Pat Murray sizzles in South of Ireland

With the majority of young amateurs nowadays turning professional as soon as they make any kind of mark in the championship arena, the days of course specialists have more or less dwindled away to nothing. 

However, Limerick’s Pat Murray is a very definite exception, where the great old links at Lahinch is concerned and he made the point once again yesterday when celebrating his 44th birthday with two impressive wins in the opening match play rounds of the South of Ireland.

After making what he thinks were six appearances in the semi-final of the event, he finally captured the coveted title in 2012 and, after striding yesterday into the third round, he confidently stated “my game is really solid and I genuinely believe that I can do it again. If the wind remains as strong as it was this afternoon, it won’t take blistering golf to go all the way.”

Murray didn’t have things all his own way yesterday. He was brought all the way to the final green by Jonathan Breen (Kirkistown Castle) and struggled to shake off Michael Reid (Galgorm Castle) in a freshening wind that made for a two club difference.

“Whereas the Dell (the famous “blind” 5th) was a seven iron in the morning, it was a five in the afternoon,” he revealed. “I was still only one up playing the 16th but hit an eight iron to eight feet for a two at the 16th and knocked it to eight feet in two at the next with my opponent over the back of the green.”

Murray now meets Stuart Bleakley, the defending champion, who again demonstrated his liking for the Lahinch links with a clear cut defeat of Shaun Carter, the winner earlier this year of the South of Ireland Stroke Play Championship at Cork GC. Apparently unfazed at the prospect of taking on Murray, Bleakley shrugged and quipped: “just another name on the board.”

Leading qualifier Paul McBride, the 19-year-old leading qualifier from The Island, and a student at Wake Forest, the Alma Mater of Arnold Palmer, Eoghan O’Connell and Darren Clarke among many other notables, overcame a shaky first round start against Shane Whooley of Muskerry to come from two hole arrears after seven to get home on the 18th.

McBride was put under a lot less pressure in disposing of Warrenpoint youngster William Hanna at the 15th in the afternoon.

Eanna Griffin from Waterford, a semi-finalist 12 months ago and beaten finalist in this year’s West of Ireland, moved a step closer to a first Irish cap with two fine performances, the second against Munster Boys champion Paul McCarthy of Mallow. Griffin’s next opponent is joint leading qualifier Cian Geraghty who prevailed at the second tie hole against Stephen Barker

The biggest shock of the first round was the win of Youghal’s Munster Junior team player Conor Coyne over the tournament favourite Colm Campbell. He compensated for a somewhat wayward game with some superb chipping and putting that propelled him to a highly meritorious 3 and 2 win. Subsequently Coyne found the experience of Niall Gorey, formerly of Muskerry now playing out of Palmerstown Stud, a little too much and he gave best on the final green.

Gorey now meets Mark MacGrath, a Senior Cup player from Limerick and son of the Lahinch lady captain Stephanie.

A Munster junior interpro, he had a good 17th green win over one of his “senior” brethren Geoff Lenehan.

Cork veteran Gary O’Flaherty came through one of three tie hole matches against Shannon’s Dan Brennan and this morning takes on recent North of Ireland finalist Gary Collins from Rosslare. Stuart Grehan, the East of Ireland champion, eliminated Alan Lowry, a brother of professional Shane, and now faces up to Des Morgan, co-leader of qualifying on day one.