Jason O’Connor reports
Along with the County Strokeplay Championships being down for decision, a number of Kerry players headed to Lakeside in Templemore on Saturday for the Irish Mens Team Trial for the upcoming European Championships in Lucan next month.
It was a performance in Tipperary to remember for Damien Fleming of Deerpark as he finished top of the 54-hole trial on the day to pick up one of two spots on offer for the day itself. Fleming finished with 17 under par as a year after representing Ireland for the first time in their World Cup win in Spain, Damien will be part of a six-man team trying to retain the provincial title for Ireland on home turf next month. Damien’s qualification for this event comes 20 years after club-mate Derry McCarthy captained Ireland to win this very event back in 2005 in Holland.
The County Board congratulates Damien on picking up another Irish shirt for himself along with our Chairman Chris Gibney on reaching the Final 18 playoff at the same event. It set Chris up well for the following day at the County Strokeplay Championships in Tralee as both Darren Goodall and himself pushed Jason Cregan all the way in his eventual victory in the Senior Mens event. Cregan was three ahead in the closing stages but some late bogeys brought him back to 17 under par but it was still good enough to hold off both of his nearest challengers who finished on 16 under par.
Chris finished second on countback in the event as Tralee’s Thomas Roche won the Final 18 prize with five under par. The Intermediate Mens saw Tralee secure a 1-2 finish with Michael Creagh winning on 11 under par, three clear of Eamon Sheehy on eight under par. Bobby McCarron of Listowel won the Last 18 prize here with level par as the Junior Mens event was won by Deerpark’s Brian McCarthy by a grand total of 12 strokes. McCarthy had a 54-hole total of one over par as he finished ahead of both Tralee’s Gerry Lee and Listowel’s John Heffernan.
Gerry’s better Final 18 saw him finish second with Heffernan winning the Final 18 prize itself as the Ladies event saw Lisa O’Connor of Tralee with the Gross event with +8 with Deerpark’s Eileen McCarthy winning the Nett prize with 107. Our thanks to Tralee for hosting last Sunday’s event and our Competition Secretary Gavin Carroll for his work on the day.
We go to Tralee again this weekend for their Scratch Cup on Saturday. We encourage all players in the county to support the event and ask them to contact the club as regards tee-times.
Photos are:
Pictured at the presentation of prizes for the County Pitch & Putt Strokeplay Finals in Tralee last Sunday were Kerry Chairman Chris Gibney (second from right) presenting the Junior Mens Cup to winner Brian McCarthy (Deerpark) while Competition Secretary Gavin Carroll (fourth from left) presents the Intermediate Mens and Ladies Cups to Michael Creagh (Tralee) and Lisa O'Connor (Tralee) respectively. Also included in photo L to R are other prizewinners Bobby McCarron (Listowel), Eileen McCarthy (Deerpark), John Heffernan (Listowel), Eamon Sheehy (Tralee), Jason Cregan (Tralee, Senior Mens Winner) and Jerry Lee (Tralee).
Gavin Carroll (Kerry County Board Competition Secretary) presenting the Senior Mens Strokeplay Cup to winner Jason Cregan (Tralee) last Sunday in Tralee. Also included in photo is Chris Gibney (Listowel, Runner-Up) while absent from photo is Thomas Roche from Tralee (Last 18 prizewinner).
