Lahinch all set for 111th South of Ireland

THE 2012 South of Ireland Golf Championship will be held on the world famous links at Lahinch from July 28 to August 1.

This year will be 111th staging of Ireland’s oldest championship, an event that has consistently attracted the best amateur golfers in the country together with visitors from overseas. Previous winners include some of Ireland’s famous amateur golfers including John Burke who won The South a record 11 times and JB Carr who was crowned champion three times over a 21-year period. Other previous winners moved to the professional ranks and acquitted themselves admirably including Paul McGinley (1999) and major winners Darren Clarke (1990) and Graeme McDowell (2000). Pádraig Harrington was a twice beaten finalist in this championship.
“The South is generally regarded as the most enjoyable of the amateur majors with many matches attracting large crowds and golf being the talk of the village throughout the week,” Lahinch captain Ray Hennessy said.
This year’s championship is sure to be a memorable event for one man in particular. Ennis man Noel Pyne will compete in his 50th consecutive South, a truly remarkable achievement and one that is unlikely ever to be repeated. Noel is a former captain of Lahinch and as also served as captain and president of Ennis. He captained Munster to three successive inter-provincial championships.
Clare Coast Hotels will again be the main sponsor of the championship

Kilrush
LAST weekend was the captain’s (Declan O’Donovan) weekend at Kilrush and there were big turnouts for all competitions. The captain’s mixed was the competition on Friday evening when the winners were Greg Young and Lucy Blake from Denis Hassett and Margaret Clancy with third place filled by John Stapleton and Tessie Garry followed by Jimmy McSwiggan and Jean Lorrigan.
The captain’s prize was played for on Saturday and Sunday and the winner was Billy Clarke (13) with 111.33. He was followed by John Stapleton (18) with 112, Ollie McNamara (12) with 113.00 and Denis F Nagle (9) with 114.00. The leading qualifier was Seamus O’Doherty. Neil Browne (5) won the gross with 123. The category winners were Jim Young Jnr (5), Michael Ryan (Lab) (13) and Paul McGibney (22). Other prize-winners included Pat Shannon (18) (committee), Pat St Ledger (12) (past captain), Tom Prendeville (150 and Brian Scanlan (13), (nines).
The winner of the distance members’ category was Barry McMahon (16) from Tom Buckley (15) and Shane McGibney (20). Ger Ryan had the longest drive, while Denis F Nagle won the prize for nearest the pin.
In the captain’s prize to the ladies, Mary O’Sullivan (20) was the winner with 30 points from Maura McSwiggan (30) and Agnes Shannon (21).
Ross Townsend (19) won the captain’s plate with 40 points from Pat Brennan (8) on a similar score and John O’Mahony (16) with 37points. 
Ger Ryan (Doonbeg) won the visitor’s prize with 71 from John Lillis (Ennis) on 72.
In the senior men’s outing, the winners were TJ Lyons, Tom O’Dea and Noel Thornton from Jimmy McSwiggan, Mick Lane and Aeneas O’Connor with third place filled by John Stapleton, Sean Moran and Noel Enright.
The lady president’s (Jean Lorrigan) prize was played for last week when the winner was Anne Coen (16) with 71 from Mary McNamara (20) who had a similar score. They were followed by Mary McCarthy (26) with 72 and Ann Cronin (21) with 73. Anne Brennan (10) won the gross with 85. The nines were won by Mary Nolan (16) with 33 and Anne Gallagher (16) with 36. Mary Moody (21) won the past captain’s prize with 78, while Mary Bolton (20) won the committee prize with 77.
The winner of the open singles on Saturday was Jim Houlihan (South County) 14 with 43 points. In the open singles on Tuesday, Peter G Glynn (15) won with 35 points.
There will be a mixed competition this Friday, while the club fundraiser, a team-of-three competition, will take place this Saturday. Two scores will count throughout with three to count at the ninth and 18th. A timesheet is in operation.
The draw for the members’ cup, a men’s matchplay competition, will take place this weekend.

