(Kerry Pitch & Putt PRO Jason O'Connor presenting the County U16 Matchplay Boys Cups to winners Aodhan O'Halloran (left, U13 Winner) and Fionn McMonagle (right, U16 winner) and the other prizewinners on the day are pictured namely Joe Joy (U16 Cup runner-up), Diarmuid Lyons (U16 Plate runner-up), Fionn O'Callaghan (U16 Plate Winner) and Eoin Barrett (U13 Cup runner-up) in Deerpark last Saturday.)
Unfortunately, there was no joy for the Kerry Mens Pitch & Putt team at the National Inter-County Championships in Lakeside, Templemore, Co Tipperary last weekend as their run of winning a medal at every inter-county event since inter-county Pitch & Putt resumed back in 2022 came to end with a fifth place finish overall last Sunday.
It was a weekend where they will look back on their doubles play as being the big disappointment for them. They could only manage a combined total of 16 under par for their three rounds on Saturday morning as while there were some slight fears they would end up in the B section for Sunday at one point, they did improve their score by a combined total of eight under par for their first singles rounds to lie fifth on Saturday night on 24 under par and in with an outside chance of a medal.
The punishing Foursomes rounds on Sunday morning caught them however in dropping two shots back to 22 under par as it was really only about holding on to fifth place for their last 18 holes. That they did with a combined total of 18 under par for their five best Singles cards, half of that total coming from a nine under par from Jamie Blake as they finished on 40 under par for the tournament, 27 shots off winners Cork who beat Tipperary by two as Kerry were 17 shots off a medal to Dublin in third. Our commiserations to the team of Damien Fleming, Jason Cregan, Jason O’Regan, John McGrath, Jamie Blake, Michael Conway and Darren Goodall along with team manager James Fleming as they can take a bronze medal in Munster for their efforts this year.
The Kerry Ladies team of Charlotte Blake, Eileen McCarthy, Lisa and Catriona O’Connor competed for the second year in-a-row as although they finished down the order they are continuing the county’s return to this level as we thank team manager Tony Blake and the players for their efforts. Elsewhere last Saturday saw the County U16 Matchplay Championships take place as Deerpark kindly stepped in as hosts following the effect of last week’s weather on the Listowel course.
Kerry Pitch & Putt PRO Jason O'Connor presenting the County Girls Strokeplay and Matchplay Cups to Shona Griffin of Listowel after she retained both of her titles last Saturday in Deerpark. Also included in photo is Mary Walsh (runner-up in both events) as well as the U13 Boys Plate Finalists Eoin Deady (right, winner) and Sean Keane (left, runner-up).
After winning National bronze and Munster silver, Deerpark’s Fionn McMonagle won county gold at Matchplay this year as he defeated Listowel’s Joe Joy in the Boys U16 Cup Final to complete a county double for himself this year going back to the Strokeplay win in Tralee in July. Aodhan O’Halloran made it a double for Deerpark in the Boys Cups as he defeated Listowel’s Eoin Barrett in the U13 Boys Final. The most dramatic finals were in the Plate events though as the U16 Plate saw Deerpark’s Fionn O’Callaghan come from three down with three to play to defeat Listowel’s Diarmuid Lyons at the first playoff hole as the U13 Plate was decided at the 17th hole with Eoin Deady defeating Sean Keane in an all Listowel final.
In the Girls last Saturday saw the County Strokeplay and Matchplay doubled up with Shona Griffin of Listowel retaining both her titles from club-mate Mary Walsh. Our thanks to those who took part on the day as Deerpark have announced the return of their U16 Scratch Cup for Saturday September 27th over 36 holes.
This weekend sees the National Inter-Club qualifying take place on Saturday as we wish the Deerpark and Tralee teams entered the very best of luck in trying to make next month’s National Finals.
