Sixth Kilkenny Scratch Cup for Eddie Power
Eddie Power and Kilkenny Golf Club captain Denis Brophy
Forty-nine year old Eddie Power proved yet again that he is the master of the Kilkenny Scratch Cup when he captured the title for the sixth time — 10 years after his last win — in its 50th anniversary staging at Kilkenny Golf Club on Saturday.
His previous wins came in 1994, 1996, 1997 and 1999, but this one was special as he was the only player in the 66-strong field to finish under par after rounds of 71 and 70 left him on one under, three strokes ahead of Laytown and Bettystown's Cian Geraghty.
Waterford Castle’s Eanna Griffin led the field by two shots after the opening round thanks to a best of day 69 with Birr’s Billy McGarry (70) in second ahead of Power, Castlemartyr's Mark Shanahan and new Ross' Michael Ryan Jnr.
Stackstown's Richard Bridges, Dun Laoghaire's Eoin O’Brien and Eddie's 14-year old son Mark Power all shot one over 72s with Geraghty, Portmarnock's Geoff Lenehan, Carton House's Shane McGlynn and Cork's John Hickey all on 73 with holder and two time winner Paul O’Hara and fellow Kilkenny man Richard Duggan on 74 and 75 respectively.
The bookies had Eddie at rather generous odds of 20/1 on Friday behind 11/2 favourite Lenehan with Bridges at 8/1, Shanahan 9/1 and Geraghty 33/1.
Having placed himself very nicely after round one, Power had a magical stretch in the second round, racking up five birdies — at the 4th, 6th, 8th, 9th and 12th — to surge clear.
Par saves at the 13th and 16th kept his round going and he then parred home to win by three, giving putter an affectionate kiss as he walked off the 18th green.
Captain Denis Brophy and Tommy Duggan, the inaugural winner in 1964, presented a beaming and emotional Eddie with the trophy n front of a packed club house.
2014 Kilkenny Senior Scratch Cup
Sponsored by David Buggy Motors – KIA Dealers Kilkenny
Winner: Eddie Power Kilkenny Scr (71 + 70) 141.
Runner-up: Cian Geraghty, Laytown/Bettystown Scr (73 + 71) 144.
3rd Place: Richard Bridges, Stackstown +2 (72 + 72) 144.
Lowest Score of the Day: Eanna Griffin, Waterford +2; 69.
1st Round Gross: Billy McGarry, Birr +1; 70.
2nd Round Gross: Ger Lawlor, Craddockstown +2; 71.
Other notable scores
144 Mark Shanahan
146 Ger Lawlor, Eanna Griffin
147 Richard Duggan, Eoin O’Brien
148 Shane McGlynn
150 Aaron Grant (Dundalk), Geoff Lenehan, Mark Power, Billy McGarry, Graham Nugent (Kilkenny), Gavin Young (Birr), Paul O’Hara and John Hickey
