Kerry's Damien Fleming was victorious in the Men’s National Matchplay Final.
He won against Ray Murphy of Cork for the third time in his career and the second time in three years, at the Ryston club in Newbridge, Co Kildare on Monday.
After surviving a massive fright against Riverdale of Nenagh’s Stephen Shoer in the first round, Damien went on to dominate the Mens competition in producing some fine play to win overall.
Damien was two down with three to play in beating Shoer at the final hole 1up to make it through to Sunday where he won three matches to book a semi-final place. He defeated James Foley Jnr of St Patricks in Enniscorthy (2&1) and James Cleary of Larkspurk Park, Cashel (4&3) to set up a quarter-final meeting with somewhat of a surprise package in the tournament, Pter O’Donovan of Bishopstown, Cork.
He won a tight encounter 2&1 to reach Monday morning’s semi-final where he faced off against last year’s runner-up, Kildare’s Ian Dillon of the St Bridgets club. Damien powered into a 7up lead after the first 18 holes of the match as although Dillon did make a comeback in the second round, Damien still had enough at hand for a 2&1 win where he faced the most successful player in the competition, six-time winner Ray Murphy of St Annes, Cork in the decider. Damien had beaten Murphy in the 2011 quarter-final on the way to his first title and this match proved to be another milestone meeting for him 10 years later.
Damien carried his imperious form from the first 18 of the semi-final into the decider again as he was 7up after 18 holes once more. Murphy fought back to bring the deficit to four but Damien managed to see things out for a 4&3 victory to ensure his third title. It’s Kerry’s fourth victory in the competition overall taken with his club-mate Derry McCarthy’s 2004 win on home turf. Damien now has seven major individual honours in the game with his three National Matchplays now matching his three Irish Opens alongside the 2018 National Senior Strokeplay win.
The win also meant that for every weekend that Pitch & Putt Ireland have run a National Championship since competitions were allowed resume there has been a Kerry winner on each of the three weekends they have been held. Michael Conway of Tralee and Listowel’s Jake Shine won the delayed 2020 National Intermediate and Junior Mens Strokeplay Champions back in June while the weekend before Damien’s latest success, Tralee’s Ella Moynihan had won the National Girls Matchplay Championship in Glenville, Dublin.
Speaking of Michael Conway he gave defending Mens champion Kieran Earls of Bruff a major fright in the first match of the first round before eventually losing out by 4&3. Jason Cregan was the best of the rest of the Kerry contingent last weekend, reaching the Last 16 where he was defeated by Damien’s quarter-final opponent Peter O’Donovan 5&3. Another Tralee player, Jason O’Regan, reached the Second Round where he was defeated by St Patricks Martin O’Neill 3&2 while Gavin Carroll of Castleisland missed out on the chance to play Damien in the Second Round itself after he was defeated 5&3 by James Foley Jnr. The other Kerry player in the field, Listowel’s Killian O’Gorman was defeated in the First Round by Louth’s Barry Thornton 7&6.
There is a slight lull in fixtures now as the National Strokeplays take place towards the end of the month. The U16’s head to Lakeside in Templemore on Saturday August 21st for their event while the qualifiers for the Adult Strokeplays in September are due to take place the following weekend in Tralee.
