Mullarney and Fletcher among new faces on Irish Senior panel

Galway's Ronan Mullarney. Picture: Pat Cashman

Ronan Mullarney and  AIG Irish Close Champion Jamie Fletcher are two of five new faces on 2018 Senior panel named by the GUI on Thursday.

They are joined by West of Ireland champion Barry Anderson (The Royal Dublin), South of Ireland champion James Sugrue (Mallow) and former Boys international John Murphy (Kinsale).

A former Mullingar Scratch Trophy winner, Mullarney has featured prominently at Senior Cup and Intervarsity level over the past number of seasons, helping Galway win the Senior Cup last month before going on to win the Fife Student Open at Fairmont St Andrews last weekend.

Warrenpoint's Jamie Fletcher. Picture: Pat Cashman

He was a member of the Development Panel last year alongside Rafferty, who was promoted mid-season.

Murphy, who is on a golf scholarship at the University of Louisville, made headlines in May when he shot 66 in the second round of the Irish Amateur Open at Royal County Down and finished tied for 20th in French International Amateur Open at Chantilly.

Just eight of last year's 17-strong panel remain.

Colin Fairweather, Stuart Grehan, Conor O’Rourke and Kevin Le Blanc have joined the professional rank while John Ross Galbraith will likely announce he is turning professional after the Second Stage of the European Tour Qualifying School next month.

Sean Flanagan, Jordan Hood and Daniel Holland did not retain their places.

* In an earlier version of this post, we erroneously left out Naas' Jonathan Yates from the 2018 panel. Apologies for the error.

2018 GUI Senior Panel

• Barry Anderson (The Royal Dublin) NEW
• Colm Campbell (Warrenpoint)
• Robin Dawson (Tramore)
• Jamie Fletcher (Warrenpoint) NEW
• Alex Gleeson (Castle)
• Rowan Lester (Hermitage) 
• Paul McBride (The Island)
• Tiarnán McLarnon (Massereene)
• Ronan Mullarney (Galway) NEW
• John Murphy (Kinsale) NEW
• Peter O’Keeffe (Douglas)
• Mark Power (Kilkenny)
• Conor Purcell (Portmarnock)
• Caolan Rafferty (Dundalk)
• James Sugrue (Mallow) NEW
• Jonathan Yates (Naas)

2017 GUI Senior panel

• Colin Fairweather (Knock) turned professional
• John Ross Galbraith (Whitehead), still an amateur/may turn professional
• Stuart Grehan (Tullamore/MU), turned professional
• Conor O’Rourke (Naas) turned professional
• Kevin Le Blanc (The Island/MU) turned professional
• Sean Flanagan (Co Sligo/MU) not included
• Jordan Hood (Galgorm Castle/MU) not included
• Daniel Holland (Castle) not included