Sugrue and Brazill set for Castletroy battle

South of Ireland champion James Sugrue faces a major challenge when he defends the Bank of Ireland sponsored Castletroy Senior Scratch Cup this weekend.

The Mallow star will be hoping to retain the Major HK Murray Trophy in the 70th-anniversary edition of the 36-hole event at the Limerick venue on Saturday.

He will need to be at his best to take the title as he's drawn with West of Ireland champion Robert Brazill from Naas and former South of Ireland champion Justin Kehoe.

Kehoe and Limerick's Ciaran Vaughan are always dangerous while Castletroy's Jack Ryan, Dean McMahon, Cian Daly, Darragh Walshe, Jason Tobin, John Hadnett and Jonathan McDonnell will be keen to add their names to the illustrious list of winners alongside those of Joe Carr, Jimmy Bruen, Liam Higgins, Vincent Nevin and Des Smyth.

Castletroy's Munster interprovincial star Andrew McCormack is also a likely a threat, but with six Cork winners in the last ten years, the odds favour of the visitors in the 72-strong field

Castletroy Senior Scratch Cup

Sponsored by Bank of Ireland

• 1st Tee James Sugrue (Mallow), Justin Kehoe (Limerick), Robert Brazil (Naas), 
• 2nd Tee Fergal O’Sullivan (Tralee), Ben Murray (Waterford Castle), Shane Hogan (Nenagh), 
• 3rd Tee Jonathan Keane (Lahinch), Gavin Smyth (Clonmel), Gary Ward (Kinsale), 
• 4th Tee Jason O’Leary (Dromoland), Paul O'Hara (Kilkenny), Jack Ryan (Castletroy), 
• 5th Tee Aaron Ryan (Thurles), Keith Bermingham (Castletroy), Eoghan Murphy (Cork), 
• 5(B), Damien Gleeson (Limerick), Eoin Cantwell (Kilkenny), Mike O’Friel (Castletroy), 
• 6th Tee Redmond McDonnell (Adare Golf Club) Stephen Brady (Galway), David Roynane (Thurles), 
• 7th Tee Kieran Vaughan (Limerick), Darragh Walshe (Castletroy), Sean Alley (Co Tipperary) 
• 7(B), Aodan Comerford (Galway), David Fitzgerald (Tralee), Cillian Howard (Dromoland), 
• 8th Tee Jonathan McDonnell (Castletroy), Conor Dowling (Mallow), Paul Tobin (Cork), 
• 8B Ross Fitzgerald (Limerick), Jason Ryan (Dromoland), Eoin Goggin (Tralee), 
• 9th Tee Senan Carroll (Ballybunion), Robert Fitzpatrick (Naas), Michael Burke (Galway), 
• 10th Tee Noel Sexton (Lahinch), Anton O’Callaghan (Tralee), Gavin Lynch (Cobh), 
• 11th Tee Scott O’Brien (Nenagh), Alan Purcell (Adare Manor), Conor McDowell (Cobh), 
• 11(B), Luke O’Brien (Limerick), John Hadnett (Castletroy), Conor Meade (East Clare), 
• 12th Tee Darren O’Donoghue (Bandon), Robert Ward (Nenagh), Sean Byrnes (Dromoland), 
• 13th Tee Ed Hickey (Shannon), Paul Carey (Nenagh), Kevin Collins (Fermoy), 
• 13(B), Brendan Reidy (Castletroy), Bill Murray (Waterford Castle), Owen O’Donnell (Tralee), 
• 14th Tee Jonathan Kelly (Athy), Simon Walker (Roscommon), Peter Hennessy (Lahinch), 
• 15th Tee Fergal Deasy (Cork), Jason Tobin (Castletroy), Mark Forde (Cork), 
• 16th Tee Brian Scully (Dromoland), Greg O’Mahony (Fota Island), Dean McMahon (Castletroy), 
• 17th Tee Andrew McCormack (Castletroy), Mark MacGrath (Lahinch), David Reddan Jnr (Nenagh), 
• 17(B), Thomas Neenan Lahinch), Lewy Halpin (Shannon), Keith Crowley (Fota Island), 
• 18th Tee Cian Daly (Castletroy), Thomas Plunkett (Crover House), Sean Poucher (Limerick)