Sugrue heads strong field for Bank of Ireland Castletroy Scratch Cup

James Sugrue

International James Sugrue heads strong field for Saturday's Bank of Ireland sponsored Castletroy Senior Scratch Cup.

There are 14 "plus" handicap golfers in the field and 13 scratch men with 2017 South of Ireland winner Sugrue from Mallow, now off plus four, the favourite to lift the HK Murray Trophy.

Former South of Ireland and Irish Close winner Pat Murray,  now playing out of Clontarf and Justin Kehoe, another former South of Ireland champion and a  former tour professional, will also be in action.

Castletroy has a strong presence in the field with 2018 winner Jason Tobin joined by current Munster interprovincial Andrew McCormack, who finished 19th in last week's Flogas Irish Amateur Open at Rosses Point, as well as Stephen Moloney, Jack Ryan and Dean McMahon.

Limerick's Ciaran Vaughan, Galway's former Connacht interprovincials Cathal Nolan and Stephen Brady and the likes of Greg O'Mahoney (Fota Island), David Reddan (Nenagh), Fergal O'Sullivan (Tralee), Michael Burke (Galway) and Ben Murray (Waterford Castle) will also be gunning for the trophy.

The event was first played in 1948 when Limerick's E OBrien claimed the trophy presented by HK Murray.

Since then, the famous old trophy has passed through some illustrious hands with JB Carr, Liam Higgins, Vincent Nevin and Des Smyth succeeded in recent years by Sugrue, Gary O’Flaherty, Niall Gorey, Eddie McCormack, Mark Shanahan and Alan Thomas.

Much will be expected from the home contingent following last year's 1-2-3 by Tobin, McMahon and Ryan while Munster golfers will also be playing for points in the Munster Senior Golf Order of Merit, which is a counting event towards selection for the Interprovincial Matches.

Currently ranked among the top 100 courses in the country, Castletroy measures almost 7,000 yards from the back tees.

Scoring is never easy and last season, Tobin had enough with rounds of 75 and 69 to win the trophy by two strokes on level par 144 with then reigning West of Ireland champion Robert Brazill forced to settle for fifth on 147.

Castletroy Senior Scratch Cup, Castletroy Golf Club

Sponsored by Bank of Ireland

Tee times, Saturday, May 25

1st Tee Jason Tobin (Castletroy), James Sugrue (Mallow), David Reddan Jnr (Nenagh), 
2nd Tee Lewy Halpin (Shannon), Eoghan O’Donnell (Tralee), Stephen Moloney (Castletroy), 
3rd Tee Michael Burke (Galway), Cillian Moloney (Fota Island), Aaron Ryan (Thurles), 
4th Tee Patrick Naughton (Limerick), Cian Daly (Castletroy), Christopher Taylor (Kanturk), 
5th Tee Mel Deasy (Lee Valley), Andrew McCormack (Castletroy), Fergal O’Sullivan (Tralee), 
5(B) Conor Dowling (Mallow), Declan McInerney (Lahinch), Richard Walshe (Kilkenny), 
6th Tee Scott O’Brien (Nenagh), Philip Spratt (West Waterford), Michael Kennelly (Galway Bay), 
6(B) Liam Lenihan (Shannon), Conor Meade (Castletroy), Cathal O’Carroll (Charleville), 
7th Tee Nathan Ryan (Dromoland), Peadar O’Byrne (Athenry), Dave Carroll (Castletroy), 
8th Tee David Fitzgerald (Tralee), Alan Considine (Lahinch), Aodan Comerford (Galway), 
9th Tee Anton O’Callaghan (Tralee), Alan Purcell (Adare Manor), Christopher Murphy (West Waterford), 
9(B) Michael O’Farrell (Galway), James O’Callaghan (Fota Island), Colm O’Donoghue (Castletroy), 
10th Tee Sean Myatt (Ennis), Sean Enright (Limerick), John Hadnett (Castletroy), 
11th Tee Anton Brennan (Galway Bay), Sean Mernagh (Castletroy),
11(B) Justin Kehoe (Limerick), Cillian Twomey (Fermoy), Jason O’Leary (Dromoland), 
12th Tee John Kavanagh Jnr (Castletroy), Stephen Hennessy (Lahinch), Eoin Goggin (Tralee), 
13th Tee Keith Crowley (Fota Island), Thomas Neenan (Lahinch), Ciaran Vaughan (Limerick), 
14th Tee Paul Flynn (Tramore), Paul Tobin (Douglas), Mark Campbell (Lahinch), 
15th Tee Shane Hogan (Nenagh), Jack Ryan (Castletroy), Greg O’Mahony (Fota Island), 
15(B) Jonathan McDonnell (Castletroy), Simon Walker (Roscommon), Senan Carroll (Ballybunion), 
16th Tee Pat Murray (Clontarf), Fergus Harrold (Castletroy), Damien Gleeson (Limerick), 
17th Tee Brendan Reidy (Castletroy), Niall Fitzgerald (Shannon),
17(B) Redmond McDonnell (Castletroy), Stephen Brady (Galway), Paul Carey (Nenagh), 
18th Tee Ben Murray (Waterford Castle), Harry Duggan (Kilkenny), Dean McMahon (Castletroy).