'Close' looks wide open at Connemara

Connemara Championship Links. Leinster golfers have captured every major Irish title so far this season but any one of two dozen players could walk away with the coveted AIG sponsored Irish Amateur Close title at Connemara.

With Gary Hurley and US Open qualifier Kevin Phelan at the Palmer Cup in the US and West of Ireland and North of Ireland champion Rory NcNamara joining Dermot McElroy, Harry Diamond, Richard O’Donovan, Reeve Whitson and Brian Casey at the St Andrews Links Trophy, the field is lacking some of Ireland’s top names.

Nevertheless, there is no shortage of talent with reigning champion Chris Selfridge keen to make amends for missing the cut in his defence of the East of Ireland crown at County Louth last weekend.

The title went to Greystones’ Paul Dunne, who will be hoping to improve his matchplay record by making the top 64 qualifiers on Sunday evening.

Mullingar Scratch Cup winner Daniel Holland will also be keen to make a run but more experienced campaigners such as Irish Amateur Open winner Robbie Cannon or South of Ireland holder Pat Murray will be wary of rivals such as West of Ireland finalist Niall Gorey, Tullamore’s Stuart Grehan, Portmarnock’s Stephen Walsh and Geoff Lenehan, Rathsallagh’s Jack Hume, Mullingar’s Des Morgan, Arglass’ Cormac Sharvin or County Sligo’s Gary McDermott.

As for the St Andrews Links Trophy, it was a disappointing opening day for the Irish players at the Jubilee Course with McElroy the best of the bunch after a one over 73 left him seven shots behind pacesetter Ryan Evans (Wellingborough).

Diamond (74), O’Donovan (75), Whitson (76),  Casey (77) and McNamara (79)  completed the scoring.

AIG sponsored Irish Amateur Close Championship, Connemara Championship Links

June 8-12 2013

Tee times, Saturday/Sunday

1st tee - 10th tee

1 07:30 12:15 Philip Linton (Lucan) Sean Alley (Co. Tipperary) Ryan Symington (Lisburn)

2 07:4 0 12:25 Thomas Fay (Rush) Stephen Brady (Co. Sligo) Keith Egan (Carton House)

3 07:50 12:35 Niall McGlynn (Carton House) Paraic Connolly (Clontarf) Kieran Lynch (Skibb’n/NUIM)

4 08:00 12:45 Mark Richards (Roganstown) Seamus Cullen (Slieve Russell) Caolan Rafferty (Greenore)

5 08:10 12:55 Daniel Hallissey (Muskerry) Eanna Griffin (Waterford) John Hickey (Cork)

6 08:20 13:05 Michael Horan (Birr) Liam Ashby (Killerig) Jamie Richardson (Ryal Portrush)

7 08:31 13:16 Liam Doran (Ardee) Theo Coffey (Slieve Russell) David Shaw (Belvoir Park)

8 08:42 13:27 Enda Cradock (Gort) Keith Crowley (Fota Island) Michael Brett (Portmarnock)

9 08:53 13:38 Eoin McGuinness (East Clare) Adam Doran (Ardee) Sean Cannon (Loughrea)

10 09:04 13:49 Ross O’Sullivan (Cork) Sean Flanagan (Co. Sligo) Niall Foley (The Island)

11 09:15 14:00 Richard Walsh (Kilkenny) James Monaghan (Royal Dublin) Cian Geraghty (L’ twn & B’ twn )

12 12:15 07:30 Gary Brett (Ballinrobe) Jack Pierse (Grange) Jeff Hopkins (The Royal Dublin)

13 12:25 07 :40 Alan Lowry (Esker Hills/NUIM) John Conroy (Bray) Joe Lyons (Galway)

14 12:35 07:50 Darragh Coghlan (P’marnock) William Bamber (Royal Portrush) Stephen McCarthy (Killeen C /NUIM)

15 12:45 08:00 Craig Melvin (Co rrstown) Jonny Gourley (Holywood) Eoghan Murphy (Cork)

