By Seamus Hayes
THE inaugural Munster final of the Irish Boys inter-club championship will take place in Tramore golf club on Tuesday July 31. Among the eight clubs from across the province competing, will be two from Clare.
Ennis and Lahinch will be the two representatives from North Munster and they will join Waterford Castle and Youghal (South Munster), Tralee and Ballybunion (West Munster), Mahon and Kinsale from South Munster
Following proposals at provincial level last November, the event was added to the GUI Championships calendar for 2018.
The new event is a strokeplay team event with five golfers playing for each team. Based on handicaps, the event differs from the Fred Daly trophy with the best three nett stableford scores counting towards each teams total. The winning team will go forward to the All-Ireland finals which will also be played at Tramore at the end of September. Play in Tramore gets underway at 11am with the final group of golfers teeing off at 1pm.
Dromoland
PRESIDENT John O’Halloran’s prize was played for at Dromoland last Sunday, when a huge crowd turned out to honour the very popular official, who is the former secretary/manager of the club
The winner was Martin O’Mahoney with 57 points from Leonard Shanahan with 56 with third spot filled by Liam Hayes with 55. They were followed by Jason Ryan with 53, Declan Devitt with 53, Chris O’Donovan with 52, Shane O’Brien with 51 and Colm Sheils with 51. Declan O’Leary won the gross with 35. Other prize winners were Denis Mulqueen with 34 points (over 18 handicap), Barry Walshe with 35 (seniors), Gerry McInerney with 22 (front 9), Austin Creaven with 21 (second 9), Brian Kelly with 35 (past president), Danny Mungovan with 31(student) and David Kennedy with 36 points (boys).
In the ladies section, Joan Ryan, was the winner with 69 from Sheila Kent with 70, Colette Colleran with 70 and Tina McGuire with 72. Mairead Bergin won the gross with 85 while the nines were won by Katrina O’Neill with 36.5 and Mairead Toomey with 33. Dorothy Brennan won the long drive with Leslie O’Flynn winning the prize for nearest the pin.
In Friday’s open singles the winner was Niall Cannon with 36 points from Jason Ryan with a similar score. Brian Murray, also with 36 points, was third
The men’s nine hole competition was won by Niall Cannon with 20 points from Shane O’Brien with 20 and Jason Ryan with 19
Ennis
THE winners of the NBCRI ladies fourball at Ennis last week were Ann Pyne (22) and Helen Harnett (24) with 42 points from Peggy Costello (20) and Flor Coffey (22) with 40 points. In third spot, with 40 points, were Suzanne Deane (15) and Maura Ryan (22) while the gross was w on by Claire Ruane (16) and Carmel Verling (19) with 24 points.
Peggy Costello (21) won the nine hole competition with 21 points from Geraldine O’Rourke (37) with 20 points with Ann O’Loughlin |(15) in third spot with 20 points
The winners of the senior ladies competition on Tuesday were Mary Glynn, Alice D’arcy and Eileen Corry with 59 points from Kathleen Pyne, Mary Rowe and Bernie Brooks with 48 points while third spot was filled by Carmel Verling, Mary Murray and Pauline Parks with 47 points
Last weeks senior men’s competition was a team, of two modified scramble and the winners were Gerry Scanlan and Luke Coote with 43 points from Paddy Rynne and Pat Rutherford with 40 points. They were followed by Pat G McInerney and Kevin Murray with 39, Eamonn Corry and John O’Donovan with 38, Michael Cummins and Tim Kelly with 37, Seamus Hanrahan and Sean Fitzpatrick with 37, Ollie Kenneally and Ger O’Brien with 37, Brian Considine and Michael Kenny with 37, Michael Kerin and Joe Carmody with 36, Matt Flynn and Larry Parks with 36.
Kilrush
PRESIDENT Tom Cleary’s prize was played for at Kilrush last weekend, when the winner was Denis Nagle (12) with 42 points. He had one to spare over Martin Morrissey (9) who was followed by Tom Prendeville (12), Michael Miniter (17) both with 41 points also, Declan O’Donovan (11) and Brendan Carey (24), both with 40 points. Shane Lillis (5) won the gross with 36 while the category winners were Donnacda Nagle (5) with 38, Michael Studdert (14) with 40 and Matt Fitzpatrick (20) with 40. Gearóid Williams (13) won the Past President’s prize, Joe Linnane (16) won the committee prize with 39, Michael Leonard (22) and James Murtagh (16) won the nines with 22 and 23 points respectively. Martin Morrissey was nearest the pin and Brian Scanlan won the long drive.
The president’s prize to the ladies was won by Marion Brennan (21) with 23 points from Anne Coen (18) with 19 points while the visitors section was won by Tom O’Keeffe (21) with 38 points from Sean Rynne (11) also with 38 points.
The Niamh Whelan, ladies team of three competition, was won by A. M. Donnellan, Mary Bolton and Mary G Nolan with 86 points from Olive Lucas, Mary O’Meara and Frances Wood with 85, Mary Young, Rebecca Brew and Anne Hogan with 84, G. Reddan, Fiona O’Boyle and Ann White with 84, Pamela Morgan, Angela Cullinan and Marie O’Connor with 83, Annie Gallagher, Margaret Donnelly and Ailish Lorrigan with 83
The senior men’s scramble last week was won by Michael Ryan, PW Glynn and Noel Enright with 79 from Tom Cleary, Michael McNamara and Tom O’Dea with 76 with third spot filled by Noel Thornton, Michael Hogan and Dermot Hammond with 73
Last Thursday’s ladies singles was won by Mary Bolton(18) with 42 points from A.M. Donnellan (18) with 40 , Peggy Mulqueen (28) with 38 points, and Annie Gallagher (11), also with 38 points. The category winners were Ailish Lorigan (17) with 36 points Claire Pyne (21) with 34 points and Jean Lorigan (30) with 35 points.
