Pitch and putt players go out at penultimate stage in Munster Matchplay

LAST weekend’s Munster Matchplay Finals in Fermoy and Mallow saw three Kerry players reach the semi-finals of their various grades before losing out to the eventual winner in two cases. Deerpark’s John McGrath reached the semi-finals of the Senior Gents grade after wins over Daithí Sexton from Fermoy (6&5) and Rocklodge’s John Tracey (3&1) to set up a Quarter-Final meeting on Sunday morning with Bruff’s Patsy Farrell.

John won that match 3&2 to set up a semi-final Meeting with Fermoy’s Declan Freeman which was a repeat of the National Matchplay quarter-final John won against the same player in Tullamore back in June. A chip-in by Freeman at the last saw John miss out on victory by 1up as he had to make do with another semi-final showing in a major event.

In the Junior Gents grade meanwhile both Tralee’s David Hobbert and Darragh O’Callaghan reached the two separate semi-finals. David defeated Deerpark’s Noel Moynihan and Bruff’s PJ Ryan in his opening matches by 5&4 in both matches with a 4&3 victory to follow over Listowel’s John Heffernan in an all Kerry quarter-final before he lost out at the last hole to eventual winner Sean O’Neill of Larkspur Park in the semi-finals.

Darragh O’Callaghan, meanwhile, started with a strong 9&8 victory over Charleville’s Charlie McCarthy in his first match before he defeated Listowel’s Ger Guerin 3&2 in the Last 16.

On Sunday in Fermoy he beat another Charleville player Michael France in the quarter-finals 2 up before losing out to runner-up Declan Fahey of Hillview in the semi-finals by 4&3.

In the Intermediate Gents grade, Kerry’s interest here was ended at the Last 16 stage with defeats for Deerpark’s Gearóid Cronin to Bishopstown Aidan Forsythe’s by 6&5 and Tralee’s Aidan O’Sullivan to Fermoy’s Dylan Seymour 8&7. Aidan had defeated club-mate John Fitzgerald in the first round at the first playoff hole.

Tralee’s Lisa O’Connor was defeated in the First Round of the Junior Ladies event by eventual runner-up Michelle Flynn from Fermoy by 2&1. There is one major national event left for the year now, namely the National Inter-Club event which Deerpark qualified for the quarter-finals of the Gents Handicap event last weekend.

They have been drawn to face Bagenalstown of Carlow in the quarter-finals on Saturday October 13 in Hillview, Clonmel.