean producing an impressive final round of 9 under par. However, it was Sean's clubmate Ciaran Boland who overhauled Sean's target with an aggregate 19 under par score, who was only to be overhauled himself by Declan McCarron who shot a final round of 6 under par to emerge the victor on 21 under par. Congratulations to Ciaran and Sean who secured a well deserved runner-up and third position.

It was clear from the Junior and Intermediate scoring on Saturday that the Gents Senior National Strokeplay Finals on Sunday would enviably produce some fantastic scoring which you can now describe as only an understatement as a succession of fantastic scores were posted including four sub 90 rounds (below 18 under par for 36 holes). Only four shots separated the first seven players with Collins' John Walsh leading the way with an amazing 22 under par. It was Tralee's Jonathon Goodall who made an early challenge holding out on the final hole of the play off to card a final round of 12 under par to finish on 29 under par overall. His lead wasn't to last too long as Kildare favourite Eddie Carey carded another 12 under par final round to overhaul Jonathon by one shot to finish on 30 under par. The 36 hole leader John Walsh had only to hold 3 birdies in the final 8 holes to capture the title but agonizingly lipped out on the final hole to remain on 30 under par which lead to a 9 hole play off with Eddie Carey in which Eddie, to the delight of the home crowd, battled out the winner to claim the 2010 Gents Senior National title. It was a disappointing day however for our Offaly representatives who performed well but were unable to match the fierce scoring pace on championship day.

Congratulations to all the winners and to everyone who took part on what was a memorable weekend for Pitch and Putt! Well done especially to our county representatives who took part in their respective grades: Gents Junior Grade - Aonghus Coughlan (Ferbane), Gents Inter Grade - Sean Robinson (Ferbane), Sean Galvin (Tullamore), Ciaran Boland (Tullamore), Larry Maher Snr. (Erry), Gents Senior Grade - Anthony Galvin (Tullamore), Larry Maher Jnr. (Erry), Graham Newman (Erry), William Buckley Jnr. (Erry), Edward Fleming (Erry), Darren O'Connell (Tullamore), Jimmy Scanlon (Erry) and Mark Hogan (Tullamore).



Photos Left to Right: Aonghus Coughlan and Ciaran Boland at National Strokeplay Finals


Photo: Tullamore's Sean Galvin at the National Strokeplay Finals at Ryston.