Top-class field assembled for Castletroy Senior Scratch Cup today

Castletroy Golf Club

A top-class field will take the course today for the 36-hole Castletroy Senior Scratch Cup.

First played in 1948, it is one of the most prestigious scratch cups in the country. It is sponsored this year by Trade Electric Group but began following a conversation between Major Ronnie Deakin and Major Kingston Murray.

The latter offered to present a trophy, won by his family at a point-to-point meeting, and this was readily and gratefully accepted by the club.

Major Deakin, in relating the story of the early days of the event, wrote of "the encouragement and support the club received from the start from such well-known golfers as Redmond Simcox, Dr Billy O’Sullivan, Commander Crosbie, John Burke, internationals including Joe Brown, Mick Power and strong contingents of equal calibre from the Limerick, Lahinch and other neighbouring clubs."

While the title holder Robert Moran is in action at the First Stage of the DP Tour Qualifying School in Portugal, the strength in depth of the 72-strong field is such that the handicap cut off this year was 0.0

AIG Irish Amateur Close champion Quentin Carew is off the first in the 9 am shotgun start with internationals Rob Brazill from Naas, this year’s Connacht Strokeplay champion and a former winner of the West, and Keith Egan, who last week helped Carton House win the AIG Senior Cup in Tramore.

Last year’s runner-up, Galway’s Joe Lyons, won the Leinster and Ulster Seniors this year to top the Seniors Order of Merit and goes off the second with two young stars in Athenry’s David Kitt and Douglas’ Jack Murphy.

Tralee’s young Mark Gazi, winner of the English Under 16 McGregor Trophy, goes off the seventh with Castleknock’s Paul Coughlan and the promising Sean Deasy from Douglas.

Ballinasloe’s Tom Cafferkey, the Irish Boys champion, is off the 17th with Jason Rackard and Castletroy’s Dean McMahon with the up-and-coming Simon Walker from Roscommon off the 18th with Slieve Russell’s Shane McDermott and Castletroy’s Andrew McCormack.

There is a host of interprovincial and boys internationals in the field for what promises to be another high-quality event.

Former winners include such illustrious names as JB Carr, Liam Higgins, Vincent Nevin, Des Smyth, David Sheahan, Denis O’Sullivan and Amateur Championship winners Jimmy Bruen, Max McCready and James Sugrue.

Castletroy Senior Scratch Cup, sponsored by Trade Electric Group

Saturday, September 10

1st Tee Quentin Carew (Castleknock), Rob Brazill (Naas), Keith Egan (Carton House) 

2nd Tee Joe Lyons (Galway), David Kitt (Athenry), Jack Murphy Douglas) 

3rd Tee Shane O’Connor (Castlebar), Luke Harris (Hermitage), Brian Doran (Baltinglass) 

4th Tee Conor Hickey (Dooks), Alex King (Faithegg), Ryan Griffin (Ballybofey & Stanorlar) 

5th Tee Darren Kelliher (Blamey), Chris Taylor (Mallow), Brian Lane (Muskerry) 

5(B) Greg Barrett (Mallow), Richie Walsh ( Kilkenny), Andrew Doyle (Woodbrook) 

6th Tee Andrew Hickey (Ballyhaunis), Michael Green (Greenore), Padraig Connolly (Portmarnock Links) 

7th Tee Dean O'Riordan (Fermoy), Eoin Magill (East Clare), Fergus Harrold (Castletroy) 

7(B) Paul Coughlan (Castleknock), Mark Gazi (Tralee), Sean Deasy (Douglas) 

8th Tee Paul Flynn (Tramore), John Doyle (Fota Island), Joseph Byrne (Baltinglass) 

8(B) Gary Morrisson (Cahir Park), Shane Concannon (Loughrea), Sean Calvert (Ballykisteen) 

9th Tee Jordan Boles (Charleville), Thomas Plunkett (Crover House), Cormac Ryan (Killeen Castle) 

10th Tee Jason McLynn (Galway Bay), Hugh Nolan (Doneraile), Aaron McNulty (Lahinch) 

11th Tee Mark Doogue (Baltinglass), Donnacha Cleary (Tipperary), Jason O'Leary (Dromoland)

11(B) Eanna Mernaqh (Kanturk) , Darragh Conlon (Athenry), Niall Corcoran (CharleviIle) 

12th Tee Ross McCormack (Palmerstown House), Eric Dunlea (Killarney), Killian Cotter (Doneraile) 

13th Tee Charlie Flavin (Cork), Seamus Cullen (Slieve Russell), James Murray (Lee Valley) 

14th Tee Scott O’Brien (Nenagh), Kevin Robinson (Castlewarden), Morgan Cain (Cork) 

14(B) Conor Dowling (Mallow), Donal Considine (Killarney), Eoin Power (Galway) 

15th Tee Harry Gillivan (Westport), Fionn Dobbin (Malone), David Reddan (Nenagh) 

16th Tee Brian Keenan (The Heath), Stephen Moloney (Castletroy), Justin Kehoe (Limerick) 

17th Tee Jason Rackard (Enniscorthy), Tom Cafferky (Ballinasloe), Dean McMahon (Castletroy) 

17(B) Dean Browne (Blamey), Annraoi Collins (Laytown & Bettystown), Sean Mernagh (Castletroy) 

18th Tee Simon Walker (Roscommon), Shane McDermott (Slieve Russell), Andrew McCormack (Castletroy)