Ballybunion lead Killarney in JB Carr Diamond Trophy

BALLYBUNION’S JB Carr team hold a commanding lead over Killarney after the first leg of the Kerry final played at Killarney’s Killeen course last Friday.

The North Kerry men won four of the five matches in Killarney and require just two of the five in the reverse fixture at Ballybunion’s old course this Friday June 2 to advance.

The Kerry winners will then take on the winners of the Limerick section where Limerick Golf Club play Adare Manor in the final.

The JB Carr Diamond Trophy was inaugurated by Woodenbridge Golf Club in 1996 and since then has become the Senior Club Championship of Ireland (over 60s) with some 200 or so clubs from every corner of Ireland participating annually. The format for the tournament is Scotch Foursomes Matchplay with each participating club selecting 10 players over the age of 60.

Teams initially compete at county level and then for their provincial title with the four winning provincial teams travelling to Woodenbridge for the semi-finals and final held each year over the second weekend of September.

One of the great features of this competition is that it brings together clubs that might not ordinarily meet and the weekend programme begins on the Friday evening with a reception in the clubhouse for the four remaining clubs at which the draw for the semi-finals on Saturday is made and the final then takes place on the Sunday.

Tralee are the only Kerry team to win this event back in 2008 having lost two previous finals.