Woodstock
IN the weekly seniors’ competition at Woodstock, Liam McInerney and Michael Cullinan won the two-ball modified scramble with 47 points.
Woodstock defeated East Clare in the annual competition for the Spancilhill Shield last week. The score was 213 points to 197.
The leading Woodstock pairings were Jimmie Kelly and Liam McInerney with 45 points; Edward Grace and Ray Casey with 45 points; Sean O’Riordan and Noel Kelleher with 43 points; Eugene Quinn and Donal Brogan with 42 points and Ann Marie Russell and Joan Barrett with 38 points.
In the club singles at the weekend, Brian Aherne (6) was the winner with 41 points from Alan Barrett (10) with 38 points.
In the Wednesday open singles, Joe Keane (14) was the winner with 41 points from Mike O’Callaghan (15) with 38 points and Bob Loftus (2) with 38 points.
The club mixed scramble continues this Thursday with a draw for partners at 5.35pm. The monthly medal will be played for at the weekend.

Dromoland
THE captain’s (William Fitzgerald) prize to the ladies was played for on Saturday at Dromoland and was won by Sandy Smyth with a nett 76 from Mary O’Donnell who had a similar score. Yvonne Shanahan was third with 77 followed by Maria Nolan with 77. Dorothy Brennan won the gross.
The men’s competition on Sunday was the monthly medal and the winner was Brian Hickey from Harry Bulger with Philip O’Sullivan third followed by Gerry Malone.
Gordon Malone won the junior section.
This week’s competition will be an 18-hole Stableford event. Entries are now being accepted for the scotch foursomes.
Dromoland’s Course Record week takes place from this Monday to Friday, July 27.

Ennis
JOAN Murphy won the ladies’ singles at Ennis last week with 37 points. Elaine Whelan was next with a similar score followed by Kate O’Ceallaigh on 36 points and Joan Malone with 36 points.
In the Friday open singles, Máire McMahon (Shannon) was the winner with 39 points from J Patel, (Shannon) with 33 points.
In the ladies’ seniors’ competition, the winners were Jean Molony, Pauline Parkes and Mary Leahy from Carmel Cummins, Mary Colton, Carmel Warner and Margaret McEnery with third spot filled by Nora Kelly, Bernie Brooks and Carmel Verling.
The Ennis seniors’ group held a team-of-three competition on Thursday last when the winners, with 50 points, were Ferdie O’Donoghue, Greg Fogarty and Joe O’Brien from Tom Purcell, John Vaughan and Michael Torpey on 45. In third spot on 44 points were Peter Daly, PJ Garry and Dick Burke followed by Tom Pilkington, Johnny Stack and John R Cullinan on 42 with Willie Moloney, Jim Felle and Aidan Guilfoyle on 41.
The gold medal was played for at Ennis on Sunday where Gary Collins emerged as the winner with 75 gross. He had two shots to spare from Jarlath O’Halloran. In the nett category, Michael Connolly was the winner with 65 from Patrick McMahon on 68.
The winner of the Friday open singles was Noel Whelan with 40 points from Aidan O’Connor on a similar score, Conor Brennan was next with 39 followed by Leo Herbert on 39. Stephen Loftus won the gross with 37.

Ennis RFC classic
ENNIS Rugby Club held its annual golf classic last Saturday when the winning team comprised Peadar Cosgrove, Sean Fitzpatrick, Johnny Cullinan and James Ball with 96 points. They had three to spare over Pat and Tom Quinn, Conor Murphy and Frank Coffey who were a point ahead of Kieran Cosgrove, Frank Holly, Dave Mangan and Dermot Ryan.
The longest drive at the 14th hole was won by Gary Duggan from Frank Holly, while nearest the pin at the seventh was Peadar Cosgrove.

