16th June 2008 National Ladies & Gents Matchplay Review, Glenville, Dublin.

On the June Bank Holiday, Glenville Pitch & Putt Club Dublin was the place to be as the National Ladies and Gents Matchplay Championships took centre stage. The combination of great weather and fantastic playing conditions in Glenville set the stage for three days of excellent pitch and putt and what turned out to be a historic weekend for the 2008 crowned champions.

Beginning the championship on Saturday Offaly hopes were high of a finalist, unfortunately this did not materialise with our final hopes dashed at the semi-final stages. The Gents started off well with a majority of impressive wins in round one; Billy Buckley Snr (Erry) overcame Liam McMahon (Cloghogue), Joseph McGrath Jnr (Erry) overcame Michael Herlihy (E.S.B.), and Paul O'Gorman (Tullamore) overcame Gerard McGuirk (Cement) and William Buckley Jnr. (Erry) overcame Darren Goodall (Tralee). Defeat came early in the first round for Tullamore's John Fleming who got a tough draw against Jim Judge (Cement) who on the day played excellent pitch and putt to get the better of John on the final 9 holes. The second round started bright and early on Sunday morning and those still in the hunt for a finalist position faced a possible 3 rounds of matchplay (each round over 36 holes). All our representatives started out brightly however only one Offaly man successfully got through to the next stage. 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 came up shot against Walsh who was on fire and eventually reached the final of the Gents on Monday afternoon. William's father Billy Snr. also came up against a tough opposition in Frank O'Donoghue, another highly ranked Cork and Irish player from Templebreedy. Billy was ahead of O'Donoghue for the most part of the first 18 holes but O'Donoghue turned on his class and overcame the Clara man's challenge. Joseph McGrath Jnr. faced another tough Munster opposition in John O'Meara (Riversdale), in a game that was nip and tuck and displays of splendid pitching, there was nothing to separate them after 36 holes and it took extra holes to decide the victor of this match. Both aiming to secure the victory attacked the first extra hole and both left long putts for par. It was O'Meara that held the shorter of the two putts to scrap through and eventually reach the quarter-final stage. The only Offaly man, a Dublin exile, to get through round two and set up a 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 who was determined to go one better than last year and claim the title.

The Gents Semi-Finals on Monday morning were dominated by Munster players, three of whom were from Cork. Defending champion Ray Murphy (Templebreedy), in a repeat of last year's final pairing, overcame Paul O'Brien to set up an all Cork final with John Walsh (Collins) who defeated Frank O'Donoghue (Templebreedy). The stage was set for a local Cork battle and the possibility of a historic three in a row for Murphy was on everyone's minds. Unfortunately the battle did not live up to the spectators expectations, it was a match of two 18 holes. Walsh dominated the first 13 holes and Murphy laid his claim strongly on the match in the following holes with impressive pitching to come out a historic champion on the 33rd hole. Murphy's impressive consecutive wins can only be compared to MJ O'Brien (Collins) who won four in a row in the late 1940's, the question now forms, can he surmount this achievement?? We look forward to another exciting Gents Matchplay in 2008, in which we hope that Murphy may be halted by an Offaly challenger, maybe it's turn to stop a Cork four in a row not unlike our Offaly footballer's preventing the Kerry five in a row in '82!!

The Ladies Matchplay Championship started on Saturday afternoon without the defending champion Ger Ward who would have been a strong contender to retain her crown. She unfortunately had to withdraw due to an ongoing injury. This gave the first walkover of the day to St. Bridget's Tara Dillon. The second match saw Helen Wynne of Erry take on a local Dubliner from Shandon, Dolores Monaghan. In a highly entertaining match Helen found herself 4 holes down with 6 to play against former Intercounty champion but she showed huge resilience and determination to fight back and claim a win on the 36th hole to set up a second round match with Tara Dillon (St. Bridgets) and a possible quarter-final place. However, it was not to be as Dillon played superbly to claim the match from a strong and brave challenge from Helen. The next Offaly competitor to play was Tullamore's Intercounty veteran Annie Galvin. Annie had the experience to overcome another of Dublin's Intercounty stalwarts Sheelagh Elmes, but fell short of Elmes vital local course knowledge and exited the championship. Tullamore's Margaret Hogan shared a familiar matched against Glenville and Dublin local Betty Smith but overcame her challenge with ease. Margaret also won her next match with Ger Holland (RGSC) to set up a quarter-final match with another Dub Maree O'Toole (Shandon). Our final competitor Tracey McGrath, a hot favourite for the title after her Leinster win in McDonagh, overcame Kildare's Mary Donnelly (Ryston) to set up a second round match with Meath's Kathleen Heary which she also won. Following the second round of matches on Sunday morning the quarter-finals matches were decided which saw some big players come head to head. Tara Dillon faced Tipperary's Margaret Webster, Dillon came out on top to book a semi-finalist position. Maree O'Toole faced a tough task against former National holder Margert Hogan, Maree found herself 5 holes up at one stage but Margaret never gave up and fought back impressively in the final 9 holes to force 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 play displayed but it was Tracey who forged ahead in the last 10 holes to win on the 32nd hole. The final quarter-final was an all Kildare affair between Rose Kelly (Ryston) and St. Bridgets Chrissie Byrne who had been tipped as a favourite to lift the title. Chrissie's experience came out on top and booked her place in the second semi-final with Erry's Tracey McGrath. This was a highly anticipated semi-final with Tracey overcoming the challenge of Marian had to face the prospects of her sister's challenge seeking another appearance in a National final. Despite Tracey's 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 numerous birdies that in the end Tullamore's Margaret Hogan could not find an answer to match, making it two Offaly player's falling at the final hurdle of the championship leaving it an all Kildare affair. The final saw both club mates share the lead at different stages with Chrissie, the favourite one up turning 18 holes. However, in the momentum changed in Tara's favour in the closing holes and she chipped in on the 33rd hole to claim her first National title in style.

Congratulations to all who competed over the weekend all those who travelled to support, it must be remembered that everyone qualified through the preliminary county stages which was in itself an achievement, as standards in Offaly Pitch & Putt are at a high. We hope next year brings greater success to all those involved. Let's not forget that the Tullamore Club play hosts to this year's National Strokeplay Championships, a chance for our top players to set the pace in the race for the second national singles title in 2008 and maybe a chance for William Buckley Jnr. to repeat his National Strokeplay victory a few years ago again in the same venue! The ladies will have to look further a field towards Rocklodge in Cork in their hopes to claim the Ladies National Stokeplay title that will be held in July also.

Ladies Matchplay: Tracey McGrath Semi-Finalist, Margaret Hogan Semi-Finalist, Chrissie Byrne Runner-Up and Tara Dillion Champion 2008.

Gents Matchplay: Ray Murphy Champion 2008, JJ Walsh Runner-Up, Frank O'Donoghue and Paul O'Brien Semi-Finalists.