Deerpark hosts U16 match-play

Jason O’Connor

LAST weekend saw Deerpark host the Munster Under 16 Matchplay Championships, which was played over a Round Robin format and included both a Championship and Shield competition.

Two players from the Killarney club made it to the championship semi-finals while another three contested the plate semi-finals. Alex O’Callaghan contested the first Championship Semi-Final against eventual winner Shea Fennell of Parteen where despite being level after nine holes in the encounter Alex eventually lost out by 12&11. In the other semi-final club-mate Robbie Harnett lost out to 2016 winner Glenn Towler of St Annes in Cork, but only after a great second round by Robbie saw him come back from a deficit of five down after 18 holes before only losing out by 2&1 in the finish. Fennell would go on to defeat Towler in the Final by 2&1.

In the Plate, meanwhile, Cillian Courtney won an all Deerpark Semi-Final with club-mate Cathal Kelly by 7&6 with Joey McCarthy from the Killarney club losing out Parteen’s Patrick Mitchell by 10&9. In the Plate Final Cillian held off a late fightback from Mitchell to win out by 2&1.

The Deerpark course held up well over the weekend in what were difficult conditions in advance with the heat and humidity of recent times. This weekend sees the National Gents Strokeplay Championships take place in Glenville, Dublin with plenty of Kerry interest in the three grades.

On Saturday and Sunday the Intermediates and Juniors are in action in a ‘Shotgun Start’ with Tralee trio Padraig Hobbart, Roger Guthrie and Eamon Sheehy along with Deerpark duo Gearoid Cronin and James Fleming and Listowel’s Killian O’Gorman taking part in the Intermediate grade.

There are four Kerry players in the Junior grade including Listowel trio Nicky Barry, John Carey and Cathal Dennehy and Tralee’s David Hobbert.

Sunday’s Senior event sees seven Kerry competitors comprising Deerpark trio Damien Fleming, John McGrath and Jason O’Brien along with Tralee duo Jason O’Regan and Alan Hobbert as Castleisland’s James Dignan and Aidan O’Connor complete the Kerry line-up this weekend.

The County Board would like to wish all 17 players the best of luck this weekend.