Quality field for Laytown and Bettystown Scratch Cup
The sixth at Laytown and Bettystown
The West of Ireland Championship is only three weeks away and some of the title contenders will be hoping to blow away the winter cobwebs in Sunday's Laytown and Bettystown Scratch Cup.
Sponsored by club professional Scott Kirkpatrick, a stellar field has been assembled for the 36-hole test and most are hoping to get in some competitive practice before taking on the wild West at Rosses Point at Easter.
With a €600 voucher up for grabs for the winner, the event has attracted a quality line up with championship winners such as Conor O'Rourke (St Andrews Link Trophy), Robbie Cannon (Irish Amateur Open and South of Ireland), Tiarnan McLarnon (Close), Colm Campbell (East and Irish Amateur Open), John McGinn (Irish Close) and John Ross Galbraith (Irish Close, North of Ireland) all teeing it up.
Add to those names a string of quality players and a quality winner is guaranteed, which is par for the course for the Laytown and Bettystown Senior Scratch Cup.
First played in 1971, when County Louth's Mark Gannon crossed the Boyne to take the title, past winners include Laytown and Bettystown's Des Smyth (1972), Paddy Caul (1974), Barry Reddan (1978, '84 and '99), Kevin Garvey (1979), Declan Branigan (1980, '82), Rory McIlroy's caddie JP Fitzgerald (1998), Adrian Morrow (2002) and Jim Carvill (2008).
Laytown and Bettystown Senior Scratch Cup, Sunday
1 Conor O’Rourke (Naas), Robbie Cannon (L & B), Tiarnan McLarnon (Massereene)
1 Gerard Dunne (Co Louth), Ronan Mullarney (Galway/NUIM), Jack McDonnell (L & B)
2 Cian Geraghty (L & B), Colm Campbell (Warrenpoint), Caolan Rafferty (Dundalk)
3 Thomas Mulligan (L & B), Eanna Griffin (Waterford/ NUIM), Marc Nolan (Delgany)
4 Eugene Smith (L & B/NUIM), Gary McDermott (Carton House), Stephen Coulter (Warrenpoint)
4 Karl McCormack (Portarlington), Dave Lowry (Corrstown), D Murray (Co Louth)
5 Dan Murphy (Portarlington), Aaron Grant (Dundalk), Cathal Butler (Kinsale)
6 David Foy (L & B), Hugh O’Hare (-), Stephen Kinch (Hollystown)
7 Paul Coughlan (Moate), Gareth Bohill (Co Louth), Barry Anderson (Royal Dublin)
8 Richard Knightly (Royal Dublin), John Murphy (Kinsale), John D McGinn (L & B)
9 Thomas O’Connor (Athlone), Jake Whelan (Newlands), Neil McKinstry (Cairndhu)
10 Eoghan Collins (L & B), Aaron Stack (L & B), Sam Devey (L & B)
11 Michael Dallat (Galgorm Castle), Danny Coyle (Portmarnock), Ryan McCullough (Massereene)
12 Andrew Hickey (Ballyhaunis), Allan Hill (Athenry), David Kitt (Athenry)
13 Neil Jackson (Massereene), Neil Conway (Grange), Colin Woodroofe (Dun Laoghaire)
13 Mark Morrissey (Co Sligo), John Ross Galbraith (Whitehead), S Barker (Mourne)
14 Noel Crawford (Mourne Golf), Eddie McCormack (Galway Bay), Frank Flynn (L & B)
15 Scott Jones (Belvoir Park), Jonathan Keane (Lahinch), Eoin Murphy (Dundalk)
16 Liam Power (Galway), Declan O’Neill (Carton House), Peter Kirby (Dun Laoghaire)
17 Sean Broe (Forrest Little), Dan Hughes (L & B), Annraoi Collins (L & B)
18 Evan Farrell (Ardee), Ryan McKinstry (Cairndhu), William Hanna (Kilkeel)
Reserve List
4 Paraic Connolly (Killeen Castle)
5 John McCarthy (Stackstown)
6 Christy O’Connor (Corrstown)
7 Sean Ross (Kilkeel)
8 Eoin O’Donovan (Dun Laoghaire)
9 Philip Kelly (Co Armagh)
10 Alan Kinnan
11 Mark McKenna (Dun Laoghaire)
12 Marcus Looby (Greystones)
