Maura Burke Memorial Fund Classic at Gort

THE Maura Burke Memorial Fund has been established in conjunction with Cancer Care West to commemorate the memory of Maura from Kilcolgan who died in 2006 after losing a bravely fought battle with cancer.
The sixth annual Maura Burke Memorial Golf Am takes place at Gort on Friday, May 4 and Saturday, May 5. Since its inception six years ago, the fund has raised in excess of €150,000 to assist in the fight against cancer in the West of Ireland. The Inis Aoibhinn Residence and Cancer Support Centre in Galway has benefited from a contribution of €25,000 towards room sponsorship. Donations totalling €18,500 have been made towards Galway Hospice. The largest contribution from the fund to date stands in excess of €100,000 towards a research fund at UCHG which is administered by Dr Maccon Keane and Cancer Care West. This is a three-year research programme and the target is to raise a total of €150,000 in order to complete its work.
It is for teams of four and there are numerous attractive prizes on offer. Handicaps are limited to 22 for men and 32 for ladies.
JJ Grehan has the time sheet and more information is available by phoning 087 2549618. The presentation of prizes will take place at Gort Golf Club on Saturday, May 5.

Lahinch
THE death took place at the weekend of former captain and president of Lahinch Golf Club, Vera Quinlan, one of the club’s longest serving members.
Limerick resident Vera was a proud and passionate member of Lahinch Golf Club and represented the club with distinction over many years. Her tireless work and devotion to the club was rewarded when she was elected lady captain in 1985 and lady president in 2003.
While Vera was unable to visit the club in recent times due to ill health, she remained an extremely popular member and was very well respected by everyone at the club. Vera’s good nature, humour and friendship will be remembered by all who knew her.
On the playing front, the men’s open singles last Thursday was won by Glen Stewart (11) from Howth with 35 points from Terry Sweeney (18), Mullingar with a similar score. Kevin Glynn (9) from the home club was third with 34 points.
In the men’s singles Stableford competition on Saturday, Aaron McNulty (4) with 36 points from Bob Loftus (2) with a similar score. Michael Duffy (15) was third with 35 points, while Gary Lavelle won the gross with 28 points.
In the ladies’ singles on Saturday, Olivia Lucas (9) was the winner with 33 points.
Sunday’s men’s singles Stableford competition was won by Colm McInerney (10) with 40 points from Jim Young Junior (6) with 38 points and Urban McMahon (12) with 36 points. Bob Loftus won the gross with 31 points.
The ladies’ scotch foursomes Australian spoons competition on Sunday was won by Suzanne Conneely (26) and Aoife Foley (31) with 42 points from Olivia (9) and Mary Lucas (36) with 35 points.

Kilrush
GER Flanagan was the winner of the Pat Geaney Men’s Singles Stableford competition at Kilrush on Sunday with 40 points. He had one to spare over Sean Moran with Gearóid Williams in third place on 38.
In the seniors’ competition last Wednesday, the winners were Tom Coffey, John Stapleton and Tom O’Dea, from Paddy Carmody, Tom Cleary and Tom Prendeville with third spot filled by John Robinson, Jimmy McSwiggan and John Flanagan.
The ladies’ singles last Thursday was won by Nicola O’Leary with 35 points from Mary Young on a similar score with Mary McCarthy next on 34 points. Other winners were: category 1. Annie Gallagher with 33 points; category 2: Claire Pyne with 33 points and category 3. Maura McSwiggan with 29 points.
The winners of Friday’s mixed scramble were Kieran Lillis, Michael Studdert, Nicola O’Leary and Liz Blake from Finbar McMahon, Michael Hogan, Mary Keating and Stephanie Roughan with third spot filled by Noel Haier, Declan O’Donovan and Freda Moran.
The Leadmore Trophy will be played for this weekend and this is an open singles Stableford competition.