The winners of the Friday mixed were Muriel Kiely and Joe Linnane with 45.28 from Ann Marie Donnellan and Michael McNamara with 47.39. In third place were Declan O’Donovan and Mary McCarthy with 47.83 and they were followed by Lucy Blake and Seamus O’Doherty with 46.44
Sunday’s men’s singles competition was won by Gerry Duffy (22) with 43 points from Brendan Carey (23) with 42 points and Sean Lyons (16) with 40 points.
The weekly ladies singles continues on this Thursday while there will be a mens singles on Saturday and Sunday.
Woodstock
JASON Dormer (9) won the July medal at Woodstock with 67 from Frank Tome |(13) with 69, Declan Rigney (19) with 69 and Joseph Keane (11) also with 69. Brian Gilligan (+1) won the gross
East Clare
EAST Clare ladies team had a great win in the Munster semi-finals of the Mary McKenna Cup, beating Kanturk in East Clare. In the final they will play Youghal on a home and away basis. The members of the team which beat Kanturk last week were Brid Hayes and Mary Brennan, Mary Mannion and Margaret Lynch, Evelyn Skehan and Nancy Starr, Margaret McNamara and Noreen Skehan, Bridget Minogue and Celia Moloney
The ladies 14 hole scramble was won by Connie McKenna, Mary Jo Minogue and Breda Reid with 56 points from Pauline Nugent, Maureen Clune and Helen Downey with 62 points
Friday’s mixed scramble winners were Jimmy Nagle,Martin Mason and Catherine Murphy from Teddy Murphy, Breda O Loughlin and Kay Grimes with third spot filled by Batt Skehan, John Fleming and Kathleen O Brien.
The winner of the 18 hole stableford medal competition was Nancy Starr with 67 nett while the category winners were Peig Hanrahan with 71, Deirdre Cooney with 70 and Helen Downey with 68
Lahinch
Saturday’s men’s singles stableford competition at Lahinch was won by Hugh Fenton (13) with 42 points from Ciaran Fitzpatrick (12) with 40, Pat Duggan(12) with 40 and Niall Gleeson (11) with 39. Thomas Neenan won the gross with 37.
In a similar competition on Sunday, Ross Fitzpatrick (2) won with 38 points from Ronan Gilmartin (16) with 37, Simon Morris (6) with 37 and Mark Cloonan (11) with 37. Bob Loftus won the gross with 35.
The winners of the ladies fourball on the old course were Helena Tiernan and Kathleen Hayes with 43 points.
Thursday next (August 2) marks the start of over a fortnight of competitions for members only.
All time-sheets for men’s and ladies’ competitions that take place between August 2 and August 19 inclusive will open online seven days in advance at 9am daily.
The time-sheets for Kevin O’Keeffe’s captain’s prize qualifying rounds, which take place on Friday and Saturday August 3 and 4 will open for both days this coming Friday morning
Spanish Point
THE weekly ladies competition at Spanish Point last week was an 18 hole stroke and Ann White was the winner with 67 nett from Mairéad Bergin with 71 nett and Claire McNamara with 71 nett.
The 18 hole stableford competition on Sunday was won by Ann White with 33 points, followed by Karen White with 32 and 3rd Bridie Hanrahan with 31 An Open Day on Monday was a great success with 68 ladies playing 18 holes singles. The winner with 39 points was Fiona O’Boyle (Spanish Point) from Yvonne O’Keeffe (Spanish Point) 39, Frances Bergin (Ennis) 35, Breda Reid (East Clare) 34, Mary Brennan (East Clare) 34 and Mary McNamara (Woodstock) 34.
Portumna
The men’s open singles at Portumna was won by Mike Flanagan (3) with 39 points from Peter Whelan (21) with 39 and Noel O’Donnell (22) with 38. J.P. McLoughlin (+1) won the gross with 36 points while the senior section was won b y Paddy Madden (21) with 38 points.
In the ladies 18 hole stableford competition, Riona Honohan (17) was the winner with 43 points.
Gort
Sadie McInerney’s president’s prize at Gort on Saturday was won by former Galway hurler Steve Mahon (18) with 76 points from Gerard Niland (6) with 75 points. In third spot was Martin Whelan (23) with 73 points followed by #frank Gillane (17) with 73 points. Eamonn Morrissey (4) won the gross with 33 points while Vincent Mullins (20) won the nett with 43 points.
The past president’s prize was won by Pat Cradock (20) with 35 points while Johnny Joyce (17) w2on the senior section with 36 points.
In the open 18 hole singles competition the winner was Alex Roberts (12) with 41 points from William Carr (9) with 40 points.
Haven Arms
THE Haven Arms society’s captain’s (Ailish Lorrigan) prize will be played for on this Saturday at Kilrush when the tee is reserved from 10am to 11am.
Clarecastle
LIAM Barry was the winner of the recent outing of the Clarecastle society to Ennis Golf Club. Paschal Russell was second, Greg Fogarty third and John O’Flynn, fourth. John Casey and Joe Green claimed the nines’’ prizes. Eamon Callinan was the winner of the Guests prize and Sean Maurice (France) was the winner of the International Guests Prize. The society’s next outing is to Shannon on Thursday afternoon, August 16.
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.