Kehoe the hero as Limerick win AIG Munster Senior Cup
FORMER South of Ireland champion Justin Kehoe was the hero as Limerick captured the Munster pennant in the AIG Senior Cup at Tralee.
Limerick overcame Mallow in the semi-finals when Kehoe beat Adam Boland on the 19th to give them a 3-2 win as Ballybunion beat Dungarvan 4-1 thanks to wins for Ed Stack, David O’Driscoll and Peter Sheehan.
In the final, Owen O’Brien and Ciaran Vaughan gave Limerick a 2-0 lead but O’Driscoll and Senan Carroll replied for Ballybunion.
The match hinged on the showdown between Sheehan and 2001 South of Ireland champion and former Challenge Tour professional Kehoe, who won the battle of endurance 2 and 1.
In the AIG Barton Shield Munster Castletroy defeating holders Cork by four holes in the semi-finals with Darren O’Sullivan and Eoghan O’Donnell beating John Hickey and Ian O’Flynn by five holes and Graham Spring and Fergal O’Sullivan only losing by one hole to Gary O’Flaherty and Mark Ford.
Castletroy beat Waterford Castle by one hole in their semi-final but they had no answer to Tralee in the final, losing by eight holes.
Darren O’Sullivan and O’Donnell were two up at the turn against Andrew McCormack and Darragh Walsh and won by two holes.
Fergal O’Sullivan was partnered by Ger Deegan, who came in for Graham Spring in the final and they birdied the first and second to get off to the perfect start.
The pair were three under at the turn and six up on their opponents, going on to maintain that advantage at the finish to give Tralee a comfortable eight-hole win.
AIG Senior Cup Munster Final
Limerick bt Ballybunion 3-2 — O O’Brien bt E Stack 2 up, S Poucher lost to D O’Driscoll 3&2, C Vaughan bt H Boch 3&2, M Reddan lost to S Carroll 3&2, J Kehoe bt P Sheehan 2&1.
AIG Barton Shield Final
Tralee bt Castletroy 8 holes — D O’Sullivan & E O’Donnell bt A McCormack & D Walsh 2 holes; G Deegan & F O’Sullivan bt J Ryan & D McMahon 6 holes.