Ennis
ENNIS Seniors held a fourball competition last week when the winners, on 41 points, were Charlie McEnery and Paul Higgins from Pádraig and Ned Ryan on 40 points. In third spot on 40 were Noel Connellan and Johnny Cullinan followed by TJ Waters and Jimmy McNamara on 39, Sean Fitzpatrick and Eamon Corry on 39, John R Cullinan and Michael Ball on 39.
In the ladies’ medal competition, Anna Glynn won the silver medal with 74 nett, while Mary Lenihan won the bronze medal on 72.
In the ladies’ Friday open competition, Helen Hartnett was the winner with 31 points from Mary Nolan with 30 points.
The Dr Rodgers Shield, a team-of-four competition, was played for at Ennis on Sunday when the winners with 93 points were Gerry Bredin, John Dempsey, Pat McInerney and Jim Casey. They were followed by Tom and Kieran Fox, Walter O’Brien and Michael Connolly with 92 points with third spot filled by David Considine, Cyril Corry, John Kelly and Kieran Ryan with 90 points.
In the Friday open singles, Gary Walsh with 39 points was the winner from Gerard O’Halloran with 38 points, Jason O’Leary (Dromoland) with 37 points and Tony Kinnavane with 37 points. Brian Gilligan (Woodstock) won the gross with 33 points.
The April monthly medal was won by Steve Burns with 67 nett.

Kilkee
THE pairings for the spring league final at Kilkee are Ger O’Flynn (12) V John McGuire (10); Tim Ahern (14) V John Garvey (15); Derek Garvey (17) V John Ryan (16); Pat Sheahan (17) V Dermot Gaffney (17); Declan Marrinan (24) V Andrew O’Flynn (19), Joan Eakins (23) Bye.

Spanish Point
LAST weekend started the 2012 Golfer of the Year qualifiers with the first singles played as an 18-hole stroke competition and a big entry took part in windy conditions. Playing his round on Sunday morning, Martin O’Gorman (20) was in good form and with a nett return of 63 against the par of 66 won by one shot from Tony Crowley (19). Earlier last week in the Tuesday seniors’ open, John Cullinan (20) Ennis was the winner with 29 points, a good score in very wet and windy conditions. The support for the regular Friday open is improving and the winner last week was Niall McMahon (18) with 38 points.
Inter-club action begins with the Munster Country Club’s first-round game against Templemore this Saturday at 1.30pm in Dromoland. The team manager is Martin Glenny.
Ennis GC JB Carr team are next up when they play the locals on Tuesday, May 1 at Spanish Point stating at 3pm. The senior open on Tuesdays continue for male and female golfers and time-sheets are in the clubhouse for all competitions.
Lucia Cronin was the winner of last week’s ladies’ competition at Spanish Point with a score of 35 points from Fiona O’Boyle on a score of 30 points. There will be an 18-hole Stableford competition this weekend.

Shannon
EDDIE McCormack from Galway was the winner of the Shannon Senior Scratch Cup on Sunday. The plus two handicapper finished on 134 and had four shots to spare over Eugene Smith (scratch) from Ardee with Stephen Moloney (plus 1) from Castletroy in third spot on 145 followed by Joe Lyons (plus 1) from Galway on 146.
Aidan McAuley (2) from Ardee was the winner of the first 18 with 73, while Damian Coyne (1) from Tuam won the second 18 with 71.
In the 36 hole nett prize section, Ronan Mallarney (4) from Galway won with 143 from Enda Craddock (1) from Gort on 146.
The Bill Jones Memorial April medal was the club competition at the weekend and Paul McElligott (12) was the winner with 67 from Karl Scott (9) with a similar score. In third spot was Fintan Ward (6) followed by Hugh Heaney (13) and both also had 67s. Mark Dore (13) was fifth with 68 followed by Ted O’Leary (18) with 69 and Barrie Murphy (14) with 69. Jamie O’Shea (2) won the gross with 77 from Larry Egan Junior (6) with a similar score.
In the Wednesday open singles, Vincent Scully (10) was the winner with 43 points from Alan Dunlea (17) with 42 points and Peter McLaughlin (18) with 41 points. Ronan Maher (1) won the gross with 37 points.
In the ladies’ section, Jean Murphy Wright (9) won with 75 from Madge Young (12) on 77.

East Clare
TEDDY (14) and Michael O’Hanlon (18) were the winners of the men’s fourball matchplay qualifier with 47 points. They had one to spare from Mike Stritch (17) and Enda Donnellan (14) with 46 points.
In Thursday’s open singles, John Farrell (21) was the winner with 44 points from Martin McInerney (19) with 42 points.
In the senior men’s open, Eamonn Mulhall (25) was the winner with 43 points from John Stack (18) with 40 points and Finbarr Ryan (15) with 39 points.
Phil Burke was the winner of the ladies’ 18-hole flag competition from Mary Collins with Brigid Minogue in third spot.
In the senior ladies’ competition, Marie Moloney won from Sue Casey with Catherine Murphy in third spot.
The men’s club will have a golfer-of-the-year competition this weekend while the ladies’ club will have an 18-hole singles.

