Dundalk Golf Club notes

Dundalk Golf Club Men's

Dundalk Golf Club will go in search of a third Barton Cup success over the next two weekend when they face Portarlington in the two-legged final of this competition which is confined to Leinster Golf Clubs.

It also one of the oldest inter-club competitions having been first played for in 1905 – the year Dundalk Golf Club was founded – and Dundalk will be hoping to repeat the successful campaigns of 1961 and 1999.

The format is foursomes with a combined handicap of 14.0 or higher and is played off scratch.

The first leg takes place this Saturday in Dundalk with the five matches teeing off at ten minute intervals from 11:40 while the second leg in Portarlington on Saturday week, September 19, will start at 12 noon.

Having received a bye in the first round Dundalk beat neighbours Ardee 3-2 in the second round and then defeated County Louth 3.5 to 1.5 in the third round.

That was followed by a 3-2 victory over Forrest Little before accounting for St Anne’s by 3.5 to 1.5 in the quarter-finals. That set up a semi-final clash with Old Conna with Dundalk coming out impressive 4-1 winner to reach the final.

Portarlington, who won the competition for the first time in 1950, started their campaign with a 3-2 win over Edenderry before beating Mountrath 3.5 to 1.5.

A 3-2 win over neighbours Portlaoise followed before they beat Esker Hills by 3.5 to 1.5 in the last 16. Kilkenny were dispatched 3.5 to 1.5 in the quarter-final before a 3-2 win over Bray booked their place in the final.

Having used 17 players on their way to the final Dundalk manager Derek Murdock and his assistant Mickey Coburn will have plenty of options when it comes to selecting their five pairings and it is hope that there will be plenty of home support at this Saturday’s home leg.

Dundalk Barton Cup 2026 Panel: Billy Cairns, John Paul Casey, Paolo Cordiano, Barry Cunningham, Dennis Cunningham, Padraig Hassett, Adrian Kenny, Gary Lennon, Nicholas MacShane, Tony McGuinness, John McKeever, Conall Murdock, Conor Murphy, Pearse Murphy, Conor Murray, Maurice Soraghan, Aidan Thornton.

Last year’s Captain’s Prize winner Oliver McGinnity added another major to CV when won Micheal Byrne’s President’s Prize which was held over the weekend of August 22 and 23.

Playing off 26, which was three shots lower than his handicap 12 months ago, he shot a brilliant 89 gross for a nett score of 63 which was one better than Dessie Ward (19) and two lower than the 65 nett returned by Kevin Barry (15) and Conor Murphy (22).

McGinnity had a solid front nine with seven bogeys and two pars at the par three fifth and par four eighth as he reached the turn in 43 gross.

He had a further six bogeys on the back nine along with double bogeys at the par four 11th and 16th but finished with a par at the 18th as he came home in 46 gross for a nett score of 63, nine under par.

That was enough to clinch overall victory and another major title as he finished one shot ahead of Ward who shot 83 gross off 19 for a nett 64.

Ward had gone out in 42 gross helped by four pars and he had another five pars on the back nine as came home in 41 gross to take second place overall.

Kevin Barry’s 65 nett was good enough to see him win Division 1 from David Murden (15) and Leonard Matthews Jnr (18) while Conor Murphy won Division 3 with his 65 nett ahead of Anthony McGuinness (25) and Ciaran Corbett (23).

Odhran MacShane (3) shot five birdies to win Division 1 on countback from Sam Malone (8) after both had tied on 68 nett. Malone knocked in four birdies but was undone by a triple bogey eight at the par five 12th.

Caolan Rafferty with a bogey free four under par 68 won the gross prize while the veteran’s prize went to Pat Donaghy (16) who shot 66 nett.

Odhran MacShane, now playing off two, maintained his excellent for into Wednesday Open Singles Stableford which he won with an excellent score of 42pts after shooting a four under par 68.

His round included five birdies at the sixth, 10th, 13th, 14th and 18th with the only bogey of his round arriving at the par three 17th. He also had the best gross score with 40pts.

Sean Lawlor (7) from Portarlington warmed up for the Barton Cup final with 41pts to take the Division 1 honours while John Englishby (21) claimed Division 2 with 41pts.

