A round-up of today's other stories in brief...
All-Ireland GAA Golf event
THE 2008 FBD All-Ireland GAA Golf Challenge tees-off in the coming weeks with some 120 clubs challenging for a place in the All-Ireland final at Faithlegg GC in September.
A host of GAA celebrities, including current stars Steven McDonnell (Armagh), Eddie Brennan (Kilkenny), Paul Flynn (Waterford), Dave Bennett (Waterford) and Joe Canning (Galway), battled it out in a fourball competition at Carton House last week to mark the launch of this year's contest.
Organised in partnership with Dunhill GAA Club, Co Waterford, the competiton is open to all GAA Clubs who enter teams selected from their 2007 members. The competition is run as a fourball betterball format. Events take place throughout the summer before the final in September. Men and women are invited to compete, with the handicap limit set at 20 for men and 28 women.
The competition in recent years has been extended to take in the US and has generated huge interest in GAA circles in New York and Chicago and was won last year by the Waterford GAA Club of New York. They beat the 2006 champions, St Brigid's of Dublin, in the final by just one point.
July 11th: Munster Final at Dundrum GC Tipperary. July 18th: Ulster Final at Killymoon GC, Tyrone. Aug 1st: Leinster Final at Royal Tara GC, Co Meath. Aug 8th: Connacht Final at Claremorris GC Co Mayo. May 2nd: New York Final The Links at Union Vale. July: TBC: Chicago Final. Sept 13th/14th: All-Ireland Final at Faithlegg, Co Waterford.
Kelly and Pickard finish on a high
THE CURTAIN came down on the Emerald Pro Tour on Friday at the Darren Clarke-designed Moyvalley with St Margarets John Kelly winning amongst the professionals, while the amateur category was won by James Pickard.
Kelly needed a top-10 finish to clinch second place in the Order of Merit - behind winner Gary Cullen (Beaverstown) who picked up € 1,000 for that honour - but did more than that with a fantastic victory with a score of 68, a great return given he was two over after four holes. In the end he had a one-shot winning margin over David Mortimer, who by virtue of his runner-up spot finished third in the Order of Merit. One shot behind Mortimer in joint third were Michael Collins of Mallow and Stephen Grant of Birr.
Thirty seven points was enough for three handicapper Pickard to win the amateurs. It was a close run thing, however, as the Slievenamon player only won on a countback from another single figure player Martin Daly (4), while Jamie Lowrie (scr) won the gross prize with 35 points. The amateur Order of Merit crown had already been claimed by Kilkees Michael Grady. The Tour resumes in October.
Kilkenny Scratch Cup
THE SMITHWICK'S-sponsored Kilkenny Scratch Cup over 36 holes takes place on Sunday, 11th May. Castlecomer's scratch player Michael Buggy will be defending the title. Local members with ambitions of keeping the title at home include five-time winner Eddie Power, course record holder Graham Nugent, and Boys International Craig Martin.
Entries (fee € 30 includes lunch) to Kilkenny GC, Glendine, Kilkenny, tel. 056 7765400, or oanderson@kilkennygolfclub.com. The draw will take place on Tuesday, May 6th, and may be viewed on the club's website from Wednesday, May 7th.
Butler claims Munster Youths title
PATRICK BUTLER from Co Tipperary got the under-age season off to a good start when winning the Munster Youths Championship at Lee Valley GC, Cork, over the weekend.
Three shots off the pace after a first-round 77, Butler shot an excellent three-under-par 69 in the second round to take the lead from Richard O'Donovan from Lucan and Stephen O'Neill of Killarney.
Butler continued to set the pace over the final 18 holes and a steady 73 gave him a total of 219 and a two-shot winning margin over O'Neill who added a 72 with Alex Conway from Bangor shooting a best of the day 69 to share third place with Stephen Wesbster from the Castle (72), and Garth Magee from Malone (71).
The under-18 award went to Reeve Whitson from the Mourne Club who shot two rounds of 73 over the final 36 holes to win from Richard O'Donovan from Lucan on a countback after both finished on 226. Daniel Murphy, with rounds of 80, 77 and 71, was third.
Sligo Grammar land schools' double
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE proved vital as Sligo Grammar School recorded a schools' double in taking the All-Ireland matchplay and strokeplay titles at Co Sligo GC, Rosses Point last week.
Led by Irish under-18 international Michael Durcan, the local team fared best in the windy conditions with Durcan shooting a 74 - the best round of the day - and both Barry Anderson and Stephen Brady shooting 81 for a team total of 236 and a 10-stroke victory over Rockwell College (Tipperary) with St Peter's Wexford taking third place from campbell College.
And despite Durcan losing to Stephen Barry from St Patrick's Classic School in Navan, Sligo Grammar completed the double with a 3½-1½ win over the Meath school with wins for Brady, Anderson and Stefan O'Hara and a half point from Rory O'Connor.
Griffin leads way for Enniscrone
HIGH WINDS swept all the prizes the way of local members, when the sixth annual Brian Moylett Memorial Trophy was held at Enniscrone. It was an especially rewarding tournament for John Griffin, a 15-handicapper who won the individual award with a remarkable 38 points.
Not suprisingly, Griffin's presence was also hugely significant in the winning team of Enniscrone members whose 83 points (best two from four) was three clear of their nearest rivals. As it happened, Griffin contributed four net birdies and two net eagles and another 15-handicap team member, Pat Higgins, had two net birdies and two net eagles.
The event commemorates the late Brian Moylett, father of former rugby international Mick Moylett and a well-known Ballina hotelier and businessman who could name Seán Connery and Tony Jacklin among his golfing friends. Through an auction and other donations, €16,000 was raised for Our Lady's Hospital, Crumlin, Mayo/ Roscommon Hospice and Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind.
RESULTS (all from Enniscrone): 83 pts P Ruane (14), R Marsh (15), P Higgins (15). Individual: Griffin 38pts. Women: I Basquill 30.