Lahinch
IN last week’s ladies’ singles v par competition at Lahinch, Evelyn Lyons (23) was the winner with two-up from Olivia Lucas (7) who had a similar score. Katherine Feore (23) was third with one-up followed by Anne Vaughan (11) also with one-up. Valerie Shannon won the gross.
In the ladies’ open singles’ competition on the Castle Course on Wednesday, Mary Brosnan (23) from Glencullen was the winner with 31 points. 
In a similar competition for men, Colm Murphy (15) from Kilrush won with 39 points from Jack Hennessy (14) with 38 points.
Thursday’s open singles was won by Eugene Sheehan (21) from Carton House with 40 points from Paudie Fitzmaurice (13) with 40 points and Bob Loftus (2) with 34 points. Shane Hogan, from Nenagh, won the gross with 37 points.
In the ladies’ open singles, Lillian Austin (28) won with 33 points from Olivia McCarthy (26) with 31 points.
On Saturday, the men’s monthly medal was played for and Colm McInerney (8) was the winner with 68 nett from Patrick Glynn (6) with 69, Michael Hennessy (7) with 71 and Edmund Quiery (6) with 71. Aaron McNulty won the gross with 77.
In a ladies’ Stableford competition on Saturday, Marjorie Ahern (11) won with 40 points from Marie O’Connor (16) who had 36 points.
In the ladies’ fourball Stableford competition on the Castle Course on Sunday, Mary Sadlier (12) and Connie Fahy (18) were the winners with 39 points.
On Sunday, the Golf Links Cup for handicaps 12 and under was the competition and the winner was Cathal Hegarty (8) with 41 points from John Wall (9) with 38 points and Cormac O’Neill (10) with 36 points. Gary Lavelle won the gross with 33 points.
In the Coolbawn Cup for handicaps 12 and over, Darragh McDonagh (18) was the winner with 38 points from Gordon O’Neill (17) with 38 points and Richard Meaney (15) with 36 points. Pat Cronin (17) won the gross with 37 points.

East Clare
IN the Friday scramble at East Clare, the winners were Fiona Kinsella, Celia Moloney, Mary Joe Minogue and William O’Brien from Marie A Kelly, Jim Greene and Steve Symes with third spot filled by Val Donnellan, Connie McKenna and Mick Gough.
More than 100 played in the Olive Fahy Memorial Cup and the overall winner was Tom Larkin (21) with 41 points.
In the men’s section, Jack Brennan (14) was the winner with 40 points from Sean Bolton (20 with a similar score. Mike Noonan, also with 40 points, was in third spot.
Bridie Hanrahan won the ladies’ section with 40 points from Brigid Minogue with 39 points and Pauline Moloney with a similar score.
East Clare had two great wins on Sunday in the second round of the junior ladies’ foursomes.
Playing in Dromoland, they defeated Rathbane in the morning winning all three matches. They then took on Limerick in the afternoon and once more came through. They now go forward to the Munster quarter-finals in August. The pairs that played on Sunday morning were Bríd Hayes and Margaret MacNamara, Mary and Marese Mannion, Eileen Donnellan and Siobhán Shanahan. Bridie Hanrahan came in for Bríd Hayes in the afternoon match and partnered Margaret MacNamara.
There will be an 18-hole stroke competition this weekend for men while the ladies will have an 18-hole Stableford event.

Spanish Point
REVIVED this year and from an initial entry of 34 players, the club matchplay competition for the Dan Gallery Cup has now reached the semi-final stage with Fergal Hehir meeting Seamus McMahon, while Ross Burke meets Joe O’Rourke.
With their victory over Lismore, the Munster Country Clubs’ team are now in the semi-final and will meet Castlegregory on Sunday, August 19 at Lismore, County Waterford. Joint managers Martin Glenny and Noel Connellan were delighted with the good golf played by the team and also the efforts of the respective caddies together with the supporters, who travelled to the match.
The Friday open winner was Gerard O’Looney (15). In the weekend, fourball betterball, Tom Mernagh (6) and Brian O’Loughlin (11) were the winners with 43 points.
In the seniors open last week, Eamonn Murphy (11) was the winner with 36 points and this was his second week in succession to win.  This week’s senior open was won by David O’Connor (18) with 39 points from John Moore (18) with 38 points.
The Friday winner on July 6 was Cathal Whelan (5) with 39 points. A week earlier, Gerard O’Looney (15) was the winner.
In the Martin Talty Memorial Open, John O’Brien (14) was the winner with 42 points from John O’Dwyer (17) with 40 points, Fergal Hehir (17) with 39 points and  Michael O’Gorman (27) with 38 points.
Last Friday’s competition was won by David Fitzgerald (6) (Tralee) with 41 points from Jim Cleary (5) with 37 points. In the weekend golfer-of-the-year singles, Alan White (9) was the winner with 69 nett from Martin O’Gorman (20) with 70 nett, Michael O’Gorman (26) 70 nett and John Moore (18) with 70 nett.
The president’s (Paddy Cleary) prize will be played for this weekend and a timesheet will operate.

