Top-class entry for South of Ireland

THE 110th South of Ireland Amateur Golf Championship tees off in Lahinch this Saturday morning.
Promoted by the Munster branch of the Golfing Union of Ireland in association with Lahinch, the championship is a major attraction for amateur golfers, not just from Ireland but Europe, Australia and the US.
This year, the format has been changed and 156 players will take part in a 36-hole qualifying competition on Saturday and Sunday, from which the top 64 will emerge for a matchplay on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The changed format means there will be 36 fewer entries this year.
Ennis native, Noel Pyne is amongst those on standby to get into the competition. The former Lahinch and Ennis captain and president has played in the last 48 championships, a record that is unlikely to be equalled, not to mention surpassed.
Clare players who have been included in the draw are Niall Morrison, Declan McInerney, Michael O’Kelly, Thomas Neenan and Stephen Loftus (all Lahinch), Kieran Cunnane (Woodstock), Tony Cleary (Dromoland) and Paul O’Neill (Shannon).
Newly crowned British Open winner Darren Clarke previously won this title, as did Graeme McDowell. Defending champion John Greene from Carlow is in the field, as is last year’s beaten finalist, Kelan McDonagh (Athlone/NUIM). Limerick’s Pat Murray reached the semi-final last year where he went out to the eventual winner and he will try again this year. Cian Daly from Castletroy was the other beaten semi-finalist in 2010 and he is also in the race.
Lahinch member, Thomas Neenan was the last of the Clare club representatives standing in last season’s race for the title. He reached the quarter-finals, going out to Pat Murray on the Tuesday afternoon.

*The first time is Saturday’s tee-off, the second is Sunday’s
7.00, 10.30: Colum Abernethy (Dun Laoghaire), Eddie McCormack (Galway), Eoin O’Connor (Ballybunion).
7.10, 10.40: Gavin Smith (Clonmel), Mark Ryan (Grange), Andrew Kelly (Charleville).
7.20, 10.50: Tim O’Mahony (Mallow), Craig Martin (Kilkenny), Sean Cannon (Loughrea).
7.30, 11.00: David Ruddy (Dundrum), Gary Collins (Rosslare), Alan Duffy (Royal Tara).
7.40, 11.10: Arthur Pierse (Tipperary), David Ryan (The Grange), Niall Morrisson (Lahinch).
7.50, 11.20: Niall Goulding (Portmarnock), Paul Dunne (Greystones), Michael Horan (Birr).
8.00, 11.30: Eddie Power (Kilkenny), Declan McInerney (Lahinch), Brendan Walton (The Island).
8.10, 11.40: Chris Selfridge (Moyola Park), Ian Brennan (Greenore), Ronan Purcell (Clonmel).
8.20, 11.50: Eoin Arthurs (Forrest Little), Kieran Cunnane (Woodstock), Peter Sheehan (Ballybunion).
8.30, 12.00: Greg Carew (Edenderry), Pat Murray (Limerick), Garrett Mallon (North West).
8.40, 12.10: Stephen Moloney (Castletroy), Cathal O’Malley (Westport), Michael Brett (Portmarnock).
8.50, 12.20: Jeff Hopkins (Skerries), Quentin Carew (Edenderry), Roy O’Riordan (Cork).
9.00, 12.30: Gary McDermott (Sligo), Michael O’Kelly (Lahinch), Keagan Cummings (Elm Park).
9.10, 12.40: Harry Diamond (Belvoir Park), Daniel Coyle (County Louth), Ciaran McKenna (Mallow).
9.20, 12.50: Kelan McDonagh (Athlone/NUIM), Eamonn Haugh (Castletroy), Patrick Small (Bangor).
9.30, 13.00: James Fox (Portmarnock), Cian Daly (Castletroy), Francis McGinn (Ballycastle).
9.40, 13.10: Tyler Morris (The Farms, USA), Jeff Lenehan (Portmarnock), Allan Kiernan (Forrest Little).
9.50, 13.20: Ciaran Molloy (Ardee), Brendan Keating (Clonmel), Declan King (Tramore).
10.00, 13.30: Simon Bryan (Delgany), Tony Cleary (Dromoland), Ross McCormack (Naas).
10.10, 13.40: Daniel Holland (Castle/UCD), Kyle Dunne (New Ross), Caolan Rafferty (Greenore).
