Thurles prepares to host Munster’s finest

There will be plenty of pedigree on display at Thurles Golf Club this weekend as the province’s best club golfers battle for pennants at the AIG Munster Cups & Shields finals.

With the promise of a return to Thurles for this October’s national finals, there is plenty of incentive for the Munster hopefuls to secure what is in effect a home berth two months from now by emerging victorious as provincial champions.

Saturday’s action gets underway with the AIG Munster Junior Cup semi- finals, with Shannon playing defending national champions Ballybunion and Clonmel facing Kinsale before the blue riband Senior Cup pits Dungarvan against Monkstown and Tralee against Castletroy, the finals of both being played in the afternoon.

The weekend will conclude with the AIG Barton Shield semi-finals and final on Sunday with Castletroy seeking a scratch handicap double as they face Doneraile in the last four, the other semi-final pitting Kinsale against Dungarvan.

Monkstown, co-managed by Pat O’Keeffe and Martin Walsh, the 2017 club captain, have been guided by club professional Cian McNamara and are bidding for a second Munster pennant in three years.

Narrowly beaten in the 2015 final in Dungarvan by Limerick GC, they bounced back to win Munster in 2016 at Cork, beating Castletroy.

Getting out of Cork is an absolute minefield because when you tee it up, there’s at least 10 clubs as good as yourselves,” O’Keeffe said.

“Anyone could win it so that’s a challenge in itself.”

Monkstown were up to that challenge back in June, booking a third final berth at Cork GC after accounting for Castlemartyr, Douglas, defending provincial champions Mallow, and then Bandon.

There is a familiar look to their squad, backboned by 2016 winners Eoghan Long, who won the Douglas Senior Scratch Cup this year, Sean Desmond, Donal McDonnell, Nick Moore, and Martin Poucher with Maurice Maye also featuring.

“It’s been a very successful campaign with a squad of nine at the moment, and the five that played two years ago are still in that squad. They’ve been very successful for us over the last few years.”

O’Keeffe believes finals experience will stand to Monkstown’s bid to reach the AIG National Cups and Shields finals in Thurles this October.

We have the experience of being there before, which is a help. We were raw when we went up to Carton House the last time (for the 2016 finals), we were new on the block so it does help for the Munster finals this time around that we’ve been there and what it’s all about.

“We also get fantastic support from the Monkstown members and it helps that all those people are there and encouraging the players. This brings a buzz to the whole club and our ladies are in two of the Munster finals on September 2 and the boys are in the Munster semi-finals of the Fred Daly Plate, so it’s very exciting and good times.

“We were in Macroom to watch the ladies’ semi-finals two weeks ago and they support us big time as well. So there will be plenty of yellow jumpers out in Thurles.”

Monkstown face a Dungarvan club enjoying a good season, their Fred Daly team winning the area final with a win over Waterford Castle before the Senior Cup men followed suit, getting out of the East Munster sectio, winning on their home course, overcoming Thurles in the area final with a squad including Alan Harty, Gavin Smyth, Danny Raher, Kevin Stack, John Reynolds, and Alan Thomas.

That kept alive hopes of a Senior Cup/Barton Shield double under the management of Mick Leacy and David Raher.

SCHEDULE - Sat, Aug 18: AIG Junior Cup semi-finals 8am: (1st tee) Shannon v Ballybunion; (10th Tee) Clonmel v Kinsale; AIG Senior Cup semi-finals 8.50am (1st tee) Dungarvan v Monkstown; (10th Tee) Tralee v Castletroy. Finals (Junior Cup first) 40 mins after last semi-final match.

Sun, Aug 19: AIG Barton Shield semi-finals, 8am: (1st tee) Doneraile v Castletroy; (10th tee) Kinsale v Dungarvan. Final 40 mins after last semi-final match