Portumna
IN the men’s 18-holes singles Stableford competition at Portumna at the weekend, the winner was  Patrick Cleary (15) with 42 points from Ian Davis (11) with 41 points and Tony Harte (23) with 38 points. The gross was won by Cathal O’Byrne (5) with 33 points, while the seniors was won by Pádraig Purcell (19) with 37 points.
In the Monday Open, Shane Hogan (Scr) was the winner 38 points from Richard Grogan (6) with a similar score. Tony Harte (23) was third with 37 points, while John Cleary (5) won the gross with 30 points.
Lily Graydon (27) with 36 points was the winner of the ladies’ 18-hole Stableford competition from Marese Cooney (27) with a similar score. Mary Madden had a hole-in-one on the par three fifth hole.  This was Mary’s fourth hole in one.
There will be a ladies’ 18-hole competition this week, while a nine-hole scramble for men and women will commence on Thursday, May 3 and continue through the summer months.
The annual club funding classic will take place on Friday, May 4, Saturday, May 5 and Sunday, May 6.
The JB Stronge Cup open competition will take place on Sunday, May 13.
Portumna club member Suzanne Corcoran is chairman of the Connacht District of the ILGU. She helped the club win the Connacht mixed foursomes title in 1979.
Since then, Suzanne has gone on to represent Portumna and Connacht with distinction. Last week, she was part of the All-Ireland Ladies’ Senior Team who defeated Scotland in Belfast.

Dromoland
LAST weekend’s V Par competition at Dromoland was won by Brian Hickey with four-up from PJ Hehir on three-up and PJ Phelan on two-up. In the junior section, Sean Myatt was the winner with two-up, while Tim Mullane won the 18 and over category with three-up.
The draw will take place this weekend for the senior matchplay, while this weekend’s competition will be the monthly medal.
In the ladies’ Australian Spoons competition, the winners were Carola Wixted and Dorothy Brennan from Joan Ryan and Mary O’Donnell with third spot filled by Majella Cotgreave and Maria Nolan.
The winning pairs go forward to represent Dromoland in Bantry in June.
Open week continues at the club until this Friday with details available at 061 368444.
There will be a Special Olympics coffee morning at Dromoland this Friday. There will be flower displays and garden tours and all proceeds go to Special Olympics. The starting time is 11am.

Woodstock
IN the club singles at Woodstock at the weekend, Rory Callinan (13) was the winner with 44 points from Tom  Fogarty (18) with 40 points and Paul Sherlock (15) who also had 40 points. The monthly medal will be played for this weekend, while the open singles continues on Wednesdays.
In the three-person scramble last week, the winners were Jim Carmody, Áine Burke and Bridget Hayes with 41.9. In second place on 43.2 were Paul Coote, Cormac and Aideen Walsh.
This week’s ladies’ competition will be an 18-hole stroke competition with the draw on Sunday at 11.50am.

Gort
THE winner of the men’s 18-hole singles at Gort was Tom Finneran (14) with 35 points. There will be an 18-hole fourball competition this weekend with the weekly singles continuing on Monday.
In the ladies’ section, the winner of the April stroke medal competition was Phil Mulkerrins (27) with 71, from Josie Cummins (20) with 72 and Bernie Diskin (13) with 73. Siobhán O’Connor (10) won the gross with 83.

Clarecastle
TOM Coughlan was the recent winner of the Clarecastle Society’s outing to Athenry. Colin Higgins was second with John Casey in third place. Martin Glenny and Noel Connellan were the winners of the nines. Trevor Fawl was the guests’ section winner and the category prize winner was Tom Fitzgerald.

Clare Teachers
SHANNON will be the venue this Saturday for an outing for members of the Clare Teachers’ Society when the Hillery Cup will be played for. This is an 18-hole singles competition, open to all Clare teachers and the tee will be available from 10am.

Éire Óg
THE Éire Óg Society will hold an outing to Galway Bay on this Saturday when the tee will be available from 10.30am to 11.30am.
Arrangements are progressing for a golf classic in aid of Éire Óg GAA Club to be held at Ennis on June 9.

Pitch and putt
PJ Considine was the overall winner of the Bob Canty Trophy at the Clare Road at the weekend. Kevin Woods was in second place, while the gross was won by Niall Seery.