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Best of Irish Youths gather at The Island

Golf Amateur news Interprovincial Youths teams: The Irish Elite squad begin a busy, six-week championship run with the Lytham…

Shay Keenan
Tue Apr 27 2004 - 01:00

Golf Amateur news Interprovincial Youths teams: The Irish Elite squad begin a busy, six-week championship run with the Lytham Trophy at Lytham and St Annes, starting on Friday.

Walker Cup player Noel Fox of Portmarnock will lead a six-strong Irish team which includes Mark Campbell (Stackstown), Darren Crowe (Dunmurry), John Foster (Ballyclare), Alistair McKinley (Shandon Park) and Sean McTernan (Co Sligo) from the elite squad. Mullingar's Des Morgan and Michael Sinclair (Knock) are also competing.

Meanwhile, the home focus will be on The Island Golf Club where places on the Irish team for the European Youths Championship at the same venue in July will be up for grabs when this year's Golfsure-sponsored Youths Interprovincials tee-off tomorrow.

And after the excitement of the Connacht Youths Championship over the Portumna course at the weekend, many of the young guns will be keen to lay claim on a place on the Irish team.

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And none more so than the man in form, Paul O'Hanlon from the Curragh. O'Hanlon beat Neil O'Briain from Royal Dublin in an exciting final, and the pair join forces on a Leinster team that also includes senior interprovincial Robert McCarthy from the host club and Portmarnock's Aengus McAllister, who returns from the US to take part.

O'Hanlon is in a rich vein of form after putting out the leading qualifier, Aaron O'Callaghan (Douglas) in a tremendous match in the Connacht semi-finals 2 and 1, while in the second semi-final O'Briain put out the sole remaining Connacht player in the championship, Westport's Cathal O'Malley, also 2 and 1.

The final was a tight affair with O'Briain establishing an early two-hole lead, but gradually O'Hanlon worked his way into the game and was all square after 12 holes. The Curragh youth went one up on the 17th and held on for a half at the last for victory.

O'Callaghan, meanwhile, is part of a strong Munster team that is sure to be in the shake-up come Friday evening for a championship last won by the southern province in 1984. O'Callaghan is joined by Clancy Bowe (Tramore), a member of the Irish team that beat Sweden in a challenge match in The Island two weeks ago, and former British Open junior champion Cian McNamara (Limerick).

Ulster, the holders, will be out to add to their five wins in the last 10 years, and can call on the experience of Stephen Crowe (Dunmurry), Nicholas Grant (Clandeboye) and the youngest player in the championship, 14-year-old Rory McIlroy from Holywood.

Meanwhile, Curtis Cup member Claire Coughlan gave herself a major boost for the Irish Ladies Close at The Island in two weeks, and for the June 12th-13th clash with the US at Formby, by finishing second in the Helen Holm Scottish women's open amateur strokeplay championship at Royal Troon over the weekend.

The Cork girl finished strongly with a four-under-par round of 71 to take second place from another Curtis Cup player, Emma Duggleby, who pulled away from the field in the final round to win with an record low total of 14-under-par 211.

Duggleby and Shelley McKevitt (Reading) teamed up to win the international team event for England after a tie on 437 with Ireland's Coughlan and Maura Morrin. The tie-breaker was the better final-round aggregate.

Duggleby (32), had rounds of 71 and 69 over Troon Portland on Saturday, and forged clear of the field for an impressive five-shot victory with a four-under-par final round of 71 at the British Open championship venue.

Four years ago Duggleby and Rebecca Hudson set the previous tournament record when they finished tied on 213 before Hudson won the play-off. "That's about as well as I can play at Troon," said a delighted Duggleby.

Duggleby, Faye Sanderson from Durham, and France's Marion Sapin, started the final round locked together in the lead at 10-under-par 140, with Coughlan five shots. Duggleby birdied the first hole and steadily pulled away with further birdies at the second, fourth, 11th, 12th and 18th in halves of 34 (three under) and 37 (one under).

Maura Morrin was the next best of the Irish on 211 after rounds of 74, 70 and 77. Sinéad Keane shot rounds of 78, 75 and 78 for 231, one ahead of Shannon's Hazel Nolan, with Gillian O'Leary (Cork) on 235.

LEINSTER: Greg Carew (Edenderry), Neil O'Briain (Royal Dublin), Brian O'Connor (Hermitage), Paul O'Hanlon (The Curragh), Aengus McAllister (Portmarnock), Robert McCarthy (The Island) and Raymond Williams (Baltinglass). Non-playing Captain: Fintan Buckley (Hermitage).

ULSTER: Stephen Crowe (Dunmurry), Harry Diamond (Holywood), Nicolas Grant (Clandeboye), Ciaran McAleavey (Banbridge), Brendan McCarroll (Ballyliffin), Rory McIlroy (Holywood), Garreth Shaw (Malone). Non-playing Captain: Aidan Doran. Team Manager: Mark Crowe.

CONNACHT: Keith O'Neill (Strandhill), Cathal O'Malley (Westport), James Burke (Strandhill), Barry Donohue (Athenry), Iain Hall (Enniscrone), Garth McManus (Co Sligo), Ciaran O'Connor (Athlone). Non-playing Captain: Paschal McDonagh (Oughterard). Team Manager: Patsy Lynch (Loughrea).

MUNSTER: Clancy Bowe (Tramore), Cian McNamara (Limerick), Graeme Dunlea (Killarney), Aaron O'Callaghan (Douglas), David Daly (Muskerry), Jimmy Walsh (Mallow), Seamus Power (West Waterford). Non-playing Captain: Liam Martin (Castletroy).