A Greenore visitor, Jason McCourt (29) won Division 3 with 42pts after being edged out for overall honours by MacShane’s brilliant back nine of 22pts.

MacShane then rounded off a fabulous personal week on Saturday when he was part of the Dundalk team that won the Monarch U18 Cup with a 2.5 to 0.5 win over Greenore in Ardee.

He sank a putt on the 18th against Gavin Crudden & Dylan Carron to give himself and Daniel Cronin a one hole win in the top match.

Ronan Norton Quigley & Maciek Dobros secured the second point for Dundalk with a 2&1 win over Tiarnan McCann & Andrew Clarke.

With the overall win secured, the final match on the course was called in with Dundalk’s Oisin McGuinness & Rory Power one down after 16 against Tom Crudden and Christopher Carron.

Caolan Rafferty won the Castleknock Senior Scratch Cup on Saturday with two brilliant rounds of 68 and 69 to finish on nine under par, one shot ahead of Paul Coughlan and Quentin Carew.

He produced a flawless four under par 68 in the first round with his four birdies coming in the first six holes. His second round of five under par included six birdies as well as the only bogey he had over the 36 holes.

Saturday, August 22 and Sunday, August 23 - Micheal Byrne's President’s Prize – Singles Stroke GOY - Overall: Oliver McGinnity (26) 63, Dessie Ward (19) 64. Division 1: Odhran MacShane (3) 68 (Last Nine), Sam Malone (8) 68 (Last Nine), Maurice Soraghan (9) 68 (Last Nine).

Division 2: Kevin Barry (15) 65, David Murden (15) 67, Leonard Matthews Jnr (18) 68 (LAST Nine). Division 3: Conor Murphy (22) 65, Anthony McGuinness (25) 67, Ciaran Corbett (23) 68. Gross: Caolan Rafferty 68. Veterans: Pat Donaghy (16) 66.

Wednesday, August 26 - Open Singles Stableford – Overall: Odhran MacShane (2) 42pts (Last Nine). Division 1: Sean Lawlor (7, Portarlington) 41pts. Division 2: John Englishby (21) 41pts. Division 3: Jason McCourt (29, Greenore) 42pts. Gross Recognition: Odhran MacShane (2) 40

Dundalk Golf Club Ladies

Results for 18-hole Stableford 3T’s (Turn the Tide) played on 9 August and 12 August 2026.

The 3T’s Competition was kindly sponsored by the Blackrock Abbey Nursing Home in Blackrock. Grainne Gallagher was the overall winner with a fabulous score of 41 points and will represent Dundalk Golf Club with Lady Captain Leone Baillie, Captain Michael O’Sullivan, and the gent’s overall winner at Mount Juliet Estate or the K Club Palmer North Course.

Division 1: Winner: Bernie McCabe (18) 38 pts; Runner up: Anne McDonnell (18) 37 pts

Division 2: Winner: Mags Coburn (19) 40 pts; Runner up: Jean Connolly (24) 39 pts

Division 3: Winner: Evelyn Fallon (31) 41 pts; Runner up: Nicola Fee (31) 36 pts

Division 4: Winner: Martina McArdle (38) 38pts

9 Hole Competition: Winner: Teresa Byrne (23) 19 pts; Runner up: Eimear McGuinness (20) 18 pts

18-Hole Stroke GOY 9 sponsored by Tres Belle played 22 August and 25 August 2026.

Overall winner was Shirley McDonnell with a fantastic score of 67 playing off a handicap of 39.

Division 1: (Handicap indexes up to 16.7): Winner: Deirdre Smith (01) Score 68; Runner up: Ann Hopper (18) Score 68

Division 2: (Handicap indexes 16.8 to 24.4): Winner: Brid Rocks (23) Score 72; Runner up: Ana Gaztambide (22) Score 75

Division 3: (Handicap indexes 24.5 to 33.1): Winner: Noeleen Gernon (31) Score 72; Runner up: Violet McGeady (29) Score 72

Division 4: (Handicap indexes 33.2 and above): Winner: Joanne Moran (40) Score 73

9 Hole Competition: Winner: Barbara McCourt (24) Score 24 Pts; Runner up: Teresa Byrne (22) Score 22 Pts