Shannon
SHANNON’S bid for the Munster Pierce Purcell title ended at Fota Island Golf Club on Sunday when they were beaten in the final by Newwcastle West.
Having recorded a 3-1 win in the morning’s semi-final over Tramore, the Clare club went into the final in confident mood. Maurice Murphy and Joe McGrath gave them a great start when they won their match. Mark Dore and Tox Fox were comprehensively beaten, losing on the 11th. PJ Moroney and Gerry Breen lost on the 16th. The match was tied up again when Pat Madden and William O’Brien won on the 18th.
In the deciding match, play went down the 19th before Eddie Clohessy and Adrian Treacy lost out.
In the open week team-of-four competition at Shannon on Saturday, the winners were Pat Murphy, Seamus Doyle, Jim O’Brien and Declan Carmody with 100 points. They had two to spare from Andrew and John Pearse, Paudie Ryan and Niall Moloney with Michael Hickey, Michael McInerney, Noel Morgan and Jody Halpin a point further back on 97 points.
In the open singles on Sunday, Adam McMahon was the winner with 45 points from Declan Coyne on 44, Michael Hayes on 43 and Karl Scott on 42. Pádraig Cahillane won the gross with 37 points.

Gort
IN the open singles at Gort last week, Pat McCarthy (19) won with 42 points from Colm Beakey (15) with 39 and Philip McNamara (10) with 38. Ray Keogh (6) won the gross with 28 points.
This weekend, the captain’s (Frank Higgins) qualifier will be the attraction.
In the ladies’ competition last week, Pat Wynne (36) was the winner with 33 points from Bernie Diskin (12) with a similar score.
Margaret Whelan (28) was the winner on Monday with 32 points from Maura Hanrahan (13) with a similar score.

Clare hurlers
THE Clare Hurlers’ Society held an outing to Dromoland on Friday last when the winners of the fourball competition were Sean McMahon and Richard Woods with 42 points. They pipped Fergus Tuohy and Pat O’Donnell on the back nine.
Cyril Lyons won the nearest-to-the-pin prize. Barry Murphy (2012 captain) was unavailable due to junior hurling commitments in the North Cork Championship, (he scored 2-1 in helping Kilavulen to an extra-time win). Fergus Tuohy presented the prizes in his absence.
The next outing is planned for Saturday, November 24 at venue to be confirmed.

Clarecastle
THE Clarecastle Society’s next outing is to Dromoland this Saturday where the president’s (Liam Barry) prize will be played for. The first tee is reserved from 11am to 12.30pm. Members and guests intending to play should text 086 3246015 with their preferred tee times. Draw for playing partners will be made on Friday evening and official individual tee times will be communicated by text.

Portumna
IN the men’s Stableford competition at Portumna at the weekend, Des Lynch (19) was the winner with 39 points from Pete Gibbs (13) with a similar score, Andrew McCarthy (12) was third with 38 points. The gross was won by JP McLoughlin (scratch) with 34 points, while Mike Keyes (12) won the seniors’ section with 36 points. 
The winner of the Monday open was Padraic Cleere (9) with 41 points from John Cleary (4) with 36 points and John Tuohy (12) with 35 points. JP McLoughlin (scratch) won the gross with 34 points.
In the seniors’ competition on Wednesday, Tom Feeney (21) was the winner with 39 points from John Hynes (18) with 35 points, Peter Gibs (13) with 35 points and Michael Keyes (12) with 35 points. 
The winner of the ladies’ open competition was Josephine Noone (11), Athenry,  with 36 points from Pauline Farrell (24) with 33 points and Ursula Morley (16) with 32 points. The gross was won by Judith Barry (19) with 16 points.
Bridget Broderick and Mary Conwell managed the Miele Team to another win last week.

Sixmilebridge
SIXMILEBRIDGE Society held an outing to Ballykisteen last Saturday where Colin Murphy was the winner form Brian Casey with Mervyn Frazer in third spot. The nines were won by Darren Long and Ian Mulready, while the category winners were Aidan Whelan, Darren Long and Greg Deegan.

Avenue United FC
AVENUE United FC hosted the Eddie Ryan Memorial Golf Classic recently when the winners were Matty O’Neill, Mike Ensko, Adrian Coleman and Mike Miniter.
Other prize-winners were Tony Roche, Paddy O’Malley, Dylan Casey, Martin Daly, Colm McNevin.
The classic was a great success played in excellent conditions. Over 30 teams took part and all proceeds went to Avenue United’s pitch development fund. A floral presentation was made to Breda Ryan, wife of the late Eddie Ryan in whose memory the classic is run.