Competition for GAA club golf challenge hots up

COMPETITION for this year’s FBD All-Ireland GAA Club Golf Challenge, supported by the Irish Examiner, is sure to be red hot if the calibre of entries already received is anything to go by.

The challenge, now in its fourth year, is attracting some of GAA’s top names for the provincial finals, scheduled for July and August, as clubs from the 32 counties vie for All-Ireland honours in a different code.

Among the entries are the famous Young Ireland’s club of Kilkenny, who are likely to have Allstar hurler DJ Carey in their quartet while Dublin’s Na Fianna are sending a formidable team led by former All-Ireland football winner Mick Galvin.

“We’re in our fourth year now and it’s getting bigger and bigger,” challenge organiser and instigator Liam Daniels said. “Mick Galvin is bringing a Dublin dream team from Na Fianna with Keith Barr, Jason Sherlock and Dessie Farrell in the line-up.

“DJ Carey looks like he’ll be playing, while Eddie Keher will be there with the Rower-Inistioge. In Munster, it looks like Paul Flynn will be representing Mount Sion while his Waterford team-mate Dave Bennett will be in the Lismore team. And in the north, Joe Kernan will be part of the Crossmaglen team defending its Ulster title.”

But it’s not just about the big names. Daniels, who thought up the All-Ireland GAA Clubs Golf Challenge as a means of continuing to represent his club once his playing career ended, added: “The word is spreading as far as the challenge is concerned and we’ve a lot of new entries. Competition is fierce and the standard of golf is unbelievably high. A lot of clubs love it because they are small, rural clubs who might play at a junior grade, but here they can compete with the big boys.”

The first provincial final will be in Leinster on July 11 at Tulfarris, Co Wicklow, followed by the Munster qualifier at Dundrum, Co Tipperary, on July 25. August 1 sees Claremorris GC in Mayo host the Connacht final while a week later, on August 8, the Ulster decider will be at Slieve Russell, Co Cavan.

From those events will emerge the four provincial champions who will compete for the FBD All-Ireland title at the Dunhill Club in Co Waterford on September 20-21.

To enter, a four-person team costs 250 (green fees and meals included), with a maximum handicap of 20 for men and 28 for women permitted.

For further information log on to www.gaagolf.com or contact Liam Daniels (087 274 6271) or Barney Rock (086 234 3403).