Talent galore on show as The Island hosts Boys and Senior Interpros
Kevin Le Blanc, recently crowned Junior Open champion. Picture: Thos Caffrey / www.golffile.ie
Hometown hero Kevin Le Blanc, who won the Junior Open Championship last week at West Lancs in what was the start of a great week for Irish golf, will be present among the Leinster Boys team who are looking for a three-in-a-row victory at the Boys Interprovincial Championship this week, writes the GUI.
The Boys and Senior Interprovincial Matches are both taking place at Le Blanc's home club, The Island, and while the Leinster Boys team will be looking to draw on all his experience of the course, the Leinster Senior team, too, will have local knowledge on their side with both Walker Cup player Gavin Moynihan and former Irish Boy International Paul McBride among their ranks.
Four of the six players who represented Ireland that week will be present at The Island - including Cormac Sharvin and Dermot McElroy for Ulster, Moynihan for Leinster and Gary Hurley for Munster.
The strength in depth of the Leinster teams in both competitions may be decieving, however, as both the Boys and Senior Interprovincial titles look set to be keenly contested.
In the Senior Interprovincial Championship, the last three titles have gone to Connacht, Munster and Ulster respectively - with Leinster finishing runner-up on two of those occasions.
In the Boys series, meanwhile, last year's matches were particularly exciting, with all four teams tied going into the last day's play - and Connacht coming within a whisker of winning their first title in over a decade.
Admission to The Island is free for the Interprovincial Championships, which begin on Tuesday 22nd July and run until Thursday 24th July. The forecast promises warm sunshine for most of the week, so a feast of golf awaits any enthusiasts who come along. All are most welcome to do so.
Interprovincial Championship, The Island Golf Club
Day 1 (Tuesday 22nd July)
Ulster v Connacht (Ulster names first)
Foursomes (0800 at 10-minute intervals)
Chris Selfridge & Colin Fairweather v Barry Anderson & Gary McDermott
Dermot McElroy & Cormac Sharvin v Stephen Healy & Declan Loftus
Colm Campbell & Stephen Coulter v Sean Flanagan & Steffan O’Hara
John-Ross Galbraith & Matt McClean v Alex Gleeson & Joe Lyons
Singles (1300 at 10-minute intervals)
Chris Selfridge v Gary McDermott
Dermot McElroy v Barry Anderson
Cormac Sharvin v Sean Flanagan
John-Ross Galbraith v Stephen Healy
Colm Campbell v Steffan O’Hara
Colin Fairweather v Declan Loftus
Stephen Coulter v Joe Lyons
Leinster v Munster (Leinster names first)
Foursomes (0830 at 10-minute intervals)
Gavin Moynihan & Gary Collins v Gary Hurley & Ian O’Rourke
Paul McBride & Daniel Holland v Pat Murray & Geoff Lenehan
Stuart Grehan & Richard Bridges v Robin Dawson & John Hickey
Robbie Cannon & Conor O’Rourke v Gary O’Flaherty & Niall Gorey
Singles (1356 at 10-minute intervals)
Gavin Moynihan v Pat Murray
Paul McBride v Gary Hurley
Stuart Grehan v Robin Dawson
Gary Collins v Gary O’Flaherty
Daniel Holland v Geoff Lenehan
Richard Bridges v Ian O’Rourke
Robbie Cannon v Niall Gorey
Boys Interprovincial Championship, The Island Golf Club
Day 1 (Tuesday 22nd July)
ALL MATCHES START AT THE 10TH TEE
Leinster v Ulster (Leinster names first)
Foursomes
Kevin Le Blanc & Rowan Lester v Jamie Fletcher & Owen Crooks
Conor Purcell & Alan Fahy v Marc McKinstry & Ryan Long
Thomas Mulligan & Eoin Leonard v Peter Kerr & Rory Williamson
Singles
Kevin Le Blanc v Jamie Fletcher
David Carey v James McVicker
Eoin Leonard v Peter Kerr
Alan Fahy v Ryan Long
Thomas Mulligan v Marc McKinstry
Conor Purcell v Owen Crooks
Rowan Lester v Rory Williamson
Connacht v Munster (Connacht names first)
Foursomes
David Brady & Sean Doyle v James Sugrue & Gary Ward
Tommy O’Driscoll & Jonathan Doherty v Mark MacGrath & Rory Hill
Devin Morley & Jack Healy v Paul Tobin & Cathal Butler
Singles
David Brady v James Sugrue
Tommy O’Driscoll v Mark MacGrath
Devin Morley v Paul Tobin
Sean Doyle v Bill Murrahy
Colm Hughes v Cathal Butler
Jonathan Doherty v Rory Hill
Jack Healy v Gary Ward