16 12:55 08:10 Ian O’Flynn (Cork) Conor McGrogan (Newbridge) Stephen Watts (Cairndhu)

17 13:05 08:20 Eamonn Haugh (Castletroy) Stuart Bleakley (Shandon Park) Stephen Coulter (Warrenpoint)

18 13:16 08:31 Shane Hogan (Nenagh) David Carey (Carton House) Evan Farrell (Ardee)

19 13:27 08:42 Ciaran McKenna (Mallow) Conor Coyne (Youghal) Paul Flynn (Tramore)

20 13:38 08:53 Matthew Wylie (Quinta da Ria) David Foy (Laytown & Bettystown) Allan Kiernan (Forrest Little)

21 13:49 09:04 Stephen Walsh (Portmarnock) Richard Knightly ( Royal Dublin) Dave O’Donovan (Muskerry)

22 14:00 09:15 Gareth Lappin (Belvoir Park) Stephen Loftus (Lahinch) Joseph Timlin (Dungannon)

10th tee - 1st tee

23 07:30 12:15 Daniel Holland (Castle) Nicky Grant (Knock) Simon Ward (Co. Louth)

24 07:40 12:25 Conor O’Rourke (Naas/NUIM) Stuart Grehan (Tullamore) Matt McKnight ( Lisburn)

25 07:50 12:35 Shane McGlynn (Carton House) Geoff Lenehan (Portmarnock) Pat Murray (Limerick)

26 08:00 12:45 Shaun Carter (Stackstown/NUIM) Matthew McAlpin (Royal Portrush) Jack Hume (Rathsallagh)

27 08:10 12:55 Harry Coyne (Carton House) Gary Collins (Rosslare) Michael Sinclair ( Knock)

28 08:20 13:05 Robin Dawson (Faithlegg) Robbie Cannon (Balbriggan) Brian Casey (Headfort)

29 08:31 13:16 Davey Barry (Mahon) William Hanna (Kilkeel) Cormac Sharvin (Ardglass)

30 08:42 13:27 Matthew McClean (Balmoral) Barry Anderson (Royal Dublin) Eoin Arthurs (Forrest Little)

31 08:53 13:38 Steffan O’Hara (Co. Sligo) Gary O’Flaherty (Cork) Desmond Morgan (Mullingar)

32 09:04 13:49 Colm O’Sullivan (Fota Island) Sean Ryan (The Royal Dublin) Paul Dunne (Greystones)

33 09:15 14:00 Mark Collins (Killeen Castle) James Fox (Portmarnock) Chris Selfridge (Moyola Park)

34 12:15 07:30 Paul Coughlan (Moate) Tiarnan McLarnon (M’ reene/UUJ) Alan Thomas (Dungarvan)

35 12:25 07:40 Jack Leacy (Dungarvan) Eugene Smith (Ardee) Mark Shanahan (Castlemartyr)

36 12:35 07:50 James Sugrue (Mallow) Jonathan Yates (Naas) Niall Gorey (Muskerry)

37 12:45 08:00 Tony Cleary (Dromoland) Ryan Gribben (W’ point/UUJ) Gary McDermott (Co. Sligo)

38 12:55 08:10 John - Ross Galbraith (Whitehead) Paul McBride (The Island) Simon Bryan (Delgany)

39 13:05 0 8:20 Declan Loftus (Castlebar/NUIM) Ryan McKinstry (Cairndhu) Colm Campbell (Warrenpoint)

40 13:16 08:31 Sean Moran (Carton House) Shaun O’Connor (L’ town Castle) Colin Fairweather (Knock)

41 13:27 08:42 Mark Morrissey (M’ t Wolseley) Paul Cullen (Royal Tara) Stephen Healy (Claremorris)

42 13:38 08:53 Ally Purdy (Ballyclare) Alex Gleeson (Castle) Andrew Hogan (Newlands)

43 13:49 09:04 Jake Whelan (Newlands) John Greene (Portmarnock) Eddie McCormack (Galway)

44 14:00 09:15 Paul Reavey (Warrenpoint) Ian Brennan (Greenore) Richard Bridges (Stackstown)