Dundalk Golf Club notes

Dundalk Golf Club Men's

Ben Cahill produced a fantastic seven-under-par round of 65 gross to win the Knights of Malta Cup, which was the tenth and final Golfer of the Year competition.

Playing off plus one meant his nett score was 66, but it was still enough to secure overall victory over Dara Herr (11) by one shot.

Cahill, who is a student at Maynooth University and a member of the Club’s senior panel, was one over after the first six holes having bogeyed the par four fourth, but back-to-back birdies at the seventh and eighth holes saw him turn on one-under.

An eagle three at the par five 12th took him to three under before he finished strongly with four birdies over the final five holes to come home in 30 gross, six under par.

He had back-to-back birdies at the 14th and 15th and a par at the 16th was following by two more back-to-back birdies at the 17th and 18th.

Dara Herr shot 67 nett to take Division 1 by two shots from Bobby McCarthy (9) while Vincent Jackson (15) needed a back six countback to pip recent Carolan Cup winner Peter Moran (15) for the Division 2 honours after both tied on 69 nett.

Noel McGuinness (20) had a 68nett to take Division 3 by two shots from Jimmy O’Connor, while Caolan Rafferty took the Gross Prize with a three-under-par 69. Ciaran Cooney (6) had a round to remember as he aced the par three ninth for a memorable hole-in-one.

Dennis Cunningham is the 2026 IJM Golfer of the Year with a score of 492 over his seven counting events from the 10 Golfer of the Year competitions throughout the season.

His average nett score was an excellent 70.29, and he also won the Junior category by seven shots from Clem Walshe, whose score of 499 saw him also finish joint runner-up to Cunningham in the Golfer of the Year standings, along with Intermediate category winner Gareth Halpin.

It was a lot tighter in the other three categories, with just one point and countback separating the winners from the runners-up.

The evergreen Peter Rogers, who has been one of the top players in the Club for many decades won the Senior category with a score of 509, one better than Eoghan McKenna while Halpin took the Intermediate honours by a single shot from Malcolm Drake.

Oisin Cairns won Minor category on countback from Noel McGuinness after both had tied on 517.

The four category winners will be the top seeds for the IJM scratch matchplay semi-finals which will take place on Saturday, September 26 with the finals on Sunday, September 27.

The top four players in each category qualify for the matchplay stages and will be contacted to confirm availability in due course.

If any of the qualifiers are unavailable for both the Saturday semi-final or Sunday final their place will be automatically offered to the next placed player.

Caolan Rafferty’s defence of the One Finance Dundalk Senior Scratch Cup will take place on Sunday, September 20 over 36 holes with shotgun starts at 9am and 2pm.

A strong countrywide entry has been assembled and everybody is welcome to come along to view some great golf and support our equally strong local entry.The Club Championship has been re-fixed for Saturday October 24 and will be played over 27 holes.

Best wishes to the Barton Cup team who take a slender 3-2 lead to Portarlington on Saturday for the second leg of the Barton Cup Final.

Derek Murdock and Mickey Coburn’s team are bidding to win the trophy for the first time since 1999 and the third time in the club’s history.

Visitor Jason McCourt (28) from Blessington Lakes was the winner of the Wednesday Open sponsored by ePower with a score of 42pts.

Stephen English (6), Michael Brown (20) and Cian Sheridan (30) won the various division with Jospeh Lavety shooting 38pts for the best gross score.

Saturday, September 5 and Sunday, September 6 - Knights of Malta GOY Singles Stroke - Overall: Ben Cahill (+1) 66. Division 1: Dara Herr (11) 67, Bobby McCarthy (9) 69 (Last Nine). Division 2: Vincent Jackson (15) 69 (Last Six), Peter Moran (15) 69. Division 3: Noel McGuinness (20) 68, Jimmy O'Connor (20) 70. Gross: Caolan Rafferty 69.

Wednesday, September 9 – Open Singles Stableford sponsored by ePower – Overall: Jason McCourt (28, Blessington Lakes) 42pts. Division 1: Stephen English (6) 38pts. Division 2: Michael Browne (20) 38pts. Division 3: Cian Sheridan (30) 40pts. Gross Recognition: Joseph Laverty 38pts.

IJM Golfer of the Year - Overall: 492 - Dennis Cunningham; 499 - Clem Walshe, Gareth Halpin; 501 – Patrick Donaghy, 503 – Ciaran Daly, 507 – Alan Joynt, Turlough King; 508 – Edward Lawrence, 509 – Peter Rogers, John Paul Casey, Anthony Tuite; 510 – Eoghan McKenna; 511 – Conor Curran, Emmet McCabe Savage, David Smyth; 512 – Austin Shaw, Neil Mulooly.

Senior (to 4.4): Peter Rogers 509, Eoghan McKenna 510, Conor Curran 511, Robert White 518, Brian Óg Renaghan 519; Neal MacKell 519.

Junior (4.5 to 9.4): Dennis Cunningham 492, Clem Walshe 499, John Paul Casey 509, Emmet McCabe Savage 511, Austin Shaw 512, Neil Mulooly 512.

Intermediate (9.5 to 18.4): Gareth Halpin 499, Malcolm Drake 500, Patrick Donaghy 501, Ciaran Daly 503, Alan Joynt 507.

Minor (18.5+): Oisin Cairns 517, Noel McGuinness 517, Brian Whately 520, Johannes Steenvoorden 523, Conor McDonnell 525, Micheál Byrne 525.

Dundalk Golf Club Ladies

Results for the Club 18-Hole Stroke GOY 10 played on 5 September and 8 September 2026.

Overall winner was Geraldine Mohan with a great score of 72, playing off a handicap of 29.

Division 1: (Handicap indexes up to 16.7) Winner: Michelle Scanlon (151) Score 73; Runner-up: Teresa Giff (15) Score 75

Division 2: (Handicap indexes 16.8 to 24.4) Winner: Bernie Prendergast (22) Score 75; Runner-up: Catherine Cafferty (23) Score 77

Division 3: (Handicap indexes 24.5 to 33.1) Winner: Joan Smith (32) Score 75; Runner-up: Joyce Burbage (27) Score 77

Division 4: (Handicap index 33.2 and above) Winner: Mary Hession (37) Score 74

9 Hole Competition

Winner: Eimear McGuinness (21) Score 19 Pts Runner up: Marie Griffin (20) Score 17 Pts

Dundalk Golf Club 18 Hole Reverse Rumble played Saturday 12 and Tuesday 15 September 2026 very kindly sponsored by Gardiner Family Apothecary.

Winners: Bernadette Kearney, Nora Donaghy, and Dara Murphy with 72pts Runners Up: Ursula Lawless, Oonagh Quinn, and Paula Bishoff with 71 pts Third: Gillian McDonnell, Michelle Scanlon, and Nicola Fee Countback 71 on the countback.

Winners: Noreen Mullins, Ann O'Callaghan, and Ursula Fee. Runners Up: Linda Fergus McDonnell, Eimear McGuinness, and Ciara McGinnity.