10.20, 13.50: Bryan McSweeney (Woodbrook), David Barry (Mahon), Graham Nugent (Kilkenny).
10.30, 14.00: Shaun Carter (Stackstown/NUIM), Paul Cullen (Royal Tara), Shane Hogan (Nenagh).
10.40, 14.10: David Murray (Skerries), David Manifold (Rathsallagh), Greg Mungovan (Headfort).
10.50, 14.20: Richard Bridges (Stackstown), Alan McAuley (Ardee), Paul O’Hara (Kilkenny).
11.00, 14.30: Jack Hume (Rathsallagh), Joe Dillon (Headfort), Richard Walsh (Kilkenny).
11.10, 14.40: Stuart Grehan (Tullamore), Derek Downie (Sutton), Jonathan Webster (Castle).
11.20, 14.50: Declan O’Neill (Carton House), Liam Harnett (Milltown), Robert Farrell (New Ross).
11.30, 15.00: Andrew Hogan (Newlands), David Finn (Mallow), John Kelly (Lucan).
11.40, 15.10: James Kerr (Buncranna), Shaun O’Connor (Skerries), David Keating (Clonmel).
11.50, 15.20: Gary O’Flaherty (Cork), Conor O’Rourke (Naas/NUIM), Matthew McAlpin (Portrush).
12.00, 15.30: Ian O’Rourke (Cork), Paul O’Neill (Shannon), Anthony Byrne (Westmanstown).
12.10, 7.00: Joe Lyons (Birr), Darragh Coghlan (The Royal Dublin), Thomas Neenan (Lahinch).
12.20, 7.10: Rory McNamara (Headfort), John Moran (Charleville), Bryan Ronan (Louth).
12.30, 7.20: Daniel Murphy (Portarlington), Gerard Dunne (Seapoint), Paddy Delaney (Arklow).
12.40, 7.30: Shane McGlynn (South County), Matthew McKnight (Lisburn), Kieran Lynch (Skibbereen).
12.50, 7.40: Eugene Smith (Ardee), John Waldron (Muskerry), Shane Smyth (Louth).
13.00, 7.50: James Monahan, The Royal Dublin; Jon Foran (Thurles), Christopher Moulds (Lisburn).
13.10, 8.00: Robert Cannon (Balbriggan), Pat Lyons (Cork), Gary Brett (Claremorris).
13.20, 8.10: Kieran Kennedy (Thurles), Gerard Kelly (County Louth/UCD), Theo Coffey (Slieve Russell).
13.30, 8.20: John Greene (Carlow), Stephen Loftus (Lahinch), Damien Coyne (Tuam).
13.40, 8.30: Garth Bohill (Co Louth), Seve Gonzales (Sun Valley, USA), Ian Murphy (Waterford).
13.50, 8.40: Richard O’Donovan (Lucan), Paul O’Kane (Moyola Park), Emmett Leahy (Cahir Park)
14.00, 8.50: Nicholas Grant (Knock), John Reynolds (Dungarvan), Pio O’Leary (Lucan).
14.10, 9.00: Tommy McDonagh (Shorehaven, USA), Gary McGrane (The Royal Dublin), Stephen Brady (County Sligo/NUIM).
14.20, 9.10: Brian Casey (Headfort), Stephen Walsh (Baltinglass/UCD), Mark Mullen (Wexford).
14.30, 9.20: Dave O’Donovan (Muskerry), Jack Pierse (Grange), David Byrne (Athenry).
14.40, 9.30: Mark Shanahan (West Waterford), Edward Stack (Ballybunion), Barry Reddan (County Louth)
14.50, 9.40: Michael Durcan (County Sligo), Adam Doran (Ardee), Kevin Stack (Dungarvan).
15.00, 9.50: Stephen Barry (Laytown/Bettystown), Andrew Whittaker (Newcastle, Australia), Darragh O’Sullivan (Strandhill).
15.10, 10.00: Niall Gorey (Muskerry), Mark King (Athenry), Liam Doran (Ardee).
15.20, 10.10: Eoin Long (Monkstown), Thomas Power-Horan (Cheltenham, Australia), Albert Shanahan (Charleville).
15.30, 10.20: Patrick Sheehy (Newcastlewest), Cian Geraghty (Laytown/Bettystown), Michael Buggy (Castlecomer).