Selectors jumping the gun on Home Internationals - Murray

Cairndhu’s Ryan McKinstry plays from the rough on the 12th during the second round of the South of Ireland Amateur Open Championship at Lahinch Golf Club 28th July 2013. Picture: Thos Caffrey / www.golffile.ieThe last minute withdrawal of Headfort’s Brian Casey from the South of Ireland Championship to better prepare to next month’s European Individual Championship and the Home Internationals has highlighted a flaw in the international selection process that needs urgent remedy.

At least, that’s a view that’s not out of sync with that of reigning ‘South’ champion Pat Murray, who firmly believes that the Golfing Union to should delay naming future Home International sides until the latter stages at Lahinch having being denied the chance to play his way into the Irish team this week.

With Casey pulling out late (he learned of his Ireland call up on Friday), he handed Mullingar’s Chris Tormey a walkover into today’s third round as Murray cruised into the last 64 with a 4 and 3 demolition of Jack Walsh, a Senior Cup winner with Castle last year.

The Irish team for next month’s Home Internationals at Ganton was picked during the Interpros and officially announced last Friday, and 42-year old Murray believes the timing is unfair, not only to the South field which has again been devastated by the non-appearance of all 11 members of the chosen side with Casey’s withdrawal, but also to players who are showing form.

“I played really well down there and to be frank, I can’t see what difference delaying the selection for another three or four days is going to make,” said Murray, who won five points out of six at last week’s Interprovincial Matches at Lee Valley in Cork.

Dean McMahon (Castletroy) tees off on the 13th in the second round. Picture: Thos Caffrey / www.golffile.ie“If you are trying to pick a team for the Home Internationals and you have the Interpros and South of Ireland, it’s your chance to pick a team that is on form.  

“I would have thought I was still in with a chance of making the Home Internationals, especially having won five out of six points in the Interpros and only losing a foursomes match on the 18th.

“It is not good for the South or the Home Internationals either that you have to pick a team so far in advance. It was picked last Thursday and I think they could delay it until this Tuesday, when you know the last four at Lahinch.”

Thunder and lightning was again a protagonist on day two with play suspended for 45 minutes in mid-afternoon. However, there was no repeat of Saturday’s shock disqualification of County Louth veteran Barry Reddan and Birr’s Michael Horan for playing out their match during an official stoppage for electrical activity, in breach of Rule 6-8b/7 on Discontinuance and Resumption of Play.

Reddan should have played Tony Cleary yesterday, having “beaten” Horan 2 and 1, but the Dromoland Castle player stood unopposed on the first tee and will now face Castle’s Alex Gleeson following the 19 year old’s 3 and 1 win over Dun Laoghaire’s Ted Collins.

While 67-year old Reddan is out, 62-year old former Walker Cup player Arthur Pierse of Tipperary is through to the last 64 having beaten Dunmurry Springs’ Sean Maloney 3 and 2.

Former South of Ireland winner and reigning Irish Amateur Open champion Robbie Cannon, who was bitterly disappointed not the get a call up for the Home Internationals, beat Portmarnock’s Michael Brett 2 and 1.

Claremorris’ Stephen Healy, runner up to Murray last year, came back from an early two hole deficit against Shane Lowry’s young brother Alan Lowry to win 3 and 2 but there were also a couple of surprises.

Portmarnock’s Stephen Walsh, the 2011 champion, lost on the 18th to Cork’s John Hickey while former international and current Munster interprovincial Niall Gorey of Muskerry fell 2 and 1 to Elm Park’s Eoin O’Connor.

South of Ireland 2013

Lahinch GC, 27-31 July 2013

(Sponsored by Clare Coast Hotels)

Third round draw

1st quarter

07:00 Evan Farrell (Ardee) v Ryan McKinstry (Cairdhu),

07:09 Shaun O’Connor (Luttrellstown Castle) v Ian Brennan (Greenore),

07:18 Stuart Grehan (Tullamore) v John Conroy (Bray),

07:27 Sean Ryan (Royal Dublin) v  Eoin O’Sullivan (The Island),

07:36 Kelan McDonagh (Athlone) v Tony O’Leary (Wexford),

07:45 Ben Best (Rathmore) v Joe Lyons (Galway),

07:54 Eugene Smith (Ardee) v Gary McGrane (Royal Dublin),

08:03 Ross Kenny (Naas) v Chris Tormey (Mullingar).

