No stopping the amazing Maurice Kelly as cream comes to the top at Grange
Maurice Kelly (Naas) holes his birdie putt on the 18th green to win the Irish Seniors Amateur Close Championship at Grange Golf Club. Picture by Pat Cashman
Naas's Maurice Kelly continued his prolific winning ways on the Over 55s circuit when he claimed the Irish Senior Amateur Close Championship in emphatic fashion at Grange on Friday.
The 65-year old is proving to be a master amongst the veterans and having added to his trophy haul with victory in this year's Spanish Seniors Open, he birdied the last two holes to close with a two over 73 and finish five clear of Tramore's John Mitchell and Cork's Tom Cleary on nine over 222 with former championship greats Adrian Morriw and Gareth McGimpsey well off the pace.
As Kelly said back in 2010: "There are a lot of fellas who were great players when they were younger, but I don't worry about that. With all due respect to them, I feel I can beat anybody, and that's the way I have to think."
Michael Connaughton (President, Golfing Union of Ireland) presenting Maurice Kelly (Naas) with the Irish Seniors Amateur Close Championship trophy after his victory at Grange Golf Club. Also in the picture is Paul Muldowney (Captain, Grange Golf Club). Picture by Pat Cashman
Runner-up Tom Cleary (Cork) driving at the 17th hole during the final round of the Irish Seniors Amateur Close Championship at Grange Golf Club. Picture by Pat Cashman
Irish Seniors Amateur Close, Grange GC (Par 71)
Final - Detailed scores
222 Maurice Kelly (Naas) 75 74 73
227 Tom Cleary (Cork) 75 78 74, John Mitchell (Tramore) 73 76 78
228 Adrian Morrow (Portmarnock) 76 76 76
229 Ian Smyth (Clandeboye) 77 73 79
232 Garth McGimpsey (Royal Portrush) 76 77 79
234 Denis Deasy (Waterford) 77 80 77
235 Hugh Smyth (Mourne) 78 77 80
237 Steve Prendergast (The Royal Dublin) 80 78 79
239 Neville Steedman (Balcarrick) 84 80 75, David Walpole (Milltown) 84 78 77, Dermot Morris (Limerick Golf Club) 84 76 79, Liam MacNamara (Rosslare) 81 81 77, Peter Rogers (Dundalk) 81 79 79, David Conway (Portmarnock) 78 83 78
240 Pat Lyons (Cork) 85 81 74, Noel Patterson (Milltown) 79 83 78
241 Billy Donlon (Birr) 81 79 81, Tom Tyrrell (The Heath) 77 81 83
242 Richard Brooker (Skerries) 80 80 82, Nigel Woods (Bangor) 80 77 85, Peter Cowley (Cork) 78 80 84
243 Liam Halpin (Westport) 85 74 84, Michael Coote (Tralee) 82 80 81
244 Declan Corcoran (Thurles) 86 77 81, Alan Lilley (Ballyclare) 78 80 86
245 Des Hinchin (Bray) 83 83 79, Paddy Lewis (Woodbrook) 82 81 82, Mick Ahern (Skerries) 78 81 86
246 Gerard O'Sullivan (Tralee) 82 81 83, Jim McVeigh (Carlow) 81 75 90
247 Richard McDowell (Royal Belfast) 83 81 83
248 Kevin Knightly (The Royal Dublin) 83 82 83, David Cromie (Denham Golf Club) 82 82 84
250 Mick Gaynor (Co. Meath) 81 84 85
252 Jeremy Cleary (Woodbrook) 84 82 86, Noel Mannion (Dun Laoghaire) 84 82 86
253 Brendan McDonnell (K Club) 81 83 89
255 Pat Morrissey (Balbriggan) 85 79 91
NR/WD Seamus Ward (Laytown & Bettystown) 80 82 NR, Donal O'Donovan (Bandon) NR 79 , Arthur Bell (Greencastle Golf Club) NR 100 , Michael Darcy (Oughterard) NR NR , Jody Gilhooly (Edmondstown) NR , Hugh MacKeown (Portmarnock) 81 85 WD, Barry Lavin (Carton House) 86 WD , Gerry Phelan (Macreddin) 90 WD , Ray Smith (Galway) NR WD
Winner Maurice Kelly (Naas) with his wife Ann after his victory at the Irish Seniors Amateur Close Championship at Grange Golf Club. Picture by Pat Cashman
Missed cut
163 Morgan Pierse (Grange) 80 83
165 Kevin Sheehy (Athlone) 82 83
166 Brendan O'Malley (The Royal Dublin) 81 85
167 Tony Hayes (Hermitage) 86 81 , Gerard O'Kennedy (Athlone) 85 82 , Val Smyth (Co. Louth) 82 85 , Michael F Galvin (Limerick Golf Club) 80 87
168 Jack Dempsey (Royal Curragh) 88 80 , Patrick Keogh (Old Conna) 87 81 , Tony Frew (Grange) 82 86 , Michael Kirby (Grange) 82 86
169 Dave Roberts (Rathcore) 88 81 , Niall Finnegan (Gort) 87 82 , Neil Kilgallon (Powerscourt) 87 82 , Peter Murphy (Carlow) 82 87
170 Brian Farrell (Balcarrick) 90 80 , Michael Quirke (Doneraile) 88 82 , Steven Bell (Gracehill Golf Club) 87 83 , Brendan Mccarroll (Ballyliffin) 85 85 , Mervyn Eager (Lucan) 85 85 , Paddy Morgan (Co. Sligo) 84 86 , Eddie Condren (Bray) 84 86
172 Mark Windebank (Royal Portrush) 88 84 , Patrick J Murphy (Cork) 86 86
173 Nigel Duke (Killiney) 89 84 , Jerry Gore (Oughterard) 89 84 , Daniel Cash (Rosslare) 89 84 , Tom Byrne (Greystones) 87 86 , Rory Timlin (Galway) 87 86
174 Des Egan (Loughrea) 84 90
175 Martin Higgins (Claremorris) 89 86
176 Pat Lynch (Slade Valley) 86 90
177 Rory Fitzgerald (Tramore) 91 86 , Keith Lapsley (Dunfanaghy) 88 89
179 Kieran O'Mahony (Galway) 90 89
180 Alistair Smith (Blainroe) 93 87
181 G. A. Finn (Cork) 92 89 , Greg Young (Lahinch) 91 90 , Patrick Griffin (Dooks) 88 93
183 Michael Foley (Faithlegg) 95 88 , Larry Cushen (The Heath) 93 90
194 William Leggett (The Island) 96 98