Dundalk Golf Notes: Eoin Murphy makes home soil breakthrough by winning Scratch Cup

HOUSE COMMITTEE CUP
Rory Henry won the House Committee Cup, which was played over the first weekend of September, when he edged out Clem Walshe on countback after both had shot 69 nett.

Henry (10), a member of the Provincial Towns Cup squad, shot 33 nett down the back nine to seal his victory after going to the turn in 36 nett.

He actually began the back nine with a triple bogey eight at the 10th but three birdies and four pars got him back on track.

It was tough on Walshe, who was also pipped for Golfer of the Year on countback, and he again showed his consistency as he had 14 pars and one birdie on his way to his 69 nett.

The consolation for Walshe was top spot in Division 1 while Peter Moran (15) took Division 2 and Parick Greene (24) was the Division 3 winner.

Caolan Rafferty, who was unlucky not to make the 2023 Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup team, shot the competitions best gross with a four under par round of 68 that included five birdies.

OPEN SINGLES STABLEFORD
Last Wednesdays McKenna Man Open Singles Stableford was won by Damian Garland (6) with an excellent score of 42pts.

Bobby McCarthy (8), Patrick Gray (20) and Stephen Buckingham (26) claimed the divisional prizes while Joseph Laverty had the best gross score with 36pts.

The Provincial Towns Cup team face Coollattin in the away leg of the final this Saturday at 2pm with the match finely poised after the Wicklow side won the first leg 4-3. Good luck to the players, managers and caddies as they bid to win the competition for the first time since 1984.

Good luck also to the Womens Revive Active team in their All-Ireland semi-final against Gowran Park in Knightsbrook this Friday.

Saturday, September 2, and Sunday, September 3 - House Committee Cup Singles Stroke  Overall: Rory Henry (10) 69/33.0. Gross: Caolan Rafferty 68.

Division 1: Clem Walshe (5) 69/34.5. John Conlon (8) 70.
Division 2: Peter Jnr Moran (15) 71/34.5, Sean McErlean (15) 71/36.5.
Division 3: Patrick Greene (24) 69, Oliver McGinnity (24) 71.

Wednesday, September 6. McKenna Man Open Singles Stableford - Overall: Damien Garland (6)
42pts.
Division 1: Bobby McCarthy (8) 38pts.
Division 2: Patrick Gray (20) 41pts.
Division 3: Stephen Buckingham
(26) 37pts.
Gross Recognition: Joseph Laverty 36pts
 
DUNDALK LADIES

18 HOLE STABLEFORD
Last week's 18 Hole stableford competition was very kindly sponsored by Aidan Brennan Jewellers. It produced some fine scoring, with Pauline McGovern returning the best score of the competition. 

Pauline scored a superb 39 points, to win the Division 3 top spot.

Pauline Campbell won Division 1 with 34 points, and Bernie Prendergast shot 36 points to win Division 2.

Presentation of prizes took place in the Clubhouse on Tuesday evening, along with prizes from a previous competition, sponsored by Tres Belle Hair Salon.

Many thanks to our very generous sponsors.

REVIVE ACTIV AND JUNIOR CUP

Preparations continue for the All Ireland semi-finals of the Revive Active and Junior Cup.
The Revive are the first in action on Saturday September 16th in Knightsbrook.
They face Gowran Park. We wish all involved the very best of luck.

Saturday Sep
tember 2 and Tuesday September 5 - Ladies 18 Hole Stableford
- Division 1: Pauline Campbell (13) 34pts, Anne Murray (20) 33pts, Siobhan Rogers (20) 33pts.
Division 2: Bernie Prendergast (26) 36pts, Jean Connolly (28) 34pts, Theresa Smyth (28) 33pts.
Division 3: Pauline McGovern (56) 39pts, Leone Smyth Baillie (31) 35pts, Mary Connor (33) 33pts.
9 Hole Competition: June Desmond 17pts, Elizabeth McKeown 16pts.

SCRATCH CUP
Eoin Murphy made a big breakthrough on home soil when he captured the Dundalk Scratch Cup sponsored by One Finance.

The 23-year-old became the fifth Dundalk player to lift the Carroll Cup and joins some of the biggest names in Irish golf, like three-times major winner Padraig Harrington, on the competitions roll of honour.

Murphy, who was a member of Leinsters Inter-provincial winning team last week, finished on six under par after two rounds of 69 and won by three shots from Roganstowns Sean Keeling who is heading for Rome as a member of the European Junior Ryder Cup team.

Murphy was one of three players tied on three under par after the opening round which was played in perfect conditions on a course that was in tip-top shape.

Starting off the 10th, Murphy had three birdies over his opening nine holes as he turned in 33 and he came home in 36 with a bogey at the second, his 11th hole, being balanced by a birdie at the par five sixth.

The 2021 winner Jack McDonnell of Forrest Little and Malahides Colin Shiels both had five birdies as they matched Murphys opening 69 but neither was able to sustain the challenge in the second round as McDonnell shot 76 and Shiels could only go round in 80, even with an eagle two at the long par four 16th.

Keeling, who was playing alongside Murphy, had shot a level par 72 in the first round to lie three shots off the lead but he was in sparkling form in the afternoon as he carded seven birdies. However, four bogeys meant he was unable to eat into Murphys lead and he had to settle for second place after being tied for eighth at the halfway stage.

Murphy, starting again off the 10th, as both rounds began with a shotgun start, eagled his opening hole and birdied the next to take a firm grip of the tournament.

Another birdie followed five holes later and he turned for home on seven under. He covered his final nine in one over with two birdies and three bogeys to card another 69 and a final total of 138.

Two more Dundalk players made the top five with Joseph Laverty finishing on one under and Boys Captain Ben Cahill finishing on level par.

It was nice to get it today and its one to tick off the bucket list, said Murphy afterwards.

I got off to a tidy enough start this morning. It was a nice 69.

It was a wee bit more scrappy in the afternoon.

I got off to a nice start with an eagle on ten when I holed a long putt and then birdied the 11th and after that it was just a case of keeping it ticking it over and hitting fairways and greens.

Murphy was Munster Boys U16 Champions in 2016 and won the Boyd Quaich Memorial Tournament at St Andrews last year but this is his first senior trophy and he was delighted to have made that breakthrough.

Its nice to get a scratch cup like this. Any scratch cup youd be delighted with but the home one means a whole lot more, so I am delighted to get this over the line. The pressures off now.

Saturday, September 9  Dundalk Scratch Cup sponsored by One Finance: 
138 - Eoin Murphy  (Dundalk 69/69). 141 - Sean Keeling  (Roganstown 72, 69). 143 - Joseph Laverty (Dundalk, 72, 71), Niall Carroll  (Dunmurry 70, 73). 144 - Ben Cahill (Dundalk 74, 70), Evan Shipp (Headfort 72,
72). Round 1 Gross: Jack McDonnell (Forrest Little) 69.
Round 2 Gross: Liam Abom (Edmondstown)
70. Overall Nett: 147 - Colin Roche (Dundalk, 1) 75/72.