Second Quarter

08:12 Robbie Cannon (Balbriggan) v Paul McCarthy (Mallow) 

08:21 Paul O’Hara (Kilkenny) v Paul Reavey (Warrenpoint)

08:30 Shane McGlynn (Carton House) v Shaun Carter (Stackstown/NUIM)

08:39 Stephen Coulter (Warrenpoint) v Ryan O’Dwyer (Callan)

08:48 Colin Cunningham (Carton House) v Ian O’Flynn (Cork)

08:57 John Hickey (Cork) v David Foy (Laystown & Bettystown)

09:06 Arthur Pierse (Tipperary) v Philip Spratt (West Waterford)

09:15 Stephen McCarthy (Killeen Castle/NUIM) v Nicky Grant (Knock)

Third quarter

09:24 Alex Gleeson (Castle) v Tom Cleary (Dromoland Castle)

09:33 Gareth Bohill (Co Louth) vDeclan Reidy (Co Sligo)

09:42 Thomas O’Connor (Athlone) v Ed Hickey (Shannon)

09:51 Jack Leacy (Dungarvan) v Shane Hogan (Nenagh)

10:00 Jamie Rothwell (Curragh) v Matthew McClean (Balmoral)

10:09 James McLaughlin (Portumna) v Simon Bryan (Delgany)

10:18 Bryan McSweeney (Royal Dublin) v Daniel Holland (Castle)

10:27 William Hanna (Kilkeel/Warrenpoint) v Pat Murray (Limerick)

Fourth quarter

10:36 Simon Ward (Co. Louth) v Billy McGarry (Birr)

10:45 Gary Collins (Rosslare) v Barry Anderson (Royal Dublin)

10:54 Gary O’Flaherty (Cork) v Jamie Sutherland (Galgorm Castle)

11:03 Mark Mullen (Wexford) v  Eoin O’Connor (Elm Park)

11:12 John Greene (Portmarnock) v  Eamonn Haugh (Castletroy)

11:21 Dave O’Donovan (Muskerry) v  Richard Bridges (Stackstown)

11:30 Mark Ryan (Grange) v  John Kavanagh (Castletroy)

11:39 Aidan Kelly (The Heritage) bv Stephen Healy Claremorris)

Second round

First Quarter

Evan Farrell (Ardee) w/o Eddie McCormack (Galway) ret,

Ryan McKinstry (Cairdhu) bt Dean McMahon (Castletroy) 2/1,

Shaun O’Connor (Luttrellstown Castle) bt Keith Mackenzie (Bruntsfield Links) 2/1,

