30th August 2010:
Kelan McDonagh holds nerve for hard-fought success in Scratch Trophy

Kelan McDonagh has won the 2010 Mullingar Grant Thornton Scratch Trophy after a close battle with Irish Close title holder Dara Lernihan of Castle.

Kelan and Dara battled each other all the way in the last of four rounds before Kelan made par on the last for 71 and a three-under-par total of 285 to win by two.

Last year' winner Conor Doran (Banbridge) was third with 292. Conor Glynn of Carton House came fourth on 294, with the next best Dessie Morgan of Mullingar and Rory McNamara (Headfort), each finishing with 295.

Mullingar's course clearly held its own against some of the best in the country, with strong, swirling winds, undulating greens and some tricky pin positions providing the defence for the parkland layout.

Kelan, a beaten finalist at the South of Ireland championship last month, came to Mullingar "wanting to find a win from somewhere before the end of the summer".

"I didn't really have much expectations coming in here," he said. "I just ran with the flow, and kept plugging away. I knew there were birdies out there if you played consistent golf. Luckily it ran my way, so I'm very happy."

Lernihan had a point to prove after being overlooked by the Irish selectors for the Eisenhower Trophy team in favour of US-based Richard Phelan. The Castle man led the field through 54 holes, and at four-under-par 212 had a two-shot cushion over Kelan going into the final round.

Milltown veteran Jody Fanagan reeled back the years with a super 69 yesterday morning. It proved to be the best score of the day, but fatigue caught up with Fanagan in the afternoon.

That left Kelan and Dara Lernihan out on their own. A bogey five by Lernihan on 10 brought them level, and the turning point arrived on the 165-yard par-three 12th. Lernihan bogeyed after hitting his tee shot into a bunker, and Kelan holed a 40-foot putt for a birdie two.

Kelan retained his poise for the last six holes, while Lernihan's play became ragged as he tried to force birdies to close the gap.

29th July 2010:
Kelan McDonagh defeated in South of Ireland Final 2/1 to John Greene (Carlow)

Kelan McDonagh came agonisingly close to the first Major Championship title of his young career narrowly losing to Carlow's John Greene in a fine South of Ireland Final.

Kelan won an epic morning semi-final on the 20th against Castletroy's Cian Daly while Greene had a sprint around the course beating Limerick's Pat Murray 5/4 in under two and a half hours, Murray has now lost no fewer than 7 South of Ireland Semi-finals in his career.

There were many turning points in the afternoon Final alas for Kelan they came courtesy of Greene's hot Putter, holing out from 15-20 feet no fwer than 6 times with four of them demoralising putts to save a hole from Kelans perspective.

The final nail for Kelan probably came at 15 where Greene drove into heavy rough left, chopped out to 75 yards with Kelan just off the front edge in two, mind you some 100 feet from the Pin. You guessed it, Greene pitched to 15 feet and holed for Par, while Kelan left his first Putt some 8 feet short and missed. Greene now 3 Up with 3 to go.

To Kelans credit, he made a solid Par on 16 for a win when Greene played probably his only loose strokes of the day, perhaps rehearsing his speech. On 17 both Players hit super Tee Shots, Kelan had the same yardage as the morning, 168 to the Pin but with the adrenaline coursing through his arms even though he took a Club less he flushed it straight through the Green into the long grass and then watched ruefully as Greene hit a poor approach to the front apron. Kelan did well to hack out to 20 feet but the only way he was going to hole the Putt was if he borrowed Greene's hot putter as he had dropped nothing during the round, so there it was a half in bogey fives and a South of Ireland crown for a delighted John Greene.

30th June 2010:
Colm secures place in British Open

Colm Moriarty has qualified to play in the British Open at St. Andrews.

He secured one of the precious places at stake in local final qualifying yesterday -- and did so in style.
With 72 players battling it out for just three spots at the Kingsbarns course in Scotland, Colm came top of the pile with splendid rounds of 67 and 70 for a 36-hole total of 137 -- seven under par -- finishing three strokes clear of the chasing pack which included Amateur Championship runner-up James Byrne.

Colm (above) has played in European Tour events but concentrates mostly on the Challenge Tour.
"This was my big goal. It is a tall order to make it through pre-qualifying and I am really thrilled," said Colm

Good luck in St. Andrews from all in the club Colm.

17th June 2010:
Major week coming up for club members

Over the next two weekends the male members have their own Major feast with the The Hodson Bay Cup and the Men's Captains prize taking place.
The lady members will also have an opportunity to get involved with the Captains prize to the ladies on Tuesday the 22nd and the Captains mixed foursomes on Friday 25th.

Please note the following presentation times:

Captains Prize to the Ladies - Tuesday 22nd 10PM
Captains Prize Mixed Foursomes - Friday evening after the golf
Men's Captains Prize - Sunday 27th - 10PM

14th June 2010:
Gleeson Wins Senior Scratch Cup

In testing conditions Alex Gleeson from the Castle Golf Club won this years Senior Scratch Cup with scores of 73 and 75. He was closely followed by Jack Pierce from The Grange Club. Jack added the round of the day 72 to an earlier round of 77 to miss out by one stroke. Brendan Walton from the Island managed to head a group on a total of 153 to finish in third spot.

Previous winners Padraig O'Boyle and Joe Lyons finished in the top 15 with a total of 158 along side local Mark Rowe who also finished on the same score

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