Ian Brennan (Greenore) bt Eanna Griffin (Waterford) 4/3,

Stuart Grehan (Tullamore) bt David Finn (Mallow) 5/4,

John Conroy (Bray) bt Paul Cullen (Royal Tara) 4/3,

Sean Ryan (Royal Dublin) bt Liam Harnett) 4/3,

Eoin O’Sullivan (The Island) bt Gavin McKenna (Fortwilliam) 4/3,

Kelan McDonagh (Athlone) bt Barry Fennelly (Royal Dublin) 1H,

Tony O’Leary (Wexford) bt Emmet Leahy (Thurles) 3/2,

Ben Best (Rathmore) bt David Kelleher (Portmarnock) 4/3,

Joe Lyons (Galway) bt Gerard Dunne (Co Louth) 2/1,

Eugene Smith (Ardee) bt Liam Hutchinson (Royal Dublin) 6/5,

Gary McGrane (Royal Dublin) bt Roy Connolly (Rathsallagh) 3/2,

Ross Kenny (Naas) bt Mark MacGrath (Limerick) 6/5,

Chris Tormey (Mullingar) w/o Brian Casey (Headfort) WD,

Second Quarter

Robbie Cannon (Balbriggan) bt Michael Brett (Portmarnock) 2/1,

Paul McCarthy (Mallow) bt Richard Knightly (The Royal Dublin) 1H,

Paul O’Hara (Kilkenny) bt Conor O’Rourke (Naas/NUIM) 3/2,

Paul Reavey (Warrenpoint) bt Brian McCormack (Castle Barna ) 4/2,

Shane McGlynn (Carton House) bt Adam Doran (Ardee) 4/2,

Shaun Carter (Stackstown/NUIM) bt Jason Rackard (Bunclody) 1H,

Stephen Coulter (Warrenpoint) bt James Monaghan (Royal Dublin) 6/5,

Ryan O’Dwyer (Callan) bt Colin Fairweather (Knock) 2H,

Colin Cunningham (Carton House) bt Ronan Burke (Castle) 1H,

Ian O’Flynn (Cork) bt Mark Morrissey (Mount Wolseley 4/3,

John Hickey (Cork) bt Stephen Walsh (Portmarnock) 1H,

David Foy (Laystown & Bettystown) bt Kieran Kennedy (Thurles) 6/5,

Arthur Pierse (Tipperary) bt Sean Maloney (Dunmurry Springs) 3/2,

Philip Spratt (West Waterford) bt Jonathan Yates (Naas) 1H,

Stephen McCarthy (Killeen Castle/NUIM) bt Colin Winton (Castleblaney) 3/2,

Nicky Grant (Knock) bt Mark O’Rourke (Royal Tara) 2/1,

Third quarter

Alex Gleeson (Castle) bt Ted Collins (Dun Laoghaire) 3/2

Tony Cleary (Dromoland) w/o Barry Reddan (Co Louth)/Michael Horan (Birr) disq.,

Gareth Bohill (Co Louth) bt Jon Foran (Thurles) 4/3,

Declan Reidy (Co Sligo) bt Michael Buggy (Castlecomer) 5/3,

Thomas O’Connor (Athlone) bt Eddie Power (Kilkenny) 5/3

Ed Hickey (Shannon) bt Paul Flynn (Tramore) 3/2

Jack Leacy (Dungarvan) bt Michael O’Kelly (Limerick) 1H,

Shane Hogan (Nenagh) bt Sean Poucher (Limerick) 1H,

Jamie Rothwell (Curragh) bt Matthew McAlpin (Royal Portrush) 3/2,

Matthew McClean (Balmoral) bt Ally Purdy (Ballyclare) 3/1,

James McLaughlin (Portumna) bt Jeff Hopkins (Royal Dublin) 1H,

Simon Bryan (Delgany) bt Gavin O’Connor (Malahide) 4/3,

Bryan McSweeney (Royal Dublin) bt Gavin Smyth (Clonmel) 4/3,

Daniel Holland (Castle) bt Kieran Lynch (Skibbereen/NUIM) 6/5,

William Hanna (Kilkeel/Warrenpoint) bt Barry Daly (Edmondstown) 2 up

Pat Murray (Limerick) bt Jack Walsh (Castle) 4/3

Fourth quarter

Simon Ward (Co. Louth) bt Stephen Loftus (Lahinch) 1 up,

Billy McGarry (Birr) bt Colum Kenny (Curragh) 1 up,

Gary Collins (Rosslare) bt Paul Burke (Mullingar) 3/2,

Barry Anderson (Royal Dublin) bt Darragh Coughlan (Portmarnock) 2/1,

Gary O’Flaherty (Cork) bt Matthew Kane (Whitehead) 2/1,

Jamie Sutherland (Galgorm Castle) bt Conor Glynn (Carton House) 2H,

Mark Mullen (Wexford) bt Patrick Neville (Bearna) 3/2,

Eoin O’Connor (Elm Park) bt Niall Gorey (Muskerry) 2/1,

John Greene (Portmarnock) bt William Russell (Clandeboye) 2/1,

Eamonn Haugh (Castletroy) bt Paul Coughlan (Moate),

Dave O’Donovan (Muskerry) bt Stephen Moloney (Castletroy) 3/2,

Richard Bridges (Stackstown) bt Greg Carew (Edenderry) 3/2,

Mark Ryan (Grange) bt Keith Egan (Carton House) 4/3,

John Kavanagh (Castletroy) bt Andrew Hogan (Newlands) 2/1,

Aidan Kelly (The Heritage) bt Peter Sheehan (Ballybunion) 4/3,

Stephen Healy Claremorris) bt Alan Lowry (Esker Hills/Nuim) 3/2.